8.3c NNAK Ilorinprof 4/1/829A/1917, Ilorin Emirate Reorganisation of Districts. Notes.

Transcript of selected handwritten notes taken on material in this file. Not always the exact words of the original. Spellings of names reflect the original where possible.

para 2. letter from Elphinstone, Resident, 9 Oct 1917. no. 3013/1917

Land tenure already fully written on in my 716/13 of 6/4/13 & 474/13 of 15/3/15. . . .

[In some] cases the area forms a coadunate District eg. Lanwa district proper but in others the areas of the proprietors are small areas dotted about over the country side. There are also the pre-Filani land owners.

4. Disturbances throughout the emirate this year. Cause—the taking away of the authority of the Village Heads (VHs) by giving out 10% of the tax to the tiny farm hamlets & scattered compounds which go to form a village: There are no headmen of these hamlets & they had no right to the 10%, the giving of it was resented therefore by those compound owners who did not receive anything & the real VHs who saw . . . authority being taken away.

5. The villages are arranged according to Districts but it will be observed that not in all cases can the Sub-Districts (SDs) be completely done away with, owing to the fact that a single land proprietor has a large tract of land with several villages upon it too small to form a district.

6. McAllister amalgamated certain Districts—the amalgamations in some cases unpopular with Emir & people.

In 4 cases I request permission to do away with sub-districts by re[creating?] as districts:

Paiye   --Paiye & Malete

Ajasse-Po --Ajasse & Igbadja

Lanwa --Lanwa & Ejidongari

Afon --Afon & Owode (including Ber [Berkodo?])

8. “The Administration of the Ilorin Yoruba goes hand in hand with the land question and this has proved to be the difficulty in this Province to form coadunate Districts; the rights in the land being divided between the farmer and the proprietor ie the man actually farming the land and the heirs or families of the men to whom the land was originally granted, with a few rights in the hands of the Emir.”

Akambi. Akambi District shows how difficult the grouping into Districts is; there are 6 different proprietors not counting the Kakara. It may be possible at some future time or on the death of the present District Head (DH) to amalgamate this district with some other.

8 village area heads (VAHs) as regrouped Sep. 1917.

Akambi lineAudu Salami

      l 

Zubeiru

           l

     Alege

            l

     Amodu (only recently put in; and no particular family claim)

Population of all: 5,100

Proposed salaryVillage Area (VA)Original headTaxNotes

₤15      AkambiAkambi, slave of      ₤173

     Emir Shita

₤15           OkpoloKoro  (favourite of₤180Joined with

Emir Audu Salami)Akambi under

Balogun Alanamu but

later by Mr Duff

under Amodu

₤18IlotaDurosini (Yoruba₤187vide supra

chief, scattered, but

reinstated by Audu

Salami)

₤24 MagajiMamudu son of₤258v supra

Abudu, 2nd Baba

Isale

₤24KulendiJobo (relation of₤106Put under Akambi

Usumanu, 1st by McAllister

Balogun Fulani)

₤6(a) Tankeh₤78The only sub Unit in

whole district. Others

are all original units

₤6KangileKangile slave of Ali,₤54Put under Akambi by

1st Balogun GambariMcAllister

₤12Karkaravide notes₤96v supra: no original head. Gogurumo made District Head under Dwyer but on

deposition of his successor M. Giwa, office lapsed & Bale of Tegbesin put in

charge.

Afon District

Good example of difficulty in amalgamating into districts without formation of sub-districts.

Present district consisted originally of 14 independent units. Dwyer amalgamated Efue & Igbogun with Berkodo & Barla with Owode & the 8 villages immediately following Afon with Afon; afterwards he amalgamated Berkodo with Owode. McAllister amalgamated Berkodo (including Owode) with Afon.

Berkodo & Owode should be parted [?] thus forming 1 district instead of 2 sub-districts (SDs).

