I think your article, @samminator, answers very accurately and solidly the question of the advantages or not of the so-called "amalgamation" in Nigeria. I believe that it will never be beneficial for a people to have measures or decisions imposed on them by forces or countries outside, unless it is an extreme case, as happened with Hitler's Nazi-fascism, where international intervention was the only solution to such a great threat to the rest of humanity.
It is almost obvious that the British had economic and political interests behind the "amalgamation". The assumption, on the part of the movements you point out, of the imperative of independence and autonomy was the right thing to do.
Beyond some information that comes from international reports (such as DW's) that show a prosperous Nigeria, I don't know the current reality of your country in a more specific way. I hope it is for the good of all the Nigerian people. Greetings.