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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12 COLONIAL REPORTS—MISCELLANEOUS. the position of the Government as suzerain, whose sanction is required for all appointments, shall be recognised. This would prevent the arbitrary deposition of holders, or the surreptitious receipt of bribes or presents by Emirs. Other Residents main tain that the kurdin sarauta should be abolished altogether,while some desire to allow it to remain a perquisite of the chief not to be shared by Government. For the present I have allowed Residents to follow their own discretion in accordance with the tradition or circumstances of their province. From the point of view of taxation the matter is negligible. The total reported as assigned to Government is £130 only. Other Taxes (Unauthorised.) 11. There remain one or two sources of income to Emirs in which Government has no share : (a) the (jado, or death duties. By Koranic law the adminis trator of an estate takes one-tenth of the property dealt with as his fee. This is separate from the death duties which accrue to the Emir, and I see no reason to interfere with the sanction of the religious books. Apart, however, from the administration fee, a sum which varies in different emirates is appropriated by the Emir, and intestate estates, to which there is no heir, also, I think, lapse to him. t had collected a considerable amount of information upon this difficult subject, with which I had intended to deal shortly, but at present I have directed Residents not to interfere with the existing custom and the gado, therefore, still remains a source of income to Principal chiefs. By some of the most influential it is considered to be illegal, and contrary to the Koran, and the Emir of Kano, who would derive by far the largest income of any chief in Nigeria from it declines to accept it. (b) Gaisua, or presents made by chiefs visiting the capital, or on the occasion of the Mohammedan festivals, &c. These are purely voluntary. Their omission could no longer result in the deposition or punishment of the person concerned, since an adequate reason would have to be assigned to the Resident for any such punish ment. The custom of giving presents to all guests and strangers, to superiors, and at festivals, is one which is ingrained in the native mind. Omission is tantamount to intentional insult. No protest on my part could induce Emirs to forgo this mark of courtesy if I visited their town, and the proceeds of such presents were, therefore, either converted into a return present of equal value or credited to Government. This, therefore, remains a source of income to principal chiefs, and the Admin istration only interferes to the extent of insisting upon their voluntary nature, (c) In some provinces fines, and fees of Native Courts, especially of the Emir’s Court, go in part to the Emir. In others, as in Sokoto and Kano, the Emirs refuse to accept any such fines and fees, saying that “ justice is from God, and no man may accept any emolument for administering it.”

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