Nigeria: How British Journalist Flora Shaw Gave the Giant of Africa its Name
With a population estimate of 211 million, the West African powerhouse dubbed the Giant of Africa was known as the Royal Niger Company Territories before Flora Shaw happened.
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The name, Flora Shaw, will always come up each time the subject of how Nigeria got its name is on the front burner.
Source: UGC
How Nigeria got its name
Flora Shaw was said to have suggested the name 'Nigeria' for the British Protectorate on the Niger River.
NPG has it that the British lady's name suggestion first appeared in an essay published in The Times on 8 January 1897.
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In her argument in favour of the name, Flora thought the previous name, Royal Niger Company Territories, was too long to be used as a name of a real estate property.
Flora's suggestion was eventually chosen and imposed on the 'Niger Area' by the British Government during the amalgamation in 1914 of the diverse pre-colonial nationalities under the same body.
Flora was a journalist before she met Lord Lugard
Flora would later marry Lord Lugard, the then Governor-General of Nigeria with their union producing no offspring.
However, she was well-rooted in her passion for journalism before she met Lugard.
A former Correspondent with The Times, Flora's journey into the world of journalist started in the year 1886 while she stayed with family and friends in Gibraltar.
She was an ardent journalist and writer whose firm belief in the positive benefits of the British Empire was evident throughout her writings.
During her active years, Flora wrote for the educated governing councils. She died at the age of 76 on 25 January 1929.
Presidency reacts to changing Nigeria to United African Republic
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the presidency had reacted to changing Nigeria's name to the United African Republic.
The personal assistant to the president on new media, Bashir Ahmad, has stated that neither the Nigerian government nor President Muhammadu Buhari submitted the change of name proposal to the House of Representatives.
Ahmad in a tweet on Thursday, June 3, stated that the request was submitted to the lower legislative chamber by an individual or a group.
Legit.ng gathered that the presidential aide made the remark in reaction to reports that Buhari made the request.
Source: Legit.ng
