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This book is about the administration of land, labour and taxation in Kumbotso district of colonial Kano. Previous studies on colonial Kano have tended to lay much emphasis on the relationship between British colonial authorities and the emirate level administrative structures and officials. While there can be no doubt as to the importance of this level of relationship in the wider structure of colonial rule, the reality is that the effectiveness of that rule depended on the capacity of the system to control a society made up of widely dispersed small scale producers. It was in order to achieve this that the British established a system which decentralised important administrative functions to the district and village levels and required the physical re-location of District and Village heads in their respective Districts and Villages. Looking at colonial administration especially at the district level, this study shows that the administration of Land, Labour and Taxation at that level was the critical mechanism through which the goals of colonial administration were achieved in Kano emirate.

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Muhammadu Mustapha Gwadabe was born in Northern Nigeria. After his graduate studies at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (ABUZ)he worked with HCB Kano. At the completion of his MA degree he joined the services of ABUZ and obtained his PHD Degree. He co- authored three books and published articles in Journals and Books.

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