Question: advantages and disadvantages of indirect rule in nigeria

title: Indirect rule
text: Indirect rule was cheaper and easier for the European powers , and in particular it required fewer administrators , but it did have a number of problems . In many cases , European authorities empowered local traditional leaders , as in the case of the monarchy of Uganda , but if no suitable leader could be found ( in the traditional Western sense of the term ) , the Europeans would simply choose local rulers to suit them . This was the case in Kenya and Southern Nigeria , and the new leaders , often called `` warrant chiefs '' , were not always supported by the local population . The European ruling classes also often chose local leaders with similar traits to their own , despite these traits not being suited to native leadership . Many were conservative elders , and thus indirect rule fostered a conservative outlook among the indigenous population and marginalised the young intelligentsia . Written laws , which replaced oral laws , were less flexible to the changing social nature , old customs of retribution and justice were removed or banned , and the removal of more violent punishments in some areas led to an increase in crime . Furthermore , leaders empowered by the governments of European powers were often not familiar with their new tasks , such as recruitment and tax . 

Answer: answer: Indirect rule was cheaper and easier for the European powers, and in particular it required fewer administrators, but it did have a number of problems as they were not always supported by the local population.  Many chosen by the European ruling classes were conservative elders, and thus indirect rule fostered a conservative outlook among the indigenous population and marginalized the young intelligentsia.