SS2: GOVERNMENT – 2ND TERM British Colonial Administration in Nigeria II | Week 9 Theory Questions – British Colonial Administration in Nigeria II

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Theory Questions – British Colonial Administration in Nigeria II

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Theory Questions and Answers – British Colonial Administration in Nigeria II

Theory Questions and Answers – British Colonial Administration in Nigeria II:

1. a. Explain the term Indirect rule.

b. Why was Indirect rule criticized by the educated elites?

2. Discuss the merits and demerits of Indirect rule.

3. Enumerate the features of the British system of Indirect rule.

4. Why did the colonialists adopt indirect rule in Nigeria?

5. Why did Indirect rule succeed in Northern Nigeria?

6. Why did Indirect rule succeed partially in Southern Nigeria?

7. Why was Indirect rule a failure in Eastern (Southern) Nigeria?

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Responses

Theory Questions – British Colonial Administration in Nigeria II

1. a. Explain the term Indirect rule.

Answer:

Indirect Rule is a British system of ruling her colonies through intermediaries: Traditional rulers or appointees using traditional laws and customs with British officials. The resident and district officers played vital roles as they supervised and guided the traditional rulers in the administration of their people.

b. Why was Indirect rule criticized by the educated elites?

Answer:

Why Educated Elites Opposed Indirect Rule System

The indirect rule system was foreign. It was very different from the traditional system obtained in Southern Nigeria, where the powers of traditional rulers were not absolute.
The system failed to recognize and assign any role to the educated elites.
The system used divide-and-rule tactics. It encouraged division between the traditional rulers and educated elites.
The colonial officials were autocratic
Most traditional rulers were illiterates and were easily manipulated. They were just puppets to the colonial administration.

2. Discuss the merits and demerits of Indirect rule.

Answer:

Merits of Indirect Rule

It recognized and preserved African Culture and tradition
It ruled the people through their traditional rulers. It used the traditional rulers as a link to their people.
It contributed to training traditional rulers in the art of modern local government administration.
It recognized and modernized local institutions like Courts, Laws, Customs and Political Institutions.
It stimulated the spirit of nationalism in the British West Africa.
Indirect rule improved the tax collection system for running the government.
It promoted political consciousness among the people.

Demerits of Indirect Rule

Indirect rule excluded educated elites from the colonial administration.
It increased the powers of traditional rulers without regard to in-built traditional checks and balances.
It imposed warrant Chiefs, and taxation where there was none. This made indirect rule unpopular and caused riots e.g. Aba Women’s Riot of 1929, the Iseyin Riot of 1918, Abeokuta Riot of 1937.
It introduced divide and rule, the result was tension, rift and misunderstanding between the traditional rulers and educated elites.
The system was autocratic. Some colonial authorities had the power to override the decisions of the native administration.

3. Enumerate the features of the British system of Indirect rule.

Answer:

Features of the British System of Indirect Rule

The system of British administration in her colonies was Indirect rule.
Indirect rules made use of traditional rulers.
The Chiefs ruled their people through traditional laws and customs. Native laws and Customs were applied in the administration, though it must not contradict British law.
Education was thrown open to all the people in the colonies.
The system made the people pay taxes and rates. The traditional rulers collected taxes and rates from the people.
It used decentralized administration. Each territory was ruled differently.
Educated elites were excluded from the administration.

4. Why did the colonialists adopt indirect rule in Nigeria?

Answer:

Inadequate personnel: The British colonial administration did not have an adequate number of personnel to use direct administration.
Insufficient Funds to run direct rule was another reason.
The existing organized political-administrative system in place encouraged the adoption of indirect rule. In some places especially in Northern Nigeria there existed centralized political administration which facilitated the adoption of indirect rule.
Lack of knowledge of the vast geographical territory and culture of the people are other reasons.
The colonial administration wanted to preserve the customs and traditions of the people.
Cheap and easy to operate: The method was economical.
Language barrier or difficulties: British Officials did not understand the local languages. This would have made communication very difficult.
The success of indirect rule in some countries: The British government had used indirect rule and recorded success in some countries i.e. India, Uganda, etc.

5. Why did Indirect rule succeed in Northern Nigeria?

Answer:

Existence of a centralized political system: The Hausa/Fulani traditional political system was suitable for indirect rule as the system was hierarchical and authoritarian.
Existence of taxation system: The North had a developed tax system already in place.
Absence of radical educated elite: The majority of people in the North were illiterate. The few educated ones who could have posed a threat to the colonial administration were easily absorbed into the government.
It preserved the tradition and culture of the North. The system retained the traditional powers and functions of the traditional rulers, religion, customs and traditions of the people.
The system trained the traditional rulers and trained them in modern local government administration.
Existence of well well-organised standing army which maintained internal and external security.

6. Why did Indirect rule succeed partially in Southern Nigeria?

Answer:

The system of political administration in Western Nigeria contributed to its partial success.
The system in place was a constitutional monarchy with several inbuilt checks and balances. This fact was lost to the British Colonial administration who gave unlimited powers to the traditional rulers which generated friction and strife between the Oba and hs Chiefs.
The taxation system introduced by the Indirect rule system was different to the payment of tribute that was in existence in the West. People in the West resisted and protested and this caused pockets of revolts e.g. Iseyin riot, Abeokuta riots, etc.
The educated elites were excluded from the administration and they kept criticizing the administration.
The growth of Nationalist activities and literacy in the Western region promoted political awareness. The nationalists kept mounting pressure on Indirect rule.
The development of political parties and Newspapers also mobilized and gingered the people against Indirect rule.

7. Why was Indirect rule a failure in Eastern (Southern) Nigeria?

Answer:

The political-administrative system in existence in Eastern Nigeria was at variance with the Indirect rule system. The East operated a republican democracy, where political power was highly decentralized and not concentrated on a single individual.
The imposition of warrant Chiefs without regard to the traditional qualification of appointed people into exalted positions was alien to Igbo culture and they revolted against it.
Introduction of Taxation: Taxation was new to the people when the warrant Chiefs tried to impose tax, the people resisted vehemently and this caused the Aba Women’s Riot of 1929.
The exclusion of educated elites from Indirect rule contributed to the failure.
No respect for the culture, customs and traditions of Igbos was another reason.
The effect of growing nationalist activities and literacy increased political awareness.
The establishment and impact of Newspapers and political parties helped in mobilizing the people and creating political awareness.

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