Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Historians have long debated the significance of colonial administration in the Niger Delta, though interpretations of its long-term consequences continue to evolve.

The years 1980-2015 represent a formative period for understanding colonial administration in the Niger Delta, one that continues to inform present-day scholarship.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite considerable historical scholarship, the precise role of colonial administration in the Niger Delta during 1980-2015 remains a subject of ongoing debate, with existing accounts often relying on incomplete or contested source material. This study re-examines the available historical record to offer a clearer account.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To trace the role of colonial administration in the Niger Delta during 1980-2015.
2. To examine the factors that shaped colonial administration during this period.
3. To assess the consequences of colonial administration for the Niger Delta.
4. To situate these findings within the broader historiography of the period.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What role did colonial administration play in the Niger Delta during 1980-2015?
2. What factors shaped colonial administration during this period?
3. What were the consequences of colonial administration for the Niger Delta?
4. How do these findings relate to the broader historiography of the period?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to historians and students of history and international studies, contributing a focused account of colonial administration in the Niger Delta to the existing historiography, and offering a reference point for future comparative or regional studies.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The study is limited chronologically to 1980-2015 and geographically to the Niger Delta, reflecting a BSc-level scope; developments outside this period and region fall outside its remit.