ABSTRACT
Justice is administered amongst the native communities of British West Africa through two channels, the judges may be European Officers presiding over British Courts where British law is administered, or selected natives appointed to sit as judges in Native Courts, where native law and custom are administered. In Nigeria, the political officers preside over what are called the Provincial Courts. The wielding of judicial together with executive powers by one and the officer it is argued has been found to hinder the administration of justice in the past. A native judge of intelligence and capacity thoroughly understands how to elicit the truth from native witnesses. The native is infinitely the better qualified to administer justice to other natives, but for one very important factor. In all countries of the world justice has been bought and sold in the past, but a steady improvement has been secured.
