The system of indirect rule failed in the former Eastern Nigeria primarily because

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for the main reason indirect rule failed in the former Eastern Nigeria (the Igbo and neighbouring areas).

Step 2: The concept Indirect rule was Lord Lugard's system of governing through existing traditional rulers and institutions. It worked well in the Northern Emirates, which had centralized hierarchies (Emirs, Sultan). It needed an existing chief with real authority to work through.

Step 3: Apply it to Eastern Nigeria Igbo society was largely acephalous (stateless or without a central king). Authority was spread across:

• Village councils and assemblies
• Councils of elders
• Age grades
• Title-holders and secret societies (e.g. Ozo, Ekpe)

Since there was no single recognized chief to rule through, the British had to find a way to make the system work anyway. This led to the warrant chief system, in which the British appointed men and gave them warrants of authority. These men often had no traditional legitimacy, so the people resented them. This led to abuses and eventually to the Aba Women's Riot of 1929.

Step 4: Evaluate the options

• A. Fragmented political structures. This is the root, primary cause. Without centralized authority, indirect rule had no foundation to build on.
• B. Chiefs refused to cooperate. Incorrect, because there were no recognized chiefs to begin with.
• C. High taxation and chiefs refusing to cooperate. Taxation was a trigger for the 1929 riot, but it was not the primary cause of failure, and the option is poorly worded.
• D. Warrant chiefs imposed. This is true and is a major consequence, but it was the colonial response to the fragmented structure. It is a symptom, not the underlying primary cause.

Step 5: Conclusion The question says "primarily because", which points to the root cause: the decentralized, fragmented political system. Option D is a tempting distractor, but the imposition of warrant chiefs resulted from the absence of centralized authority.

Exam tip: Remember the chain: No central authority (acephalous society) → warrant chiefs imposed → abuses and resentment → Aba Women's Riot 1929. When a question says "primarily", look for the root cause rather than the consequences.