Efue & Igbogun should remain under Berkodo as they are cut off by Owode from Afon. The Emir wishes Berkodo & Owode to be taken out of this District again thus doing away with the SD.

Afon District: 19 VAHs as regrouped.

Afon lineOwode lineBerkodo

Bal. Usumanu (1)Ajia Omo IjeshaAmodu (Sarkin Dogarai)

Bal. Zubeiru (2)Abdul KadiriMohamadu (Sarkin Dogarai)

Dasuki (but no familyBraimah

connection with the District

Population of all: 20,074

Proposed salaryVillage AreaOriginal HeadNotes

₤12AfonMomodu followerReg: Emir Shita

of Magaji Gari

₤24OlogbondorokoOlogbondorokov supra

follower of Balogun

Ajikobi

₤9Odo-OdeMofoluku followerv supra

of Garuba, 3rd 

Balogun Alanamu

₤24Osin AremuAremu follower ofv supra

Baba Isale

₤18OjokuOgunolaReg: Emir Shita to 

whom he did homage, 

& put under Abubakr,

son of Alimi

₤24OgeleAbdulahi slave of 

Emir Shita

₤15LadubaKontan follower ofReg: Emir Shita

Garuba, 3rd Balogun

Alanamu

₤24Ila OkeShikunbi by fealty tov supra

Usumanu, 1st Balogun

 Fulani

₤18Oko ErinErin slave of Emir Shita

₤18OwodeAjia Ijesha slave of Emir

Zubeiru

₤9(a)Sokoto

₤6(b)Wahrahforest reserve

₤9(c)Otetere

₤9BarlaSanda follower of Reg: Emir Zubeiru

Balogun AlanamuPut under Owode by

Dwyer

₤6BerkodoAmodu (Sarkin Dogarai)Reg: Audu Salami

(a)Gambari

(b)Kinihun

EfueOtu slave of Afin, Head ofReg: Audu Salami

Slaves

IgbogunIgbogun slave of Emir

Zubeiru

Igporin District

This district has one SD, namely Oke Oyo, consisting of Oke Oye, Oke Ose, Moya & Ileapa: this was made by Dwyer, Salau, a slave, being made sub District Head (SDH). Emir wishes this sub district to be done away with, but difficult—what to do with Salau. It is suggested that he be taken away from headship of the SD until he dies or can be found another job. His family has no rights.

8 village area heads as regrouped Sep 1917

Igporin line

Bako (1)

    l

Awudu (2)   Morafa (3)  Alhasan (4)

    l

Atairu (5)

Whole population: 23,316

TaxVillage AreaOriginal HeadNotes

₤286-16-0IgporinAllah SarikiRights in this land

slave of Bako,surrendered to Emir

1st Sarkin GambariShita, who wanted it for

Magaji Akiali

₤461-15-0ApadoBako, 1st SarkinHamlet called Kure was

GambariBako’s seat: DH now lives

at Igporin

₤501-0-0(a)Agbeyangi

₤106-5-0(b)Pepele

₤743-10-0(c)Oke OyeSalau put in as SDH by

Dwyer

₤174-5-0(d)Oke Ose

₤208-10-0MoyaOjo, Hunterman. 

Given by Ali, 2nd 

Balogun Gambari

₤272-10-0Ile-ApaWarri follower of

Audu Salami

Lanwa District

consists of

(1)Lanwa District proper i.e. all [the way?] down to Ejidogari. Amongst these, Zaki had been put under Adio, Zaki will now be taken away again from Adio & thus form 2 villages, which is historically correct, doing away with the Adio SD.

(2)Ejidogari, properly a district, was amalgamated to Lanwa by McAllister. Within Ejidogari is the sub district of Ariori, made by Dwyer of Ariori, Amu, Babadudu and Okutala; this SD will be done away with, Ariori being put naturally under Ejidogari & Ama, Babadudu & Okutala following Ejidogari direct. SDH to draw salary till he can be found another job.

