Political-economic Relations in Ilorin in the Pre-colonial Era: An Assessment
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Date
2018-06
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Publisher
Al-Hikmah Journal of History and International Relations
Abstract
The Pre-colonial Ilorin economy is viewed by some stakeholders and scholars as a single “Commission Agent” economy. Some also considered that the economy was operated strictly under the aristocratic force of the Fulani hegemony. The intelligent and entrepreneurial skills of the indigenous people are in many cases subjected to the European ideas. The success of economic activities and practices of effective income distribution was not directly traced to the native governance of the Fulani. This paper argues that the active participation of the Ilorin producers, merchants and agents has been linked to the earlier contact of Ilorin with European imperialists. Using both primary and secondary sources, it examined the role of pre-colonial aristocrats in the management of political and socio-cultural environment of the Emirate. The paper concludes that the success of the economy and socio-cultural relations of Ilorin in the pre-colonial era enhance administrative strategies exercised by the governing body of Ilorin Emirate.
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Keywords
Commission Agent, Fulani hegemony, Pre-colonial Relations