In April 1883, the German traders in Cameroon called on the German Government to annex Cameroon and the government accepted and sent an imperial commissioner to sign treaties with the natives.
In February 1884, Bismark appointed Dr . Nachtigal to head a mission to Cameroon and Fernando PPo. The missiooon was to study the possibility of German trade and the prospects of a consular Jervice and coaling station qlonh the West Africa.
Nachtigal was assisted by Dr. Max Buchner of Moebius. He was joined by Edwrad Woermann, Emil Schultze and Edward Schmidt waiting in the bright of Biafra.
At Lisbon in Portugal, Nachtigal was instructed to annex Cameroon and hoist the German flag there. The traders were asked to prepare the ground for Nachtigal arrival. They began to hold Nightly meetings with the kings and natives during which they gave them money, gifts like rums, tobacco, biscuits etc.
On July 11th 1884, Nachtigal and his team arrived the Cameroon coast where they were warmly received with much honour.
On July 12th1884, the kings convened a meeting which no European was invited. It was to discuss issues concerning the annexation of Cameroon and to outline the terms of the final treaty. The natives wanted to see that their basic rights were protected. Eg: Middle man monopoly in trade and retention of natives land.
In actual fact, two treaties were signed namely the Preliminary treaty and the final trezty known as the Gerlano-Douala treaty of July 12th1884.
