Northern Nigeria

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 863607721

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-45464

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Lugard, Frederick John Dealtry http://d-nb.info/gnd/117667412

Title:: Northern Nigeria

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: His Maj. Stat. Off.

Year of publication:: 1907

Scope:: 1 Online-Ressource (65 Seiten)

Collection:: Economics Books

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TAXATION OF NATIVES IN NORTHERN NIGERIA. y to reside with the concurrence of the Emir. In Nupe they could not be induced to accept the position of district heads, and have sought other occupations. These varying conditions are described in the attached memorandum. Office Holders. 7. Under the Fulani system there were, as I have said, an enormous number of persons who held all kinds of fancy titles at the capital. These titles varied in every Emirate. Many were connected with the army, (Serikin-Yaki, king of war, &c., &c.), and their raison d'etre has now ceased. Others were con nected with the Emir’s household, and others again were bond fide officers of State, such as the Sokoto Council of Six, the Waziri or Galadima, the Alkali (or Judge), and the Limam (the religious head), &c. Side by side with these principal and recognised offices were a great number of head slaves, satellites, favourites, and sons of the Emir, who formed his “ palace clique,” and usurped the powers of the recognised chiefs. The Emir, unless he was an exceptionally strong man, was the puppet of this pernicious gang, who were, I think, usually responsible for the greater part of the inhuman atrocities which were perpe trated in his name, and for the extortion and oppression to which the country had become subject. Under the system now- instituted a sum is set apart from the proceeds of the taxation— usually about a quarter of the total revenue (vide infra) for the Emir’s income. Out of this sum he has to provide for the main tenance of his entourage, including all the ex-officers of State who are not recognised by Government. By this means I have avoided too arbitrary and sudden an abolition of these useless functionaries, which might have caused a serious discontent, and have created a large body of influential malcontents, but since they are now supported out of the fixed and limited income assigned to the Emir, it is beyond doubt that he will speedily recognise that they are a serious drain on his purse, and as the present holders die, or are dispossessed on conviction of mal practices, he will become more and more willing to leave their places unfilled. This process is, I think, already rapidly mak ing itself apparent. Meanwhile, they cease to have any power or share in the rule of the country. There remain the genuine officers of State, who render services to the Native Adminis tration, e.g., the Emir’s Council, the Alkali, or Judge of the Native Court, &c. These men derive, for the most part, an income from estates assigned to their offices. "V\ hat those estates are, and the amount of income derived, remains still to be ascertained. In addition to this a part of the revenue assigned to the support of the b ative Administration is allocated to them, and appears in the statistics of the assignment of the taxation, which is annually assented to and confirmed by the Hierh Commissioner. This assignment of incomes to office holders is a matter which has not yet been fully dealt with, and is part of the scheme which is at present uncompleted.

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