8.3a NNAK SNP 15 Acc No. 11, Ilorin Residents Reports 1900. Transcribed extracts.

At some point page numbers were added to this file. The pages are numbered in the order in which they were found in the file, but this does not always reflect chronological order. I have followed the page number order, which means that the extracts transcribed below do not always appear in correct chronological order. All of the documents in the file pertaining to the year 1900 are handwritten.

p.1. Ilorin 

5 November 1900  [written by P.M. Dwyer]

Condition of Town and District

. . . .

p.2. No trouble except Lanwa and small place called Oke Werhu. . . . At Oke Werhu the headman named Aibebu Eko was convicted of employing men dressed as soldiers to raid farms seize people as he was too old to put in prison I wired for your sanction to turn him out of District This has been done.

p.30. July [10] 1900 [written by the Hon. D.W. Carnegie]

Sir,

I have the honour to report that during the first days of July I handed over to Mr Dwyer all papers etc connected with the post of Assistant Resident at Ilorin.

[he also states that he has left Ilorin] . . . . 

p.31. Ajidungari I have already mentioned in a previous report [see p. 37, Ap.12-May 3]. The district over which he has extended his sway is considerable (for this part of the country) . . . He is tributary to the Emir of Illorin and I have told him that he must continue to pay a tribute to the Emir, a matter that he has neglected of late. This is not an exceptional case. Many smaller Bales have given up paying tribute to the Emir, saying that they had instructions from the Whiteman to do so. . . . I have insisted that the old methods of payment shall be again practised.

[Ajidungari (Ejidongari) was the name both of the head of the district and the district itself. The head of the district was actually an elite slave who had managed to carve out a great deal of independence for himself.]

p.37. 1900 Assistant Resident, Jebba, Report [author appears to be Carnegie: see p. 31 above]

Ap.12-May 3. (2) Native Courts

at Ajidungari. The King (same name as town) has been in the habit of judging all cases and has a court house. He desired me to give him a letter as a protection against raids from neighbours to which he is occasionally subjected. This I gave him adding a clause to which he agreed viz. that so long as he was allowed to hold his court he must employ a Mallam to keep a record of the cases, which must be sent into Jebba & that he should settle no important case without first consulting the proper [? word unclear] authority at Jebba.

At Illorin.

. . . .

p.38 [debt pawnage] Moneylending A man lends money to another. He charges no interest in money—but until the capital is paid back half the debtors day’s labour is for the benefit of the lender and half at his own disposal. Thus in one day a borrower must not only set aside half the days profit for the man from whom he borrow[ed] but must in the other half day make sufficient to keep himself and set aside a sum to go towards making an amount equal to the capital.

p.66. 5 November 1900  

. . . .

(2) Native Courts are working well no serious case having been tried so far. Have warned [unclear] chiefs anyone found slave trading will get 14 years imprisonment. 

[signed by Pierce M. Dwyer, Assistant Resident, on p. 67]

p.68 [no date, but written by P.M. Dwyer]

Native Courts

. . . . I  am sure your Excellency will make great alterations in the warrant issued As I was not in a position to take up a strong line on the slavery question I thought it advisable under the circumstances to allow them to settle Dispute re slave and owner thus avoiding the danger of giving a decision which might have caused irritation. I however informed the Emir and Baloguns that if I found anyone slave raiding or buying or selling slave I should punish them with 14 years imprisonment. I am glad to say on several occasions the Emir has at once returned  children & people who have been seized without my having to order it he stating it must not be done.

p. 76 [these must be transcriptions of telegrams]

To High Commissioner, Lokoja.

(Ilorin, 31/10/00).  Excellency. Wish to turn out of district Abibu Eku, headman of Okawehra—offence, employing men as soldiers to raid farms and seize people—is to old to imprison. Will you sanction?

Dwyer.

Assistant Resident, Ilorin.

(Lokoja, 31/10/00).  I concur. . . .

High Commissioner.