Colonial Rule and Industrialization in Esan, Benin Province, Nigeria: A Case Study of Institutional Adaptation

Abstract

This paper examines the operation of British economic policy in Esan specifically as it relates to industrialization. Before the emergence of the British colonizers, the people of Esan were engaged in cottage industries which included cloth weaving (textile), basket and rope weaving, wood carving (art and craft), blacksmithing, pottery, soap and palm oil processing, palm wine tapping and food processing. The paper argues that a traditional industrial structure and practice in Esan had attained a level of sophistication prior to the emergence of British who sought to impose new demands on society. The people as well as their institutions were not receptive to the new demands. Rather, there was a conscious effort to meet colonial expectations while at the same time formulating strategies that would accommodate the traditional practices. There was thus a continuous process of adjustments and search for relevance in the new economy that was imposed on the people of Esan by the British Colonial authorities.

Key words: Cottage Industries, Colonial rule, Institutional Adaptation