Many Nigerians don’t know this part of our history.

Many Nigerians don’t know this part of our history. Nigeria as we know it today was not originally created by the people living here. In 1900, the Royal Niger Company, a private British trading company, handed over its territories and control of the region to the British Crown for £865,000.

This company, founded by Sir George Goldie, controlled trade along the Niger River and signed agreements with local chiefs, many of whom could not read the English documents they were given. For years, it ran the area mainly for business and profit.

Later, the company became Niger Company Limited and eventually became part of Unilever, which still operates in Nigeria today.

History like this reminds us that Nigeria’s story is complex. The country was not simply “created”; powerful foreign companies and colonial interests played a major role in shaping it.

History dey deep.