Jaja of Opobo vs King Faisal I of Iraq

Jaja led a secession of Bonny's Anna Pepple house to establish the independent city-state of Opobo in the Niger Delta. He declared himself king and built a new trading center that rivaled Bonny in palm oil exports.

Jaja established a monopoly over palm oil trade in the Opobo region, controlling prices and excluding European merchants from direct access to producers. This gave him significant economic power and wealth.

Jaja resisted British attempts to impose treaties that would limit his sovereignty and trade control. He refused to sign the 1884 Treaty of Protection, asserting Opobo's independence and challenging British imperial expansion.

British consul Harry Johnston tricked Jaja into negotiations and arrested him. Jaja was tried by a British court, deposed, and exiled to Saint Vincent in the West Indies, ending his rule over Opobo.

After years of exile, Jaja was allowed to return to West Africa but died en route, possibly poisoned. His death marked the end of organized resistance to British control in the Niger Delta palm oil trade.

Prince Faisal, leading Arab forces alongside British officer T.E. Lawrence, captured Damascus from the Ottoman Empire. This victory was a key moment in the Arab Revolt against Ottoman rule. Faisal established an Arab government in Syria, but his rule was short-lived due to French colonial ambitions.

Faisal was proclaimed King of Syria by the Syrian National Congress. However, France, which had been granted a mandate over Syria, invaded and defeated his forces at the Battle of Maysalun. Faisal was expelled from Syria, ending his brief reign and leading to French colonial rule.

Faisal was crowned King of Iraq under British auspices, following a plebiscite organized by the British authorities. He was chosen as a compromise candidate acceptable to both the British and local Sunni and Shia leaders. His reign aimed to build a modern Iraqi state from three former Ottoman provinces.

Under Faisal's leadership, Iraq achieved formal independence from the British Mandate and was admitted to the League of Nations. This was a major milestone for the country, though Britain retained significant influence through military bases and oil concessions. Faisal died the following year.