HAVE TRADITITIONAL AUTHORITIES A PLACE IN MODERN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS?
| Date | 01 July 1955 |
| Author | N. U. Akpan |
| Published date | 01 July 1955 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/j.1099-162X.1955.tb00097.x |
MODERN
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
SYSTEM 109
The following crop production figures carefully
taken
in
an area of one
reserve speak for themselves
:-
Total
Acreage 'Yield Bags
cultivated.
i:z,
bags. per acre.
1951/52 2,000 2,960 1·48
1952/53-Act
proclaimed 2,200 4,958.5 2·11
1953/54-Registration
completed 1,250 5,557 4·45
The
important
fact to be deduced from these figures is
that
whereas in
the
past
effort was dissipated over large
and
scattered arable land, now
that
these have been concentrated
and
the
areas, in
many
cases, reduced,
the
resultant
yields show dramatic increases.
The methodical
and
systematic layout of lands has increased
the
grazing
areas. Technical officers find it easier to check
and
organise their work.
Administrative control, so essential to
support
development
and
improvement
programmes, is complete. The Native
Land
Husbandry
Act stabilises an area,
the
fundamental problems are crystallised, it limits
the
maximum
number
of
native farmers
and
lays
the
foundations for future
land
use
and
farm planning
on an organised, intensive
and
progressive basis.
Conclusion
It
is almost impossible in an article of this length to deal adequately with such
avast
and
complicated subject.
It
has already been compressed to such a degree
that
important
aspects have
had
to be
omitted
or dealt with so sketchily as to
leave
the
inquiring reader unsatisfied.
But
it is hoped
that
enough has been
said to indicate
that
a social, economic
and
agricultural experiment of
the
first
Importance has been launched to a successful
start.
TRADITITIONAL
AUTHORITIES
A
MODERN LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
SYSTEMS?
HAVE
PLACE
IN
By N. U.
Akpan
T
HE
"indirect
rule"
system, developed by Lugard in Nigeria,
and
later
carried to
other
parts
of Africa under British administration, was based upon
the use of traditional authorities for
the
purpose of local (government) admini-
stration-"
native administration."
The
principle as such was literally
the
same everywhere,
but
its actual application substantially differed from place
to place, even within a single country, depending on
the
type of indigenous
authorities found to exist. In Nigeria for instance
the
practice differed between
the old Fulani imperial emirates of Northern Nigeria
and
the
individualistic,
though not unorganised, societies of
the
South-Eastern Nigeria.
In spite of all its defects
and
the
strong criticisms
and
opposition directed
against it in
later
years,
the
indirect rule system
had
real advantages for
the
Political development of
the
native races among whom it was practised.
JUdging from
what
we know of
the
political development in
other
colonial
territories, under different colonial powers, there can be no
doubt
that
it was
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