British colonial divide-and-rule policy in Nigeria

Following the 1914 amalgamation, British colonial policy systematically exploited ethnicity through a divide-and-rule strategy imposed on the Nigerian peoples for reasons of colonial expediency. Colonial Governors were granted considerable freedom within general guidelines from the Colonial Office in London to initiate policies suited to their territories, while subordinate officers were given a high degree of autonomy — a feature of indirect rule. This latitude sanctioned Lugard's reckless exploitation of ethnic divisions.