Land, Labour and Taxation in Kano Native Authority: the Case of Kumbotso District 19031953
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 In addition to the wide range of existing published and unpublished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
Description
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