Does the consumption of alcohol hinder or facilitate the promotion of a moral society? Is alcohol a disruptive substance that undermines social order? Alcohol presents a complex set of issues—from intoxication, drunkenness, and criminal behavior to alcoholism and associated health problems—requiring control both at personal and institutional levels.
In pre-colonial times, customary practices rather than written statutes regulated the sale and consumption of local alcoholic beverages. Individuals with alcohol supplies had the freedom to sell any amount to anyone, from any type of retail outlet, at any time, within the social norms of age and gender.
However, with the advent of colonial rule in Nigeria, Western concepts were introduced to alcohol sales. The colonial authorities implemented a system of licensing, starting with a basic arrangement that evolved over time into a sophisticated framework aimed at regulating the sale of liquor to the local population. The variety of licenses expanded to accommodate the diverse nature of the liquor trade.
Under the colonial administration’s concern for regulation and order, all aspects of alcohol sales were scrutinized, including selling hours, minimum drinking age, and licensee responsibilities for maintaining order. Penalties were established for non-compliance with the law, and official regulatory bodies, such as Licensing Boards, were established to enforce compliance.
Prohibition would have obviated the need for a licensing system; anything less necessitated licenses. Due to the potential for social unrest associated with drinking, the colonial government devoted considerable effort to developing a system aimed at minimizing this public menace. While most products in Nigeria were unregulated, the government only controlled items deemed unsafe, such as liquor, firearms, and vehicles. The liquor licensing system became the most extensive regulatory framework imposed on any product in the economy, offering insights into how colonial concerns were imposed on the Nigerian populace.
Based on English licensing law, Nigeria’s Liquor Ordinance divided the country into Prohibited, Licensed, and Restricted Areas. However, liquor policy and practice in Northern Nigeria contained internal contradictions, as the region was considered a prohibited zone, yet British civil servants and their Junior Service were permitted to purchase alcohol. Similar inconsistencies arose in Britain’s portrayal of itself as a pioneer in abolishing slavery while actively preserving the institution until the 1930s.
Issues with colonial liquor control policy in Northern Nigeria stemmed from administrative challenges. Dependent on Africans for their Junior Service and lacking qualified local staff until the 1920s, the British recruited individuals from Southern Nigeria, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone, and the West Indies, populations accustomed to consuming strong liquor.
The government introduced a liquor permit system to attract and retain sufficient numbers of qualified staff in the northern regions. Initially, the liquor permits appeared to be easy to manage and straightforward. Heads of Government Departments distributed permits to their “non-native” staff every Saturday, with senior administrators allowed a generous allowance of two bottles per week, equivalent to almost nine cases annually. This generous allocation illustrates the significant role alcohol played in the daily life of the colonial bureaucracy.
However, the permit system soon became susceptible to manipulation and abuse. Some department heads issued permits indiscriminately, with little regard for the actual consumption habits of their subordinates. Records indicate that nearly every eligible person claimed the full quantity of alcohol permitted. There were reports that some individuals had their first drink during their employment with the government. Additionally, obtaining a permit became a status symbol, as even Northern Nigerians who were born and raised in the same town where they obtained their permits could acquire them simply by adopting English attire or language.
Concerns arose regarding the increasing incidence of drunkenness in certain parts of Northern Nigeria. In one town, where unlicensed liquor bars were proliferating, residents referred to them and brothels as “Gidan Governor,” indicating the close association between the vices of alcohol consumption and illicit sexual activities, particularly among the junior administrative class.
A trade emerged involving the sale and exchange of liquor permits to female intermediaries by individuals seeking sexual services or those with surplus alcohol from their quota, or even teetotalers. Some staff members earned as much money from selling permits as they did from their actual salaries. Imported liquor thus infiltrated Northern Nigerian society through various channels.
