What I am saying is Britain has a bloodied colonial legacy that has left some degree of poverty and societal chaos in its wake and an awareness of that when lauding compartively trivial sums given back would be in order. And 45,000 Nigerians fought for Britain in WW2. If we are looking for cost savings in country maybe shaking down the huge wealth of the Royal Family would be on order , they are not short of a bob or too and their wealth is protected by unique taxation or rather lack of it.
The Arochukwu Massacre, also known as the Anglo-Aro War, occurred between 1901 and 1902 in southeastern Nigeria. It was a punitive expedition led by the British colonial government against the Aro Confederacy, a powerful Igbo trading network that controlled the region's economy and exerted significant political influence.
Causes of the conflict:
Resistance to Colonial Rule: The Aro resisted British attempts to establish control over their territory and disrupt their trade networks. They saw the British as a threat to their economic and political autonomy.
Slave Trade: The British used the Aro involvement in the slave trade as a justification for military intervention, despite the fact that the British had also participated in the slave trade earlier.
Religious and Cultural Differences: There were underlying tensions between the Aro traditional beliefs and practices and the Christian missionaries who accompanied the British.
The conflict:
The British launched a military campaign against the Aro, deploying a large force of soldiers and utilizing advanced weaponry.
The Aro, despite their decentralized structure and less sophisticated weaponry, fiercely resisted the British invasion.
The conflict involved numerous battles and skirmishes across the Arochukwu region.
The British eventually prevailed, due to their superior firepower and resources.
Consequences:
Significant Loss of Life: Thousands of Aro people were killed during the conflict, including civilians. The exact death toll is uncertain, but it is estimated to be in the thousands.
Destruction of Arochukwu: The Aro capital, Arochukwu, was largely destroyed, along with many other Aro settlements.
Disruption of Aro Economy and Culture: The Aro Confederacy was dismantled, and their economic and political power was shattered. Their traditional trade networks were disrupted, and their cultural practices were suppressed.
Consolidation of British Rule: The defeat of the Aro allowed the British to consolidate their control over southeastern Nigeria, paving the way for further colonial expansion in the region.
Legacy:
The Arochukwu Massacre remains a controversial and painful episode in Nigerian history. It is seen by many as a brutal act of colonial aggression and a symbol of the destructive impact of British rule.
The conflict had long-lasting consequences for the Aro people, who suffered significant loss of life, displacement, and cultural disruption.
The memory of the massacre continues to be commemorated by the Aro people, and it serves as a reminder of their resilience and resistance to colonial oppression.