one reason for the adoption of indirect rule in British West Africa was?
Answer Details
One reason for the adoption of indirect rule in British West Africa was to assimilate the indigenes. Indirect rule was a system of colonial administration that involved using local traditional rulers and institutions to govern the colonies on behalf of the British colonial authorities.
The British colonial authorities realized that governing the colonies directly with British officials would be expensive and difficult, as they would need to recruit and train large numbers of British officials to administer the colonies. Instead, they opted for indirect rule, which allowed them to save on costs and also gave the local rulers a sense of participation in the governing process.
Furthermore, indirect rule allowed the British to assimilate the indigenes by preserving and using their traditional structures of governance, which would not have been possible if they had implemented direct rule. This helped to maintain social stability and reduce resistance to British rule.
In summary, the adoption of indirect rule in British West Africa was primarily aimed at assimilating the indigenes and using their traditional rulers to govern the colonies on behalf of the British colonial authorities.