James Wilson Robertson
Encyclopedia
Sir James Wilson Robertson, KT
, GCMG
, GCVO
, KBE
, Order of the Nile
(4th class), KStJ
(1899–1983) was the last British Head of Nigeria.
He was educated at Merchiston Castle School
in Edinburgh
and Balliol College, Oxford
. After Oxford he joined the Sudan
Political Service from 1922 to 1953, serving appointments in Blue Nile
, White Nile
, Fung and Kordofan provinces and was the Civil Secretary from 1945 to 1953. He was then sent to British Guiana
in January 1954 by Oliver Lyttelton, the then Secretary of State for the Colonies
to write the Robertson Commission Report to investigate the current crisis in the country due to the election of the People's Progressive Party
, who were seen as too friendly with communist organisations which had led to the suspension of the constitution.
He was then sent to Nigeria
as a result of his good work. He was Governor-General
of Nigeria from 15 June 1955 to 16 November 1960 representing Queen Elizabeth
as Head of State
from 1 October 1960 to 16 November 1960.
He served a Commission in the British Army
with the Gordon Highlanders and the Black Watch
.
He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree (LL.D.) from the University of Leeds
in 1961.
Author of a Memoir, Africa in Transition: From Direct Rule to Independence, published by Hurst, London, in 1974, Sir James reflects on his nearly-40 years in Africa. This engaging narrative provides detail on both his administrative life and personal observations. In a final chapter, 'Reflections,' Sir James seeks to confront and account for the swift collapse and disintegration of so much of what he and his fellow British servants of the Empire had with such hard work constructed not only in the Sudan and Nigeria, but indeed in all of Britain's former colonial African territories. Commenting on foreign concern about post-Independence difficulties, Sir James observes, "Americans have asked me: 'Why did you leave so soon, before the colonial territories were ready to rule themselves?' And when I have answered, 'Partly, I am sure, because of your pressure on us to go,' [they] have answered that they did not know then what they know now, and that we should have rersisted their pressure." (p. 253) Sir James also made a notable contribution to a 1978 Oxford Symposium, Transfer of Power: The Colonial Administrator in the Age of De-colonisation, edited by A.H.M. Kirk-Greene (Published, in 1979, by the Inter-Faculty Committee for African Studies, Oxford University). See particularly his "The Governor as the Man in the Middle," (pp. 38–43); and "Summary of Discussion," (pp. 50–59). The Last of the Proconsuls: Letters of Sir James Robertson, edited by Graham F. Thomas, was published in 1994. It is a collection of letters Sir James sent to Thomas over 40 years mainly about the problems towards the end of the British Empire as seen by one of the greatest figures in imperial government.[6]
His brother was Ian Robertson, Lord Robertson
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
, GCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, GCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, Order of the Nile
Order of the Nile
The Order of the Nile is Egypt's highest state honor. The award was instituted in 1915 by Sultan Hussein Kamel to be awarded by Egypt for exceptional services to the nation...
(4th class), KStJ
KSTJ
KSTJ may refer to:* KFRH, a radio station licensed to Boulder City, Nevada, United States, which used the call sign KSTJ from September 1998 to October 2007...
(1899–1983) was the last British Head of Nigeria.
He was educated at Merchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School is an independent school for boys in the village of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has about 480 pupils and is open to boys between the ages of 8 and 18 as either boarders or day pupils; day pupils make up 35% of the school....
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
. After Oxford he joined the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
Political Service from 1922 to 1953, serving appointments in Blue Nile
Blue Nile
The Blue Nile is a river originating at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. With the White Nile, the river is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile...
, White Nile
White Nile
The White Nile is a river of Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile from Egypt, the other being the Blue Nile. In the strict meaning, "White Nile" refers to the river formed at Lake No at the confluence of the Bahr al Jabal and Bahr el Ghazal rivers...
, Fung and Kordofan provinces and was the Civil Secretary from 1945 to 1953. He was then sent to British Guiana
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
in January 1954 by Oliver Lyttelton, the then Secretary of State for the Colonies
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
to write the Robertson Commission Report to investigate the current crisis in the country due to the election of the People's Progressive Party
People's Progressive Party (Guyana)
The People's Progressive Party is a political party in Guyana led by Bharrat Jagdeo. The party has been in power since the 1992 elections and currently holds 36 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly.-History:...
, who were seen as too friendly with communist organisations which had led to the suspension of the constitution.
He was then sent to Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
as a result of his good work. He was Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
of Nigeria from 15 June 1955 to 16 November 1960 representing Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
as Head of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
from 1 October 1960 to 16 November 1960.
He served a Commission in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
with the Gordon Highlanders and the Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
.
He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree (LL.D.) from the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
in 1961.
Author of a Memoir, Africa in Transition: From Direct Rule to Independence, published by Hurst, London, in 1974, Sir James reflects on his nearly-40 years in Africa. This engaging narrative provides detail on both his administrative life and personal observations. In a final chapter, 'Reflections,' Sir James seeks to confront and account for the swift collapse and disintegration of so much of what he and his fellow British servants of the Empire had with such hard work constructed not only in the Sudan and Nigeria, but indeed in all of Britain's former colonial African territories. Commenting on foreign concern about post-Independence difficulties, Sir James observes, "Americans have asked me: 'Why did you leave so soon, before the colonial territories were ready to rule themselves?' And when I have answered, 'Partly, I am sure, because of your pressure on us to go,' [they] have answered that they did not know then what they know now, and that we should have rersisted their pressure." (p. 253) Sir James also made a notable contribution to a 1978 Oxford Symposium, Transfer of Power: The Colonial Administrator in the Age of De-colonisation, edited by A.H.M. Kirk-Greene (Published, in 1979, by the Inter-Faculty Committee for African Studies, Oxford University). See particularly his "The Governor as the Man in the Middle," (pp. 38–43); and "Summary of Discussion," (pp. 50–59). The Last of the Proconsuls: Letters of Sir James Robertson, edited by Graham F. Thomas, was published in 1994. It is a collection of letters Sir James sent to Thomas over 40 years mainly about the problems towards the end of the British Empire as seen by one of the greatest figures in imperial government.[6]
His brother was Ian Robertson, Lord Robertson
Ian Robertson, Lord Robertson
Ian MacDonald Robertson was a High Court of Justiciary judge who contributed greatly to Scottish law.-Early life:Robertson was the youngest of six children, born in Edinburgh when his father was already 66...