Annual Report of the Colonies, Northern Nigeria, 1905-06
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COLONIAL REPORTS—ANNUAL. No. 616. NORTHERN NIGERIA. REPORT FOR 1906-6, (For Report for 1904-5, see No. 476.1 $ve*enteb to both ^owz* ot Jtetlianunt bp. ®0mmattb of Jttajestg. January, 1907. % LONDON: PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE, BY DARLING & SON, LTD., 34-40, BAOOH ST&BIT, E. And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from WYMAN AND SONS, LTD., FETTER LANE, E.O., and 82, ABINGDON STREET, WESTMINSTER, S.W.; or OLIVEB & BOYD, EDIXBITBOB; or E. PONSONBY, 116, GRAFTON STREET, DOTLTN, 19077* [CM. 3283-3.] Price 1*. CONTENTS. PAGK, I.—GENERAL * * II.—POLITICAL :— (A.) Review of Provinces... • ••• ° (B.) Slavery and Freed Slave's Home 57 (0.) Native Courts ••• 60 (D.) Population »• ••• ^1 (E.) Coinage • ••• III.—ECONOMIC • ^4 IV.—TRADE ... ... V.—REVENUE, EXPENDITURE, AND CUSTOMS 85 VI.—LAND TRANSPORT 90 VIL—MARINE .•• 94 VIII.—PUBLIC WORKS ... ... • 96 IX.—CANTONMENTS ... ... ... 100 X.—MEDICAL AND METEOROLOGICAL 102 XI.—STAFF ... ... ... ... ••• 106 XII.—LEGISLATION AND JUDICIAL 107 XIII.—POLICE AND CRIME 109 XIV.—PRISONS HI XV.—NORTHERN NIGERIA REGIMENT 113 XVI.—MISSIONS AND EDUCATION 118 XVII.—POSTAL 121 APPENDICES. I.—FINANCIAL 124 II.—POPULATION ... 128 ITT.—STATISTICS OF SLAVES FREED 130 IV.—MAP ••• ... ... ... ... ..• ••• 130 V.—CHART SHOWING THE RISE AND FALL OF THE NIGER ... 130 UtCXL 1128 1908 COLONIAL REPORTS—tMHtiiM & NO. 616. NORTHERN NIGERIA. (For Report for 1904-5, see No. 476.) SIB F. LTJGABD to COLONIAL OFFICE. Abinger Common, Surrey, SIR, November 27th, 1906.* , I HAVE the honour to submit herewith my Annual Report for 1905 (including the early months of 1906) with five appendices. The delay in its submission is due to the fact that the whole of the necessary returns had not reached me at the time I left Nigeria, in May last, and some have only been received comparatively recently. 2. I regret that the report is of such unusual length, but the country is so large, and embraces so many provinces, which are diverse, not only in the characteristics of their population and the forms of native administration, but also in their economic products and trade, that I have found it impossible to digest the matter into a smaller compass. I trust that your Lordship may not Consider it too long to print in extenso, ior I have been at some pains not only to report such facts and make such suggestions as appear to me to be of use or interest to those concerned in this country, but also with a view to the officers—especially the political department—in Nigeria, to whom I venture to think that these annual reports are of value, both in regard to the statis tics and facts they contain, and as an indication of what is required for annual compilation, and to give each Resident a general knowledge of the progress in provinces other than his own. With these objects I have endeavoured to compile a useful pamphlet for reference, at the risk of incurring the charge of making my last report of undue length. I have, &c, F. I). LTJGABD/' 0 Publication delayed for preparation of map (Appendix IV.). 500 Wt 28459 2/07 D k 8 6 27390r A 2 4 COLONIAL BBPOBT8—ANNUAL. REPORT FOR 1905-6. I.—GENERAL. TAXATION. 1. My Annual Report for 1904 was largely occupied in giv ing an account of the forms of taxation existing in the Pro tectorate, and of the scheme of reform by which I hoped to reorganise them,—to regulate their incidence so as to check abuses and oppression, and to divide the proceeds between Government and the Native Administration. The inaugura tion of this new system has formed the main administrative work of the year, involving as it did a revision of the assess ment of every village in the Protectorate, and the creation of " districts " under headmen. In the review of provinces which follows this section I have commented upon the progress made in each province, but the subject is one of such vital imports... ance to the country that I propose to submit a separate report, in accordance with the instructions of the Secretary of State, showing the results achieved, the modifications which actual experience has necessitated, and the approximate incidence upon the population.* Its success depends upon the adequate supervision of the District Headmen by the British staff, and the increase of the latter in the current year will, I hope, admit of this supervisipn being effectively undertaken. Inci dentally the participation by the Government in the proceeds of the taxes, has greatly promoted the circulation of currency, and done much to remove the difficulties caused by the fluctua tion in value of the cowrie. It has also brought the British Administration into closer touch and co-operation with the Native Chiefs than could have been effected by any other means, and given to the administrative staff an intimate know ledge of the whole machinery and customs of Native Adminis tration. It has, in fact, as I anticipated, gone far towards identifying the two as integral parts of a single system of rule in which each has its duties and functions in mutual co operation. ^ 2, The canoe tax yields about £3,000 per annum. Con siderable exemptions and a lower rating have reduced the & _ , * A memorandum by Sir P. Lugard dealing fully with the subject of taxation in Northern Nigeria will shortly be published. / NORTHERN NIGERIA, 1905-6. 