rican names and traditional funeral ceremonies. By the end of World War I there were fifteen European and American evangelical groups, consisting of about 600 missionaries and assisted by about 5000 Nigerians, operating in southern Nigeria and in the middle belt and were able to establish about 3000 churches. Apparently missionaries found Africans to be more appealing than people with globally recognized religions. They felt that, the exceptional stubbornness of Islam and the strong resistance of Hinduism in India, of Confucianism in China, and Buddhism in Burma, Ceylon, and Japan, made pagan Africa appear especially inviting as a mission field. It wasnt the dense forest that kept the missionaries out of the north like it did with the slave merchants. It was the Muslims. The missionaries did help the people a little. The schools they made created an increasing number of educated Nigerians. That would give them an advantage when dealing with Europeans because they would be able to read contracts and all around understand what the British were saying.While all this was going on, Britain was trying to gain more control over the people and the economy of the country. Naturally, they ran into some resistance. In the south they had to fight many wars, especially with the Ijebu (a Yoruba group), the Aro of eastern Igboland and the Aniocha of western Igboland. The British used forceful tactics and heavy armament against the resistance and destroyed homes, roads and farms. A lot of people resorted to migration instead of dealing with the British as well. It is interesting how the British were met with so much opposition in the south as well as the north but the conversion to Islam in the north was voluntary. Also, many Nigerians are proud to be apart of the Muslim culture in the north, even if they are from the south because of its historical tradition, distinctive architecture, easily learned and useful language, Islamic faith...
