EUROPEAN TRADERS DID NOT VENTURE INTO THE INTERIOR OF NIGERIA BEFORE THE 19TH CENTURY BECAUSE

• A. they were ignorant of the area
• B. the African middlemen served their needs
• C. of their fear of the African middlemen
• D. they were very few in number.

The answer to the question is: B. the African middlemen served their needs

European traders did not venture into the interior of Nigeria before the 19th century primarily due to their reliance on African middlemen to serve their trade needs. The African middlemen acted as intermediaries between the European traders and the local communities, providing a buffer that allowed the Europeans to conduct trade without having to penetrate deep into the interior of Nigeria. This arrangement was advantageous for the European traders as it minimized their exposure to the unfamiliar and potentially hostile environments of the Nigerian interior. Additionally, the African middlemen possessed valuable knowledge of local customs, languages, and trade routes, which further facilitated trade for the Europeans. As a result, European traders were content to rely on these intermediaries rather than venturing into the interior of Nigeria themselves.