From London to Lagos: the Rhodesian crisis and the reordering of the Commonwealth (1966)

The Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ Conference held in Lagos in 1966 marked the first gathering outside London. It was called in response to Rhodesia’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence and became a testing ground for African leaders. This article contends that the Lagos meeting served as a key manifestation of African agency in the new world order. By providing a granular reading of the importance of Lagos as a site of contestation, the article reveals how the conference presented opportunities for African states to exercise African agency and challenge the longstanding authority of Britain as the key decision-making body in the Commonwealth.