TAXATION OT NATIVES IN NORTHERN NIGERIA.
53
YOLA.
Native Rulers and Communities.
The only Principal Chief is the Emir of Yola. There are
many unsettled and independent tribes, some under control
and others as yet hardly so. No precise information is given
as to the number of these tribes which are under responsible
chiefs and are taxable and which are not, but 12 tribes are
named in respect of jangali.
Administrative Organization.
There are apparently three administrative divisions, viz.,
(1) Yola, (2) the Congola district, and (3) other pagans. The
Yola Emirate is divided into 13 districts under headmen. No
indication of the number of pagan independent tribes and the
units into which they are divided is given.
Consolidation of Districts.
Three districts are fully self-contained. The others still
contain villages owning allegiance to another chief. This will
Be gradually altered as circumstances permit.
Office Holders.
All old fíef-holders are now district heads ; they have always
resided in their districts. No slaves are district heads. There
are only two office-holders, Wazeri and Yerima la; each gets
£128. All others fled with the ex-Emir, and have not been
replaced.
The General Tax.
The total tax in the Emirate is £3,G7(i, of which Govern
ment takes £1,378, the Emir £1,103, two office-holders £270,
district heads £735, and village heads £184. Owing to the
poverty of the Emir and chiefs I have agreed to this proportion
as a temporary measure, viz., Government 37& per cent, only,
Emir 30 per cent., district heads 20 per cent., office-holders 7A
per cent., village heads 5 per cent. Only the settled districts
(Emirate of Yola) have as yet been assessed. The pagan tribes
have suffered severely from famine, and though they should
have been assessed (and the tax remitted if necessary), this has
not yet been done. The tax includes all old native taxes, and
all jakadas have been abolished. No urban tax has been levied
on Yola City. The adult population of the settled districts is
given as 23,667, and the incidence is, therefore, 3s. T88d.