Road Transportation, Agriculture and Trade in Western Nigeria after World War II

Abstract

This paper examines the role and impact of road transportation on the economy of southwestern Nigeria after World War II. The focus is on how road transportation promoted agriculture and trade. The study of the post World War II period is important because it enables us to examine two crucial elements in the economic history of Nigeria. On the one hand is the pursuit of British colonial economic interests and on the other is the nationalist agenda in the era of transition to self rule. The post World War II period is divided into two phases: the first, from 1945 to 1952, covers the period of British administration of the Western region of Nigeria. During this period, the colonial government used road transportation as a means of pursuing her economic interests in Nigeria. This, of course, had been the pattern of colonial rule since its inauguration in Nigeria at the beginning of the century. The second phase runs from 1952 to independence in 1960. This was the era of the first indigenous government in the Western region. From that date, the history of road transportation in Nigeria took a new turn. Indeed, compared to the pre 1952 era when road transportation was used to further colonial interests, the indigenous government began to take concrete steps to transform the economy of the region and uplift the living conditions of the people. In the pursuit of this, government used road transportation as an instrument to bring about the desired social and economic transformation.