REASSESSING TRADITION: THE REPUGNANCY DOCTRINE AND THE COLONIAL SHAPING OF CUSTOMARY LAW IN NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31436/iiumlj.v33i2.1086Keywords:
Customary Law, Repugnancy Test, Transformation, Colonialism, Legal Norms, NigeriaAbstract
In 1900, when the British Government assumed administrative control over Nigeria from the Royal Niger Company, Sir Frederick Lugard, implementing Indirect Rule, retained the Company’s policy of applying indigenous laws and customs in the administration of justice. However, these native laws and customs were required to pass the repugnancy test, which served as a filter to eliminate aspects of Nigerian customary law deemed incompatible with British legal principles. Consequently, the system led to the modification, abolition, amendment, or outright revocation of numerous indigenous legal norms. This study examines the impact of the repugnancy test under Indirect Rule on Nigerian customary law. Employing qualitative research methodology, the research explores the extent to which this colonial policy altered, restricted, or transformed customary legal practices. The findings reveal that the test not only eroded many traditional legal customs but also introduced foreign legal principles and procedural changes.
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