(3)If the Emir’s wish is carried out of remaking into 2 districts, Lanwa & Ejidogari, there will be no SDs.

Lanwa 27 VAHs as regrouped

Population  [of Lanwa to Zaki VAs] 17,185

TaxVillage AreaOriginal HeadNotes

₤434-5-0LanwaAdendelu slaveLanwa comprises all of

of Emir Shitathe following, (a) to (j).

thus subdivided for fixed

salary purposes. The

respective Bales are rather

as a staff to Adendelu than as 

separate VA heads.

Holding of Balogun Fulani.

₤109-15-0(a)AmaFirst authentic salga-makers 

in these parts.

.

₤94-0-0(b)Bode SaduBode Sadu was a caravan

camp. Bode = Toll gate

₤135-10-0(c)Sulu

₤169-10(d)Idowu

₤99-10(e)Biri-biriHunterman put here to escort

caravans to Bode Sadu, as

against Kontagora raiders.

Hence this settlement

₤65(f)Isakara

₤150(g)Cata

₤116(h)Awukunle

₤160(j)Jebba

₤337-10OkemiAbdul Kadiri

nephew of Emir

Audu Salami

₤227-10AdioAlfa Sadiku slave to

Emir Shita

₤53-10ZakiAlfa Zaki scribe toPreviously misplaced under

Emir ShitaAdio

₤345Ejidogari Umoru SandaUmoru gave the land to Eji

[population—ofnephew of Emirslave of Sarkin Dogarai,

all the followingAudu Salamiafterwards exiled by Dwyer

VAs—18,171](a jealous Hausa farmer)

(Remarks on Lanwa grouping

are applicable to Ejidogari)

₤136(a)Aniya

₤53(b)Abike 1. [?]

₤130(c)Ogunbo

₤101(d)Olokiti

₤64(e)Okuta Ila

₤133(f)Ayede

₤45(g)Ayetoro

₤69(h)Iti-Giwa 

₤60(j)Jeje

₤179(k)ArioreOriginal holder a Hausa slave

₤100AmuAlegi son of Emir

Zubeiru

₤121 [₤171?]BabaduduBalogun Ali, 2nd 

Balogun Gambari

₤159OkutalaMagaji Akiali slave of

Emir Shita

Oloru District

Under Oloru there are 4 SDs—Oloru, Shao, Adio & Agodi. Oloru will remain forming part of the District. Under Shao was amalgamated by Dwyer Yeki & Asbomu; the SDH has just been imprisoned & therefore this fact does away with the SD, Yeke & Asbomu following the DH direct. In same way the SD of Agodi made by Dwyer consisting of Ogodi (Olomi[?]), Abuyanrin, Oroyewun, Alagbede & Yowere will be done away with, all following DH Oloru; the SDH is of the same family as the DH. Adio will remain as a SD for the time being.

Oloru—17 VAHs.

Population of all: 15,450

TaxVillage AreaOriginal HeadNotes

₤343OloruBalogun Ali, 2nd Presented by Balogun 

Balogun GambariAli to his slave 

Omodare

₤139(a)Alara

₤59(b)Tepatan

₤62(c)Mamah

₤71(d)Pakumah

₤76(e)Olomi

₤180(f)Abuyanrin

₤97(g)Aroyewun

₤58(h)Alagbede

₤41(i)Yowere

₤58AdioAsaju slave of Emir Shita

₤64(a)Yeregi

₤24(b)Onibaramu

₤66(c)Braimah Ayaki

₤236ShaoAjia Ati Kekere slave of Emir Shita

₤111(a)Ashomu

₤50(b)Yeke

Paiye District

as now arranged consists of (a) Paiye (b) Malete

There are properly 2 districts but they were joined together by McAllister. Seems to be no way of getting rid of the SD of Malete; family of the Basambo have the rights in the land & cannot be made to give them up.

