SS2 Third Term Government Lesson Note – French Colonial Administration in West Africa

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WEEK 2

TOPIC: COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION

FRENCH COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION IN WEST AFRICA

CONTENTS: (a) PRINCIPLES, STRUCTURES, POLICIES, FEATURES AND FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAILURE OF THE POLICY OF ASSIMILATION.

 (b) Advantages of Colonial rule.

(c) Disadvantages of Colonial rule

(d) Comparison of The Features of British System of Indirect Rule with that of French Policy of Assimilation

FRENCH COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA.

The French colonial administration was a sharp contrast to that of the British. While the British authorities used indirect rule system while the French authorities used direct rule system known as the policy of assimilation and later changed to association. They were in control of the following territories in West Africa- Senegal, Ivory- coast (Coted’ivore), Dahomey(now Benin republic), Niger, Guinea and Upper Volta( now Burkina Faso).

France established a loose federation of her colonies with headquarters in Dakar, Senegal and appointed a governor general resident in Dakar to supervise the activities of the federation.

PRINCIPLES AND STRUCTURE OF FRENCH COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION.

1. The governor general: The governor general governed Senegal from Dakar and exercised authority over the other four colonies each of which had a governor. The governor general in principle had to consult the colonial minister in France for decisions on major issues that affect the federation.
2. Existence of provinces: The French colonial government divided each colony into provinces called circles which varies greatly in size and in population. This circles were also subdivided into districts or cantons.
3. Division of Senegal into communes: Senegal was divided into four communes of Saint Louis, Dakar, Rufisque, and Gorge. The inhabitants in these communes were accorded French citizenship. They were governed according to the laws made in Paris in France. However, in the other colonial units there were a number of conditions for French citizenship.
4. The French subjects outside the four communes had no political rights or representation in the French parliament in Paris.
5. The system of administration which the French adopted under this arrangement was called the policy of assimilation.

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