Indigenous structures play an important role in shaping and organizing
societies like the Amasiri clan, although it continues to suffer from
lack of acceptance and inadequate understanding of their mechanics.
During the British colonial administration in Nigeria, local governance
was shaped by the shifting meaning of indigenous authorities,
the perspectives of British administrators, prevailing colonial imperatives,
the role of local elders, and the rapidly changing social conditions
of colonial jurisdictions. The emerging colonial and post-colonial
administrations in seeking to transform the meaning of indigenous
authorities have, however, encouraged recurring controversies and
conflicts among communities and especially among elders who historically
claimed to be representing competing indigenous constituencies
and interests