How did indirect rule work in the British protectorate of The Gambia?

In 1900, Britain imposed a system of indirect rule on the interior of The Gambia, which had been established as a protectorate in 1894. Under this administrative framework, the territory was divided into 35 chiefdoms, with each unit governed by its own chief.1

While this system relied on indigenous rulers for local administration and jurisdiction—a model influenced by the broader policies of British West Africa—the actual concentration of power remained firmly with the British governor and his staff based in Bathurst. This approach was part of a colonial strategy that utilized traditional institutions to maintain control over the protectorate's interior. The system persisted until the rise of nationalist movements led by Western-educated Africans, who were largely excluded from power under indirect rule, eventually culminating in The Gambia's independence in 1965.12