Representation without participation: An overview of Local Government in Ilorin division, Nigeria, 1947 – 1954

Abstract

The world over, one of the major phases in the evolution of a modern civilized system of government is the representational phase. Implicit in that concept is the objective of participation, by the generality of the people, in their administration through their representatives who, more often than not, are chosen through one form of election or another. In the course of nurturing its colonial dependencies in tropical Africa, as elsewhere, on the path to modern governmental system, the British government introduced and operated representative government in the dependencies. This study has taken a critical look at the process of representative government as it was introduced and operated at the level of Ilorin Division of Northern Nigeria between 1947 and 1954.