<P> Egerton also supervised improvements to the Lagos harbour and extension of the local telegraph network . </P> <P> From 1895--1900, a railway was constructed running from Lagos to Ibadan; it opened in March 1901 . This line was extended to Oshogbo, 100 kilometres (62 mi) away, in 1905--1907, and to Zungeru and Minna in 1908--1911 . Its final leg enabled it to meet another line, constructed 1907--1911, running from Baro, through Minnia, to Kano . </P> <P> Some of these public work projects were accomplished with the help of forced labour from native black Africans, referred to as "Political Labour". Village Heads were paid 10 shillings for conscripts, and fined £ 50 if they failed to supply . Individuals could be fined or jailed for refusing to comply . </P> <P> Frederick Lugard, who was appointed as High Commissioner of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1900 and served until 1906 in his first term, often has been regarded by the British as their model colonial administrator . Trained as an army officer, he had served in India, Egypt and East Africa, where he expelled Arab slave traders from Nyasaland and established British presence in Uganda . Joining the Royal Niger Company in 1894, Lugard was sent to Borgu to counter inroads made by the French, and in 1897 he was made responsible for raising the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) from local levies to serve under British officers . </P>

When did the colonial masters come to nigeria