Humanities & Social Sciences 8 (2016 9) 1754-1764 ~ ~ ~ УДК 323.22/.28(6Ние) Resilience of Traditional Political Institution in Nigeria during Colonial Rule: Owa of Idanre in Historical Perspective Adebisi David Alade* McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Received 09.05.2016, received in revised form 27.05.2016, accepted 13.06.2016 Before the advent of the Europeans in Africa, societies in Nigeria had evolved various systems of traditional political institution based on the peculiarities of their ethnic nationalities. <...> These institutions had full executive, legislative and judicial powers, exerted sovereign control over their subjects and engaged in the mobilisation of their people for developmental purposes within their areas of jurisdiction. <...> Using historical descriptive methodology, this paper puts into proper historical perspective, the roles of traditional rulers in Nigeria during colonial rule. <...> This paper uses Owa of Idanre as a case study and posits that until 1976, traditional rulers controlled local governments in Nigeria, but reforms have since relegated them to a mostly ceremonial role. <...> This paper make bold to argues that while few of the traditional rulers during this period collaborated with the colonialist to further the economic interest of the Europeans in their various domains, their contributions to the socio-economic development of their various communities however cannot be over-emphasised. <...> As such, this paper submits that the place and roles of traditional rulers be accorded proper recognition and definition respectively in the Nigerian constitution in order to help tackle the various socio-political and economic challenges facing the country. <...> Introduction Before the advent of the Europeans in Africa, societies had evolved various system of political administrations based on the peculiarities of their ethnic nationalities. <...> These institutions had full executive, legislative and judicial powers in their different domains and exerted sovereign control over their people (Onoja, 2007: 227-243). <...> All rights reserved * Corresponding author E-mail address: aladeadebisidavid@yahoo.com – 1754 – Tonwe and Osemwota (2013: 96) opined that it is difficult to provide a universally accepted definition of a traditional institution of authority in Nigeria because of the diversity in the political and administrative components of traditional systems in different parts of the country. <...> Adewumi and Egwurube (1985: 20) notwithstanding contend that traditional institution of authority may be defined as the indigenous polity which existed Adebisi David <...>