Edouard Percy Cranwill Girouard

Percy Girouard was a Canadian-born British engineer and soldier who served as governor of Northern Nigeria and the East Africa Protectorate. He graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in 1886 and joined the Royal Engineers in 1888. He was in charge of the construction and operation of railways in Sudan, South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, and played a key role in the military campaigns of Lord Kitchener and Lord Roberts. He was knighted in 1899 and received several honors and awards for his services. He was appointed as High Commissioner and Governor of Northern Nigeria in 1907, where he implemented reforms and development projects. He was transferred to the East Africa Protectorate in 1909, where he faced challenges from the settlers, the natives and the British government. He resigned in 1912 after a controversy over land allocation and returned to England. He worked as a director of the armaments firm Armstrong Whitworth until his death in 1932. He was an empire enthusiast, a railway pioneer and a controversial colonial administrator.