Stories and facts
On December 13, 1946, the United Nations approved the trusteeship of British Togoland, marking a significant development in the administration of territories under colonial control. This decision placed British Togoland, a former German colony, under the supervision of the United Nations Trusteeship Council, with the United Kingdom as the administering authority.
Historical Context
British Togoland was originally part of the German protectorate of Togoland, established in 1884. During World War I, British and French forces occupied Togoland, and after the war, the League of Nations divided the territory into two mandates in 1922:
British Togoland: Administered by the United Kingdom and adjoining the British Gold Coast colony.
French Togoland: Administered by France, now the modern-day Republic of Togo.
When the League of Nations dissolved after World War II, its mandates were replaced by United Nations Trusteeships to continue the administration of certain territories and prepare them for self-determination or independence.
The Trusteeship Agreement
Under the trusteeship system, British Togoland was to be governed with oversight from the United Nations Trusteeship Council. The primary objectives of the trusteeship included:
Promoting the political, economic, and social advancement of the territory.
Preparing the population for self-governance or independence.
Protecting the rights and welfare of the indigenous people.
The British government integrated British Togoland administratively with the Gold Coast, facilitating joint governance and development initiatives. However, this arrangement sowed the seeds for political contention over the territory’s future.
Path to Independence
The approval of the trusteeship initiated discussions about the eventual fate of British Togoland. Key issues revolved around whether the territory should:
Achieve full independence as a separate entity.
Integrate with the Gold Coast (British colony).
Unite with French Togoland to recreate a unified Togoland.
A significant turning point came with the 1956 United Nations-supervised plebiscite. The majority of British Togoland’s population voted to integrate with the Gold Coast. As a result, British Togoland became part of the independent nation of Ghana when it gained independence on March 6, 1957.
Legacy of the Trusteeship
The British Togoland Trusteeship highlighted the complexities of decolonization in Africa. The integration of British Togoland into Ghana was not without controversy, as some groups continued to advocate for autonomy or unification with French Togoland. This sentiment has persisted among sections of the population in modern-day Ghana, leading to occasional calls for self-determination.
Ultimately, the trusteeship marked an important phase in the transition of African territories from colonial rule to self-determination, shaping the political and territorial landscape of contemporary West Africa.
Below is is a video detailing the events that occurred in this historic moment