5 receipts, and as it now stands I am assured tliat it does not weigh heavily upon the class which pays it. Business is reported to be brisk, and new canoes are being built (even in Southern N eria) for use in the Protectorate. The tax falls upon a class who, for the most part, are acquiring considerable wealth by the transport of Government goods, and who cannot be taxed at the present stage in any other way. I have dealt with the Caravan Tolls under the Trade Section (paragraphs 133-7). During the present year the hawkers' licences, so far as they affect natives, and the native liquor licences (except near a Government station) have been abolished and incorporated in the General Tax. GENERAL PROGRESS. 3. The increase of trade and prosperity which has followed the introduction of the " Pax Britannica," the steps now being taken to reform the Native Administration and to de centralise some of the despotic powers exercised by the native rulers by the creation of responsible headmen of districts, the increased confidence in the Native Courts, and the incipient efforts to promote sanitation in native cities, are all tending, I think, to promote a higher standard of native comfort and general civilization. The Government can only claim as yet to have inaugurated the first tentative steps in this direction which future years must develope, and which will be fostered by improved methods of transport (paragraphs 120, 164, and 183-4), by education (paragraph 230), by the development of the material resources of the country,/and by the increase of population. Much useful work has been done in completing the statistics of provinces in the record book, which has been insti tuted in all provinces, and contains lists of every town, village, and district, its history, assessment, chiefs, sub-chiefs, industries, products, population and economic information, together with notes on tribes, tsetse areas, trade routes, courts, rolls of ex-soldiers, freed slaves, native craftsmen, arms, traders, &c, &c. These record books will form most valuable data for the compilation of a gazetteer for Northern Nigeria as well as for administrative and economic purposes. 4, The cost of the Military Force, which is necessary to preserve order in the country, and upon our frontiers towards foreign powers, is a heavy burden upon the revenue, a burden which, however, has been somewhat reduced during the past year. As a measure of safety, and for the prevention of in ternal wars, the country has been disarmed, and throughout all Nigeria (except on the frontier of Southern Nigeria), there are now practically no firearms whatever, other than flint locks, which are not prohibited by the Brussels Act. This imposes $ COLONIAL BEPOBTa*—ANNUAL. upon us the duty of protecting the weak, and of carrying out all measures of police coercion. The system of Government adopted in Northern Nigeria necessitates the maintenance of a thoroughly disciplined body of troops which can enforce obedience to law and suppress outrage without recourse to the expedient of arming savages against each other. The opening up of the direct route from the Niger and Benue to the tin mines has resulted in the discovery of an extended plateau some 4,000 feet in elevation. The soil is rich, and the climate is described as exhilarating^ and suitable for Europeans. It is probable that a sanatorium may be established here, which may, in the future, revolutionise the conditions of residence in Nigeria, and it may also offer faci lities for European planters and settlers, as soon as rapid access to it by a good cart road has been made. SURVEY. 5. A survey party under Captain Ommanney, Itoyal Engineers, arrived in Nigeria in November, 1905, with the object of accurately fixing the longitudes of all places con nected by the telegraph system in relation to Lagos by tele graphic signals. The expedition was most successful, and the exact position of the following places has been determined: Jebba, Patiji, Lokoja, Keffi, Bauchi, Kano, Zaria, Zungeru, Kontagora, and Bida. With these centres finally fixed the survey of the Protectorate can be rapidly filled in, and all plans of districts co-ordinated with accuracy. MAHDI8. 6. During the year there have been more than the usual number of fanatical preachers of seditious—though religious— propaganda among the Moslem population.