▁rule ▁was ▁by ▁no ▁means ▁a ▁new ▁idea ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁for ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁use ▁in ▁r uling ▁emp ires ▁throughout ▁history . ▁For ▁instance , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁India ▁and ▁U g anda , ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁pract iced ▁in ▁the ▁Song hai ▁and ▁Ash anti ▁emp ires . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁lands ▁of ▁the ▁S ok oto ▁C ali ph ate , ▁conquer ed ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁at ▁the ▁turn ▁of ▁the ▁century , ▁L ug ard ▁instit uted ▁a ▁system ▁where by ▁external , ▁military , ▁and ▁tax ▁control ▁was ▁operated ▁by ▁the ▁British , ▁while ▁most ▁every ▁other ▁aspect ▁of ▁life ▁was ▁left ▁to ▁local ▁pre - B rit ish ▁arist oc ra cies ▁who ▁may ▁have ▁s ided ▁with ▁the ▁British ▁during ▁or ▁after ▁their ▁con quest . ▁ ▁The ▁theory ▁behind ▁this ▁solution ▁to ▁a ▁very ▁practical ▁problem ▁( a ▁problem ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁' The ▁Native ▁Problem ' ▁by ▁Mah m ood ▁M amd ani ▁in ▁his ▁work ▁Cit izen ▁and ▁Sub ject ) ▁of ▁dom ination ▁by ▁a ▁tiny ▁group ▁of ▁foreign ers ▁of ▁huge ▁populations ▁is ▁laid ▁out ▁in ▁L ug ard ' s ▁influ ential ▁work , ▁The ▁D ual ▁Mand ate ▁in ▁British ▁Trop ical ▁Africa . ▁L ug ard ▁copied ▁the ▁numerous ▁emp ires ▁before ▁his ▁time ▁who ▁had ▁created ▁and ▁developed ▁the ▁indirect ▁rule ▁system . ▁he ▁is ▁only ▁noted ▁for ▁the ▁r uling ▁system ▁because ▁he ▁first ▁published ▁a ▁book ▁about ▁this ▁system ▁of ▁administration