Land, Labour and Taxation in Kano Native Authority: the Case of Kumbotso District 19031953

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Date
2008
Authors
Muhammadu, Mustapha Gwadabe
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Abstract
This study is about the administration of land, labour and taxation in Kumbotso district of colonial Kano. Previous studies on colonial Kano have tended to lay much emphasis on the relationship between British colonial authorities and the emirate level administrative structures and officials. While there can be no doubt as to the importance of this level of relationship in the wider structure of colonial rule, the reality is that the effectiveness of that rule depended on the capacity of the system to control a society made up of widely dispersed small scale producers. It was in order to achieve this that the British established a system which decentralised important administrative functions to the district and village levels and required the physical location of District and Village heads in the respective Districts and Villages. Looking at colonial administration especially at the district level, this study shows that the administration of land, labour and taxation at that level was the critical mechanism through which the goals of colonial administration were achieved in Kano emirate. The study also shows their control of district level administration in Kumbotso, deepened the control of the emirate ruling class over the subject population and led among other things to members of the ruling class and others close to them claiming control over land to the disadvantage of peasantry. The effect of this as well as the effects of the implementation of the labour and taxation policies of the colonial authorities on the peasantry is also brought out. In addition to the wide range of existing published and unpublished works, the study has relied heavily on available archival materials as well as extensive oral interviews conducted in the area
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A Thesis Submitted to the Post Graduate School, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in Partial Fulfilment for the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History. Ph. D. Thesis January 2008
Keywords
Land,,, Labour,, Taxation,, Kano Native,, Authority:, Kumbotso District
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