CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

The History of the Local Government in Nigeria can be conveniently traced to the native administrative system introduced by the colonial government during the colonial era.

After the amalgamation in 1914, Lugard proceeded to extend the system of indirect rule to southern Nigeria.

In Western Nigeria, Lugard saw the Yoruba states headed by the Oba who traditionally owed some allegiance to the Alafin of Oyo as set-up similar to the Northern emirates under the Sultan of Sokoto. So, using the Obas as Emirs, he imposed his system of indirect rule in the west. But it did not prove successful as in the North. This most of the already independent Obas of Yoruba land were not prepared to countenance. The situation was even worsened when the British made Ibadan subordinate to Oyo. The study shall examine the pre-1991 Local Government system in Ibadan and the performance of Local Government in terms of development under both the Military and Civilian Administration.

The focus shall be on Ibadan North East Local Government administration.

In 1975, there was nothing like Ibadan North East Local Government, because it was not in existence during that period (1975) it was the local government that existed in Nigeria when Nigeria became a country.

Oral tradition has it that when Nigeria became a country from 1861 to 1914, the Local Government in Ibadan Land was called Ibadan District Council (I.D.C).

From 1914 to 1960 when Nigeria got independence Ibadan District Council was changed to Ibadan Native Authority. Then from 1960 to February 1976 when 19 states were created in Nigeria, it was called Ibadan City Council (I.C.C) and from February 1976 to 1991, Ibadan City Council was changed to Ibadan Municipal Government and from Tuesday August 27th1991, Ibadan Municipal Government was former had been recognized as a leading Yoruba state in the 1890s.

Secondly, the British thought that the Yoruba Oba possessed autocratic powers as the Fulani Emir. But the Oba’s powers were limited for he could not act without the consent of his council of traditional title-holders. So, the British could not control his people by controlling him.

Above all, the idea of taxation, without which Indirect Rule could not function, was strongly disliked and was only slowly and reluctantly accepted.

Going down the memory lane, it was recorded that the native Authority system continued until 1976 reforms which attempted to find solution to the problems of Local Government in Nigeria split into 5 Local Government. Namely:

Ibadan South East Local Government with its headquarters in Iwo Road

Ibadan North Local Government with its headquarters at Bodija

Ibadan North West Local Government with its headquarters at Onireke and finally, Ibadan South West Local Government with its headquarters at Oluyole Estate Ring Road, Ibadan.

It is important to acknowledge that out of these above Local Governments, our concern here is Ibadan North East Local Government.

Ibadan North East Local Government was created on 27thAugust 1991, by the administration of former Head of State General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. It was carved out of the defunct Ibadan Municipal Government and derived its name from the metropolitan nature of the area. It covered then (12km radius with the Mapo as the centre).

The local Government has its administrative headquarter located along the Iwo Road axis of Ibadan a major entry point through, Ife/Ibadan express way end of the Oyo State Capital.

The inhabitants of the local Government are predominantly Yoruba, although it is highly heterogeneous, accommodating people from various other tribes who either engage in commercial activities or work in the public service,

• Aims and Objective of the Study.

Following are the objectives of the study

1. To examine the pre-1991 Local Government System in Ibadan: Ibadan District Council, Ibadan Native Authority, Ibadan City Council, Ibadan Municipal Government
2. To provide General information of the Military Regime of Ibadan North East Local Government.
3. To describe the Civilian Regime of Ibadan North East Local Government.

• Scope And Limitation of the Study

The study will cover the pre-1991 local government system in Ibadan: Ibadan District Council, Ibadan Native authority, Ibadan City council as well as Ibadan Municipal Government.

On the course of writing this thesis there were many limitation factors that research was encountered. Apart from financial and time constraint of the researcher, several difficulties were encountered on the course of interviewing the interviewer off the study.

There were several problems encountered during the process of data collection process. The researcher found it very difficult to collect adequate information or data about all the previous administrators of Ibadan North East Local Government apart from the incumbent chairman Hon. Gbenga Ayinde Adewusi. Some informant did not divulge all the needed materials or information’s about the subject matters because they counted such information sacred and confidential, making it difficult to get some certain facts.

Furthermore, the archival materials concerning Ibadan North East Local Government were not available except ones on the Nigeria Local Government. Some of the materials were not completed owing to age and leading to constraining information gathering secondary information, gathering to be. This is because the closet library, the schools library did not have in stock adequate relevant materials. This has caused me to have to travel to Ibadan to make use of the main library of the University of Ibadan and that of Ibadan school of History.

Despite the above mentioned difficulties with much efforts and determination, I was able to gather enough information to write this project.

• Research Methodology

A work of this magnitude required the use of historical methodology in data collection. And this was judiciously used to execute this research work. For most researchers was able to consult the University of Ibadan library for text books and literature such as journals, old newspapers in the University library to have a pre-requisite understanding of the history of the local government

Consequently, in the course of writing this project, I embarked on the use oral sources and other published materials to explore my- research work which was one of the sources of getting historical fact of the people therefore, both primary and secondary sources were used in writing this project in the course of writing this project, I embarked on interviewing fourteen people.

• Literature Review

In writing this project, secondary materials have not been so adequate, particular those that directly deal with the topic understudy. This is not withstanding in the books and other materials I had gathered, I have found a whole lot of help in them. Importantly, the hand books on Ibadan North East Local Government Incorporating highlights on the indelible foot prints of Hon. Olugbenga Ayinde Adewusi is particularly written to include a lot of the administration of Hon. Gbenga Ayinde Adewusi popularly known or called ”Arole”. To a great extent, it provides a lot to this work, the background history of the Ibadan North East Local Government. Apart from that, the Local Government administration in Nigeria Incorporating contemporary issues in Governance and National Directory of Nigeria Local Government Councils edited by Tayo Orekoya and Tony Agbugba also contributed immensely to the opening aspect of this essay.

The book which is reviewing the economic and political aspects of the Local Government right from the start of the colonial rule gives fact and figure of the relationship was like between the British and Africans in Nigeria in that period.

Furthermore, other books contributed to work apart from the afore mentioned for example, a study of British Indirect rule in Oyo province 1894-1934 are book works on imperialism in Yoruba land  in colonial period.

Apart from the materials mentioned above monumental impact. A compendium of Enduring Legacies of a Distinctive Democrat on Ibadan North East Local Government and Ibadan North East Local Government: “Heartily felicitate with Nigeria on the occasion of the celebration At 50 in regard of His Excellence Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan” are all books and thesis used in writing this work. All of them recorded past administrators and chairmen at a glance of Ibadan North East Local Government and the achievements of those past administrative chairmen including Hon. Olugbenga Ayinde Adewusi and how much these administrators have contributed positively to the standard of living of the Local Government.

The book traces the Local Government Administration and also give us the relevant information of Ibadan North East Local Government. The book also gives us the detail that the present Local Government system in Nigeria is dated back to 1952 when the system was patterned along the British model which is based on the principle of indirect rule. It also recorded that the native authority system continued until 1976 reforms which attempted to find solution to the problems of local Government in Nigeria. In addition: the pamphlet and handbook compiled by information division Ibadan North East Local Government Agodi Ibadan titled The Ibadan North East Local Government also contributed a lot in writing this project. The book traces the origin of Ibadan North East Local Government and the past administrators and chairmen at glance both military and civilian regime. It also gives us the details about the British statistics of the five new Local Government created from the Ibadan Municipal Government. It also traces the Geography/Economy/the Education, Medical and Health matters of the Ibadan North East Local Government. It shows us the Wards Delineation and the Map of Ibadan North East local government.