Lugard’s system of indirect rule kept the emirs and their administrations in place, under British supervision. Taxes were collected through “Native Treasuries”, Islamic courts handled most civil cases, and the colonial state spoke through the emirs.
Salamone stresses three effects. First, indirect rule strengthened the central authority of the emirs rather than leaving them as they had been, since they were now backed by colonial force. Second, the British favoured the Fulani aristocracy, whom they considered refined and noble, and strengthened Muslim leaders against non-Muslim neighbours who resisted. Third, colonial officials encouraged a picture of the north as simply “Islamic”, although in 1900 the reality was more varied, with many non-Muslim communities.
Missionary activity was restricted in many emirates, and Western-style schools were slow to appear in the north compared with the south. These choices left a long shadow on regional differences in education and politics in independent Nigeria.
Sources for this article
- Salamone 2010, ch. 1, pp. 4–5; ch. 4, pp. 17–20; chs. 5–6
- Falola & Heaton 2008, chapters on colonial rule