Concubinage and the status of women slaves in early colonial Northern Nigeria
Date
1988-03-21
Authors
Lovejoy, Paul E.
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Abstract
The establishment of British rule in Northern Nigeria (1897-
1903) did not ameliorate the condition of female slaves, particularly
concubines. The policy of Indirect Rule, as implemented under High
Commissioner Frederick Lugard (1900-1906), required an accommodation
with the aristocracy of the Sokoto Caliphate, which constituted most
of the area that became the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria. As is
well known, individual officials who opposed the conquest were
deposed, but the aristocracy itself was kept in place. Indeed under
colonial rule many of the powers of the aristocracy were enhanced.
In order to achieve the support of the aristocracy, the Lugard
Administration had to compromise on many issues, and one of the most
sensitive of these was concubinage. The issue touched the nerve of
patriarchal Muslim society. Women in general held an inferior
position in society, both legally and in fact. Concubines and other
slave women were even worse off than free women. For the British,
the treatment of women was not an important issue and there was
virtually no reluctance in accepting the status quo to the extent
that other policies allowed. The problem was that concubines were
slaves, and British policy was committed to the reform and ultimate demise of slavery. This article explores the tension between patriarchal Muslim society and British colonialism over the status of women. Concubinage was allowed to continue. It is apparent that women had to accept their subjugation, but sometimes they resisted.
Description
African Studies Seminar series. Paper presented 21 March 1988
Keywords
Women slaves. Nigeria. Social conditions, Concubinage. Nigeria. History