12 VAHs

Present DH Moma Jima (family of follower of Balogun Ajikobi.

Population [of all?] 1113

TaxVAOriginal HeadNotes

₤124PaiyeAmodu Beki followerM Jima DH

of Buari 3rd Balogunfollower of Balogun

AjikobiAjikobi put in by

Dwyer

₤157(a)Belo Ipa

₤135(b)Inawole

₤137(c)Guniyan

₤127(d)Awuyan

₤60MaleteAliu Isola follower of

Abubakr, 1st Basambo 

(Emir’s own family)

₤79(a)Jenkunu

₤67(b)Ajanaku

₤84(c)Gbugudu

₤38(d)Logun

₤48(e)Aga

₤60(f)Paku

Oniri District

consists of 4 SDs all very small—Oniri & 2 villages; Alapa & 1 village; Fata & 1 village; and Awa & 1 village. Of these the family of Fata has disappeared & the SD is done away with. The SDs of Alapa & Awe are so small that the heads are now treated as village heads.

9 VA Heads

Oniri line:

Ojuyekun(1)

Abdul Kadiri (2)   Saliu (3)   Braimah (4)

        Belo (5)Audu Salam (6)  Dan Saliu (8)  Aliu (7)

List of fief holds under filani tenure

DonorTerritoryTo Whom GivenDescription

Emir A Salami1.OkemirinAbdulkadiriNephew

2.GamaMagaji ArreIlorin chief

3.OpoloKoroFollower

4.IlotaDuromiYoruba

5.Ile-apaWarriFollower

6.BekodoAmoduSarkin Dogari

7.EfueOtuSlave

8.OnireMagaji OguyekunWarrior

9.FataKaye Mogaji OgidiWarrior

10.AweZarumiWarrior

11.KarkaraIlorin farmers

Emir Shita1.ShaoAjia AtikekereSlave

2.AdioAsajuSlave

3.LanwaAdenloluSlave

4.AdioAlfa SadikuScribe

5.ZakiAlfa ZakiScribe

6.Okuta-IlaMagaji OkialiSlave

7.AkambiAkambiSlave

8.Kaba DogariKabaDogari

9.OgeleAbdulaiSlave

10.Oko ErinErinSlave

11.OlogbondorokoZarumiWarrior

Daniyalu (Shiaba)1.AjidongariShiabaSon

Abubakare 1.OjokuOgunlolaYoruba

(Basambo)

2.MaleteAliu IsholaFollower

Emir Zubairu1.OwodeAjia IjeshaSlave

2.AmuAlegeSon

3.IgbogunIgbogunSlave

Sarkin Gambari1.IgporinBako1st Sarkin Gambari

Balogun Gambari1.OloruOmodareSlave

2.BabaduduBabaduduFollower

3.MoyaOjoHunterman

4.Oke OraAjia Opele  Follower

Oloro        Original head  

5.EsiyeBalogun Ali  

Elisiye          Original head

6.AgbandaKure Amoda  Follower     

Alakpa           Original head  7.KangileKangileSlave

Balogun Ajikobi1.AlapaLawani GiwaFollower

2.PaiyeAmodu BekiFollower

Balogun Alanamu1.BallahSandaFollower

2.Ode OdeMofolukuFollower

3.LadubaKontanFollower

Balogun Fulani1.Ila OkeShekunbiYoruba

2.KulendiOboFollower

Baba Isale1.Osin AremuAremuFollower

2.Magaji MomoduSon

Magaji Gari1.AfonMomoduFollower

memo 829/1917/20     Ilorin, 18 October 1922

from Resident Ilorin Province to Secretary Northern Provinces Kaduna

re map illustrating fief hold tenure in Ilorin Province—

I find it indispensable as it enables one to put a finger at once on the Baba Kekere who is likely to be pulling the strings from Ilorin in any land dispute.

HBIV [?] Ag. Resident

[possibly H.B. Hermon-Hodge??]