those of West Africa must be discarded, its replacement by central and local self-government in Africa will take an unspecificdly long time to build up because new loyalties have to be developed.
76
My own experience leads me to endorse emphatically the opinion that the traditional tribal system of Africa as applied under indirect rule is hopelessly inadequate to deal with the requirements of today. I believe, too, most strongly that a democratic system as we know it is most suitable to meet the aspirations of Africa and to give it a chance of fulfilling its needs.
77. While, the development of new loyalties is necessary, experience in Arabia and the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast makes me doubt that building them up is as difficult as is suggested and therefore whether an unspecifiedly long time is necessary to develop them. In fact I believe that however desirable a long time would be, we are unlikely to have it unless we modify our outlook to cmergent colonies and introduce changes in their constitutions and the manner of their membership of the empire and commonwealth while we have the initiative.
78. Taking the factors of Liberia and Coussey and Sierra Leone's own resources into account, as well as my presumption that the dynamics in Sierra Leonc are not yet so active as in the Gold Coast, I believe that the circumstances might be favourable for setting up a constitution on the following lines :-
(a) Take the Governor out of the arena of local politics. Leave
him as the representative of the King and give him the power to see
(i) that the government works while we remain in a
tutelary position,
(ii) that education in democracy is carried on.
(b) Recognize that there are two distinct sides to colonial
government today, the executive and the educational. The two would be united and coordinated only under the Governor.
(c) Give the executive government the form of parliamentary
government with a cabinet. There would be one side of the legislature governing and the other in opposition. This might not always be possible of immediate fulfilment, but as far as possible the shape should be aimed at. We had... nominated representative councils at local state (or Land) levels in occupied Germany until they were replaced by olected councils with party governments. Whether councils have at first to be nominated or can be part nominated and part elected or wholly elected depends on local considera- tions. If there are not at first sufficient qualified Africans to take ministerial responsibility, put in Europeans to carry out a local policy, i.e., not necessarily their own.
In any case European technical advisers will be
necessary.
i
(a) Abolish district administration under D.Cs and give the
Native Authorities full power, adapting them to local governments rather on the British model.
(e) Set up the educational side with only an objective purpose
It will, for instance, not be the task of political educators or advisers to say whether a government of the right or left is desirable, but they will be responsible for advising how democratic parties work,, and seeing, during the remaining period of tutelage, that they are operated
/democratically
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