ARE SOME NIGERIAN CUSTOMARY LAWS REALLY REPUGNANT?

"When the British Government formally established its administration in Nigeria in 1861, it was not its intention at that time to confer on the judiciary, jurisdiction on matters relating to customary land law, family law and succession.” These jurisdictions were vested absolutely in the customary courts. One of the reasons for this was the general lack of manpower, and in particular, lack of judicial personnel who could administer customary law in the so called English courts.° However, the general policy of the Colonial Government not to meddle into these jurisdictions was retracted in 1914.