BRITISH CAMEROON
British Cameroon was a distinguished territory of the League of Nations entrusted to the British Empire in Central Africa, currently divided between Nigeria and Cameroon. The territory was administered by the British colony of Eastern Nigeria until 1954.
The British administratively segmented the territory into two regions, Northern Cameroons and Southern Cameroons. The territory was under indirect rule.
Indigenous authorities (native-Authorities) had the task of managing the local people according to their customs except when they were in contradiction with the principles of British civilization. British authorities determined the main directions and left the implementation to indigenous authorities. In addition, the British authorities kept a strong hold on trade, economic exploitation and mining resources as well as the administration of national Europeans.
In 1946, the former German plantations were collected by the British in one company known as CDC (Cameroon Development Corporation). CDC allowed the development of the river port of Mamfe on the Manyo River. Lumbering was prevalent in the southwest region.
Unlike the French Cameroon, few students were sent to study in Nigeria and the United Kingdom as the British Cameroon teaching was done in the local language (English language)
The Southern Cameroons were divided into four districts headed by a District Officer. Their capitals were Victoria (actual Limbe), Kumba, Mamfe and Bamenda.
In 1944 the National Council for Nigeria and Cameroon (NCNC) was founded as a department of self-government. After the Second World War, the British Cameroon was placed under UN trusteeship instead of League of Nations mandate.
In 1951, the Kamerun National Council (KNC) led by Dr. Endeley was founded.
In 1954, the British Cameroon adopted its own administration and established its capital in Buea.
In 1958, Dr. Endeley became Prime Minister of the “self Government” of British Cameroon. He favored integration with Nigeria, rather than unifying the two Cameroon seggregation. Opposition to integration created the Kamerun National Democratic Party (KNDP) directed by John Ngu Foncha.
In 1959, John NguFoncha became a Prime Minister.
The UN got a referendum which enabled the populace to choose between integration in Nigeria and reunification with French Cameroon. When the French Cameroon and Nigeria became independent in 1960, the question of what to do with Cameroons arose.
After many discussions and a referendum from 1959 to 1961, it was decided that the region of Northern Cameroons Muslim will be attached May 31 of 1961 to Nigeria, while the Southern Cameroons merged with the former French Cameroon (now also independent since January 1, 1960 under the name "Republic of Cameroon").
On 1st June of 1961, the North Kamerun became independent and joined Nigeria. On 1st October of 1961, the Southern Cameroon became independent and joined the Republic of Cameroon to form the FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF CAMEROON
