NIGERIA.

White Ribbon, Volume 32, Issue 370, 18 April 1926, Page 13

NIGERIA.

Nigeria, in West Central Africa, which was taken over by the British imperial Government in 19(H) by buying out the Royal Niger Company, has on area equal to that of Germany, Holland, Belgium, and two-thirds of K nice combined. Half of it is coverid by dense forests, and the rest is largely desert. So the population—18i millions —is but small relatively to the area. The people are still mostly in a condition of barbarism; but the cannibalism which was common amongst them fc-.s been stopped by the British, as has also the slave trade. But whatever good civilising work has bein accomplished by the British, their inlluence has certainly not been unniixed good, for, from 1919, 63 per cent, of the revenues of the Colony was derived from the import of spirits. This ource of revenue, however, has now been suppressed by the Imperial Government. Sir Hugh Clifford, formerly Governor of the Gold Coast is now Governor of Nigeria. A Legislative Vsscmbly has been recently constituted. The Colony is administered by one white man to about 70,000 natives. The Governor and his fellow-workers have a very difficult task. What a field that Colony presents for the enterprise of men and women of genuine pelf-sacri-ficing missionary spirit!