46 
COLONIAL REPORTS—MISCELLANEOUS. 
ILLORIN. 
Native Rulers and Communities. 
The only Principal Chief is the Emir of Illorin. Other inde 
pendent units are the Kings of Pateji, Lafiagi, and Shonga, 
who, however, only rank as district headmen. There are no 
unsettled districts in this province. 
Administrative Organization. 
There is no information regarding administrative divisions, 
but I believe there are three :—Illorin proper, Oifa, and Pateji. 
The Resident reports great difficulty in creating districts under 
headmen in Illorin proper, and the idea is resented. This 
province is largely Yoruba, and the Yoruba organization of 
Balaguns and Bales is only slightly modified by the Eulani 
system. I hope the system common to the whole Protectorate 
may be gradually introduced, for the old régime lends itself 
to extortion, and it is almost impossible to prevent this by 
British supervision since there are no responsible chiefs of 
districts. The Balaguns reside in the capital, and do no execu 
tive work, and the Bales become their instruments for extortion. 
The Resident reports that he is making some progress, but it 
would seem that in this province alone the chiefs who claim 
to “ own ” districts have been allowed to remain idle at the 
capital, and to receive a large portion of the tax which they 
do not help to collect. The Oifa and Pateji divisions have been 
grouped into districts, each of which has its own headman, and 
is self-contained. Shari and Shonga are in course of comple 
tion, as are Lafiagi and Egbe. Oifa comprises 15 districts. It 
is considered inadvisable in this province to assign any share 
to village heads. Six hundred and eight towns have been 
assessed. 
Consolidation of Districts. 
As above. Nothing done in Illorin proper, but Pateji, Oifa, 
Lafiagi, Shari, and Shonga will all shortly be divided into self- 
contained districts. 
Office Holders. 
Throughout the Illorin Emirate (which comprises nearly all 
the province), 12£ per cent., viz., one-eighth of the whole taxes 
collected, is assigned to the "office-holders." These are 
apparently former fief-holders, who decline to become district 
headmen or to leave the capital. Five are named in Illorin 
proper, and the same five with three others in the Oifa district. 
District headmen properly so-called have not yet been appointed, 
but another 12£ per cent, is assigned to them, and is, I presume, 
paid to the “ Bales," who are rather emissaries of the Emir than