Colony of Niger Colonie du Niger (French) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922–1960 | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| Anthem: La Marseillaise | |||||||||
 French West Africa in 1936. Note the Colonie du Niger, lacking the earlier Tibesti area of Chad, includes the later easternUpper Volta | |||||||||
| Status | Colony (1922–1946) Overseas territory (1946–1958) Autonomous republic (1958–1960) | ||||||||
| Capital | Zinder (1922–1926) Niamey (1926–1960) | ||||||||
| Common languages | French | ||||||||
| Religion | Islam,Christianity | ||||||||
| Lieutenant Governor | |||||||||
• 1922–1929 | Jules Brévié | ||||||||
• 1958–1959 | Louis Félix Rollet | ||||||||
| High Commissioner | |||||||||
• 1959–1960 | Jean Colombani | ||||||||
| Prime Minister | |||||||||
• 1957–1958 | Djibo Bakary | ||||||||
• 1958–1960 | Hamani Diori | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 13 October 1922 | ||||||||
• Status changed tooverseas territory | 13 October 1946 | ||||||||
• Autonomy | 19 December 1958 | ||||||||
• Independence | 3 August 1960 | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
| 1940[2] | 1,292,405 km2 (499,000 sq mi) | ||||||||
| 1948[1] | 1,218,994 km2 (470,656 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1936[1] | 1,747,000 | ||||||||
• 1940[2] | 1,809,576 | ||||||||
• 1948[1] | 2,029,000 | ||||||||
| Currency | French West African franc (1922–1945) CFA franc (1945–1960) | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Niger | ||||||||
TheColony of Niger (French:Colonie du Niger) was aFrench colonial possession covering much of the territory of the modern West African state ofNiger, as well as portions ofMali,Burkina Faso andChad. It existed in various forms from 1900 to 1960 but was titled theColonie du Niger only from 1922 to 1960.
While French took control of some of the areas of modern Niger began in the 1890s, a formal Zinder Military Territory was formed on 23 July 1900. This military territory only governed what is modern southern Niger, with only nominal rule east ofZinder or north ofTanout. Its Commandant was based at the village ofSorbo-Haoussa nearNiamey, where the headquarters was moved in 1903. Administratively, it was part of theSenegambia and Niger Colony from 1902 to 1904 andUpper Senegal and Niger colony from 1904 to 1911. While commanded by officers of the FrenchTroupes de marine, its budget and administration was dependent on the Lieutenant Governor atKayes (latterBamako), and military decision making—as well as contact with authorities in theMetropole or other colonies was through the Governor General in Dakar.[3] The area also appears on French maps as the "Third Military Territory". On 22 June 1910 the territory was renamedNiger Military Territory, and included parts of modern northeast Mali (Gao Cercle) and Northern Chad (Tibesti Cercle). On 21 June 1911 the Cercle ofGao ceded toFrench Sudan, and throughout the late nineteen-teens, efforts were made to establish permanent French posts in the north and east, inBilma,N'guigmi and elsewhere. In 1911, the headquarters of the territory was moved toZinder, reflecting both the relative peacefulness of the west of the territory, and the fear of incursion from theBritish to the South and theItalians fromLibya. Despite this, French control of the northern and eastern areas remained minimal. Along withMauritania, Niger remained the only part ofFrench West Africa to remain under military rule.
On 13 October 1922 the civilianColony of Niger took control of most of southern and western areas, with a lieutenant governor reporting to theGovernor General ofFrench West Africa. The 1919 creation ofFrench Upper Volta as a civil colony removed the areas of modern Niger west of theNiger River.[4] In 1926, the capital was moved again toNiamey fromZinder. In 1931,Tibesti Cercle ceded toChad Colony inFrench Equatorial Africa, and in 1932, the colony ofFrench Upper Volta was divided amongst its neighbors, with the Cercles ofDori andFada N'gourma ceded to Niger Colony.
Niger Colony officials, unlike neighboringChad, remained loyal to the FrenchVichy government after 1940, and thus closed its southern border (toNigeria) and eastern border until 1944.
On 31 December 1946 the Military Territories ofN'Guigmi andAgadez were ceded to Niger Colony, leaving onlyBilma Cercle as the last military-run section of modern Niger. This area in the far north east only came under French civilian administration in 1956.
In 1947,French Upper Volta was reconstituted, and the Cercles ofDori andFada N'Gourma ceded to Upper Volta Colony. While there were minor border changes after 1947, the modern borders of Niger were roughly established with this change.
Following the 1956Loi Cadre, rudiments of internal rule were created with theTerritorial Assembly of Niger elected by popular vote, but holding only advisory and administrative powers. In 1958 theFrench Community succeed theFrench Union. On 25 August 1958 the Lieutenant Governor becameHigh Commissioner of Niger, but remained Head of State of a quasi-independent state which controlled some purely internal administration.
TheConstitution of 25 February 1959 was ratified by theConstituent Assembly of Niger, a body created for this purpose from theTerritorial Assembly of Nigerelected in December 1958. On 12 March 1959 the Constituent Assembly became theLegislative Assembly of Niger, with the head of government,Hamani Diori, retaining the title ofPresident of the Council. Nominal executive powers were vested in the Assembly, with the constitution establishing elements, such as theflag of Niger, thenational anthem of Niger and thecoat of arms of Niger, along with language on naming of political bodies, rights and powers which have been retained in subsequent texts.
Following theAlgerian War and the collapse of theFrench Fourth Republic, the colonies of the French Union became fully independent in 1960. Niger ratified its first fully independent constitution on 8 November 1960, andJean Colombani stepped down as high commissioner on 10 November 1960.
