Hausaland Divided: Colonialism and Independence in Nigeria and Niger

389 Pages·1994·32.484 MB·English

by  William F. S. Miles

THE WILDER HOUSE SERIES
IN POLITICS, HISTORY,
AND CULTURE
The Wilder House Series is published in association with the
Wilder House Board of Editors and the University of Chicago.
David Laitin, Editor
Leora Auslander, Asnt Editor
George Steinmetz, As Editor
A list of titles in the series appears at the end of the book.
ALso WILLIAM F. S. MILES:
BY
Elections and Ethnicity in French Martinique: A Paradox in Paradise
Elections in Nigeria: A Gmsts Perspective
De politique Martinique: Paradoxe au Paradis
la a la
Imperial Burdens: Countenolonialism in Former French India
HAUSALAND DIVIDED

HAUSALAND
DIVIDED
ColoniaJism and Independence
in Nigeria and Niger
WILLIAM F. S. MILES
Cornell University Press
Ithaca and London
Copyright © 1994 by Cornell University
Al rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or
parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in
writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University
Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850.
First published 1994 by Cornell University Press.
The following materials reproduced by permission: Figure 2 and data for Tables and 6
are s
and the accompanying first appeared "Nationalism versus Ethnic Identity in Sub­
text as
Saharan Africa," by William F. S. Miles and David A. Rochefort, inAmericmJ Political
S&ien«Rniew 85, no. 2 (1991). Map 7, basedonA.friamBoundarie, by Ian Brownlie
(copyright © 1979 by the Royal Institute of International Afairs), and Map 8, fromA.f of
DtiUra: History tmd Change in a Hausa State, 1800-1958, by Michael Smith (copyright © 1978
by The Regents of the University of California), appear by courtesy of University of
California Press. "The Tale of Alhaji Mallam H." first appeared "Islam and Development
as
in the Western Sahel: Engine or Brake," by Wilam F. S. Miles, in Journal of the Institute of
Muslim Minority Af 7, no. 2 (1986).
Al translations of archival materials and all photographs are the author's.
Printed in the United States of America
@ The paper in this bok meets the minimum requirements
of the American National Standard for Information Sciences­
Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI z39.48-19s+.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Miles, William F. S.
Hausaland divided: colonialism and independence in Nigeria and Niger I William F. S.
Miles.
p. cm. -(The Wilder House series in politics, history, and culture)

Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8014-2855-6

1. Hausa (African people)-Ethnic identity. 2. Hausa (African people)-Govemment
relations. 3. Niger-Colonial influence. 4. Nigeria-Colonial influence. Assimilation
s.
(Sociology)-Niger. 6. Assimilation (Sociology)-Nigeria. I. Title. II. Series.
DT515.45.H38M55 1994
966.26' 004937-dC20 93-31669
This book is dedicated to two Samuel Mileses:
to the father who to Hausa.land and
came
to the son whom I yearn to bring

Contents
Illustrations, Maps, Tables, and Figures
Xl
Preface
Xlll
A Note on Hausa Orthography
xvm
I. Introduction: Rehabilitating the Borderline
2. The Setting 20
3. Ethnic Identity and National Consciousness:
Who Are the Hausa? 42
4. Boundary Considerations 60
5. Colonizing the Hausa: British and French 9I
6. According to the Archives ... 117
7. Chieftaincy in Yardaji and Yekuwa I45
8. Arziki vs. Talauci: The Economic Comparison I75
9. Educating the Hausa 227
IO. Islam: The Religious Difference
II. Vilage Cultures Compared 274
I2. Transcending the Tangaraho 304

Appendix A. Fieldwork Strategy: The Choice of a Site 3I9
lX