The system of government practiced in Igbo land that made indirect rule unsuccessful was a decentralized political system or stateless society. This system was characterized by: Lack of a centralized authority or paramount ruler. Decision-making through councils of elders, age grades, and village assemblies. Emphasis on consensus and direct participation rather than rule by a single chief or emir. The British indirect rule, which relied on identifying and empowering traditional rulers, struggled to find such figures in Igbo land, leading to the creation of "warrant chiefs" who often lacked legitimate authority among the people.