In Kaduna, northern Nigeria, the Nigerians waited on the runway for the arrival of their honoured visitors, grasping little flags in their hands. Nigeria was a British colony, and the north of the country an English protectorate. Barefoot and wearing their traditional, brightly- coloured garments, the Nigerian women had gathered not far from the runway. The DC-3 plane would be landing soon, and the local authorities had organised a warm welcome for those about to visit the Northern region of the British colony. They heard the rumbling of engines in the distance; the plane was making its approach. The women chattered excitedly, their dresses fluttering in the light dusty wind that blew across the dirt runway of Kaduna airport.
The plane touched down, and the Nigerians looked on eagerly. Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, were visiting the northern protectorate in the company of Frederick Lugard and his wife, Flora Shaw. Frederick Lugard, the high commissioner and colonial administrator for Nigeria, had given his directives: “There will be no diplomacy!” The high commissioner had done well to specify this, as Nigeria had been trying in vain for years to obtain its independence. The plane drew to a halt on the runway, and the stairs were wheeled towards its door. A red carpet was rolled out to welcome the visitors with solemn reverence. The door of the DC-3 opened. Queen Elizabeth II was the first to emerge, as protocol dictated. She was followed by her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. The Nigerians waved their flags; Queen Elizabeth II greeted the officials from the Northern protectorate in the presence of Frederick Lugard. She shook hands with each of the officials and civil servants. The Nigerians were delighted by the visit, but the woman who drew the greater part of their attention was not Queen Elizabeth II, but the wife of the high commissioner, Flora Shaw.
Flora Shaw was not only the wife of Frederick Lugard; she was also a journalist and a writer. In an essay by “Miss Shaw,” first published in the Times on 8 January 1897, she suggested that the British protectorate along the Niger be named “Nigeria.” Indeed, the colonies had until then not been given their own names, marking their dependence on the British Empire. The name “Nigeria” was a magnificent title for the colony. The emblems chosen were auspicious for the future independence-seeking nation; the black shield and white and green stripes represented its fertile soil, the two horses its dignity, and the eagle its strength.
The greetings, diplomatic as they were, drew to a close. The Queen walked towards the women as they waved their flags, and the Nigerians began to sing traditional British songs. As the Queen approached, the Nigerian women threw red blossoms at her feet; Coctus Spectabilis, the country’s national flower. Queen Elizabeth saluted them with a wave of her hand, and the women were touched with emotion. The final petal fell to the ground; it was time for the visitors to begin their tour of the Protectorate of North Nigeria.
Alan Alfredo Geday
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