Le système politique et la culture okrika du Nigeria

The POLITICAL SYSTEM AND THE CULTURE OF THE OKRIKA'S ETHNOS OF NIGERIA

• Auteur / Autrice : Tamuno Gilbert Daniel
• Direction : Jacques Poumarède
• Type : Thèse de doctorat
• Discipline(s) : Histoire du droit
• Date : Soutenance en 1998
• Etablissement(s) : Toulouse 1

Résumé

Cette these constitue l'examen du systeme judiciaire a okrika, de la periode pre-coloniale jusqu'a nos jours. Nous avons commence par donner une explication sur l'organisation socio-politique a la veille de la periode coloniale. Pendant cette periode, les institutions judiciaires sont l'assemblee des sekenis, eskele-ereme et kiri- ouri. On juge des proces par epreuves. On trouve des niveaux de jugements ou le chef de clan, l'aine (l'ancien) de la famille est le chef traditionnel jouent des roles tres importants dans la societe. A cette epoque, l'administration judiciaire est liee a la religion car ils croient a des forces surnaturelles et s'assurent de ne pas les subir. Avec l'empietement britannique, certains tribunaux sont crees, tels que le tribunal d'equite et le tribunal de consulat. La necessite de creer ces tribunaux etait motivee par le besoin de reglementer le conflit administratif et economique dans l'interet des entreprises britanniques. De meme, le desir d'assurer un systeme fiable du gouvernement local avait commence par la creation d'un tribunal indigene avec ses warrants chefs. C'etait l'arme la moins chere et la plus utilisee par les britanniques pour implanter leur autorite. En 1896, le systeme du tribunal indigene commenca a okrika avec la deportation du roi ibanichuka. Il continua a fonctionner avec plusieurs reformes notamment en 1914 et 1933. La reforme de 1914 interdit aux officiers politiques de presider au tribunal, alors que celle de 1933 les fait placer a la cour supreme. En 1956, la commission brooks suggera le changement d'appellation de tribunal indigene en tribunal native. Il a fonctionne jusqu'en 1966 et fut aboli par les militaires a leur arrivee au pouvoir. Depuis, le tribunal coutumier n'existe plus. Le peuple regle ses disputes aupres du tribunal de grande instance et de la haute cour de port-harcourt. Le peuple d'okrika affirme que malgre l'effort frenetique fait par l'administration coloniale a mettre un terme au systeme judiciaire traditionnel, il continue d'exister pendant la periode coloniale, le tribunal indigene set comme un instrument d'exploitation et d'oppression aux mains des colonisateurs. Le tribunal coutumier qui avait succede au tribunal indigene avait ete utilise par les politiciens pour intimider et meme frustrer les oppositions. Ce travail nous aide a mieux comprendre le systeme judiciaire a okrika dans le

This thesis has attempted to examine the judicial system in okrika, from the pre-colonial period to the present day. We started by giving an account of the socio-political organization on the eve of the colonial period. During the pre-colonial period, the judicial institutions were sekeni's assembly, eskele-ereme and kiri-ouri. There was also trial by ordeal. There were also levels of adjudication, where the head of the family, the head of the ''house'' and the council of chiefs played important roles. At this time, administration of justice was tied to religion. This was because people believed in supernatural powers and made sure they did nothing to incur the wrath of forces. With the british encroachment on nigeria, certain courts were established. These were the courts of equity, gouverning council and consulate courts. The need to establish these courts was motivated by the need to regulate administration and economic conflicts in the interest of british enterprise in nigeria. Similarly, the desire to provide a reliable system of local government gave rise to the native courts with its warrants chiefs. It was the most effective and cheapest weapon used by british to implant their authority. In okrika, the native court system started with the deportation of king ibanichuka in 1896. The native court continued to operate with various reforms, notably 1914 and 1933 reforms. Significantly, 1914 reform removed the political officer from presiding overcourt sittings, while that of 1933 made provision for appeal beyond the supreme court. In 1956, it was suggested by brook's commission that there should be a change in appellation from native to customary court. This was implemented in okrika in 1963, thus customary replacing native court. It continued to function untill 1966, when it was abolished by the military goverment. Since then, there had been no customary court in okrika : people take their disputes to the magistrates and high courts in port-harcourt. We have argued that, despite the frantic efforts made by the colonial administration to put an end to traditional means of adjudication, it continued to survive. During the colonial period, the native courts served as instruments of exploitation and oppression in the hands of colonialists and some africans. In post-colonial period, the customary court which succeeded the native court was used by politicians t