1st Edition
Epitaph to Indirect Rule A Discourse on Local Government in Africa
First published in 1956, Epitaph to Indirect Rule compares the old order of colonial government, represented by the Indirect Rule system, with the innovations of the more democratic administrative pattern introduced in the Eastern Region of Nigeria for the first time in 1950. Mr Akpan gives an account of the composition, powers, responsibilities, and financing and staffing of local government; and discusses the problems of supervision and control of the village, District, and other Councils under the new system. The author not only draws upon English experiences, but also gives a brief description of practices of local government adopted by other countries of the world—Ireland, France, Sweden, and the USA. This book will be of interest to students and researchers of African studies.
Introduction 1. Background and basis 2. Epitaph to indirect rule 3. What is local government? 4. Functions, powers and responsibilities 5. Local government finance 6. Financial interlude 7. Supervision and control 8. Composition and constitution of councils 9. Administration of local government 10. Other systems 11. Reflection and conclusion Appendices A. Notes on the future of the administrative service B. Section 99 of the local government ordinance of eastern region of Nigeria (1950) C. Notes on the new local government ordinance of eastern region of Nigeria (1955)
Biography
Ntieyong U. Akpan Chief Secretary of the Government and Head of the Civil Service of Eastern Nigeria (which declared itself ‘Biafra’ in 1967) 1966–1970.
Reviews of the first publication
‘Mr. Akpan has got right to the heart of all the controversies about the post-war local government policy in Africa…’
— Public Administration and Development, Volume 8, Issue 4
‘His book is based on first-hand experience as well as serious reflection.’
— L. P.Mair, International Affairs
