Simone Lawson
Nigeria's first constitution as a sovereign state was enacted on 1 October 1960, the same day the country gained its independence from the United Kingdom. This constitution retained Queen Elizabeth II as titular head of state, with Nnamdi Azikiwe representing her as Governor-General. The country's second constitution, enacted in 1963, abolished the monarchy and established the First Nigerian Republic. Since then, Nigeria has undergone several attempts to form an effective constitution, including the 1979 constitution which established the Second Nigerian Republic, and the 1993 constitution which was supposed to return democratic rule to the country but was never fully implemented.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sectionalism | The constitution was meant for the Southern protectorate alone |
| Partial representation | The elective principle only worked for the legislative council |
| Imposition | The people claimed the constitution was imposed on them |
| Veto powers | The Governor-General had veto powers on issues discussed in the legislative and executive council |
| Partial Elective principle | Only Nigerians with resident qualification and a gross income of £100 per annum could vote |
| Introduction of the first elective principle | Africans were elected into the legislative council for the first time |
| Establishment of political parties | Herbert Macaulay founded the first political party in Nigeria, the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) |
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What You'll Learn
- The Lyttleton Constitution, named after Oliver Lyttleton, was enacted in 1954 and paved the way for Nigeria's independence from Great Britain
- The Richards Constitution of 1946
- The Macpherson Constitution of 1951
- The Clifford Constitution of 1922
- The 1979 Constitution established the Second Nigerian Republic
The Lyttleton Constitution, named after Oliver Lyttleton, was enacted in 1954 and paved the way for Nigeria's independence from Great Britain
The Lyttleton Constitution, named after Oliver Lyttleton, was enacted in 1954 and firmly established the federal principle. This paved the way for Nigeria's independence from Great Britain. The Lyttleton Constitution was the next revision of the constitution after the Richards Constitution of 1946, the Macpherson Constitution of 1951, and the Clifford Constitution of 1922. The Lyttleton Constitution promoted regional sentiments among Nigerians and established the federal principle. This was an important step towards independence, as it allowed the country to attain self-rule in some quarters in 1957 and total independence on 1 October 1960.
Upon independence, Nigeria retained Queen Elizabeth II as its titular head of state, with Nnamdi Azikiwe representing the queen as Governor-General. The First Nigerian Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966, governed by the first republican constitution. The country's government was based on a federal form of the Westminster system. The period between 1 October 1960, when the country gained its independence, and 15 January 1966, when the first military coup d’état took place, is generally referred to as the First Republic. The First Republic of Nigeria was ruled by different leaders representing their regions as premiers in a federation during this period.
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The Richards Constitution of 1946
Nigeria's first constitution was enacted during the colonial era when the country was administered as a Crown Colony. The Richards Constitution of 1946 was the second of four constitutions enacted during this period, following the Clifford Constitution of 1922 and preceding the Macpherson Constitution of 1951 and the Lyttleton Constitution of 1954.
The Richards Constitution was approved by Westminster in 1946. It was named after Arthur Richards, who was Governor-General of Nigeria from 1943 to 1948. The Richards Constitution was a significant step towards Nigerian independence, promoting regional sentiments among Nigerians. It established a federal form of the Westminster system, which would later be adopted by the First Nigerian Republic in 1963.
The First Nigerian Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966. It was governed by the first republican constitution, which came into force upon the country's independence on 1 October 1960. Under this constitution, Nigeria retained Queen Elizabeth II as titular head of state, with Nnamdi Azikiwe representing her as Governor-General. The First Republic of Nigeria was ruled by different leaders representing their regions as premiers in a federation during this period.
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The Macpherson Constitution of 1951
Nigeria's first constitution was the Macpherson Constitution of 1951. This was followed by the Richards Constitution of 1946, the Lyttleton Constitution of 1954, and the First Nigerian Republic in 1963. The Macpherson Constitution was enacted during the colonial era when the country was administered as a Crown Colony.
The Macpherson Constitution was named after its author, John Macpherson, who was the British colonial secretary at the time. It was the first constitution to provide for a federal system of government in Nigeria, with a central government and regional governments. The constitution established a House of Representatives and a Senate, with the Senate having equal representation from the three regions of Nigeria: the North, the West, and the East.
The Macpherson Constitution also provided for a Governor-General, who was the representative of the British monarch in Nigeria. The Governor-General had extensive powers, including the power to appoint and dismiss ministers, and to veto legislation. The constitution also established a Federal Supreme Court, which had jurisdiction over disputes between the central government and the regional governments.
One of the most significant features of the Macpherson Constitution was its provision for a regional system of government. This system recognised the diversity of Nigeria and allowed for a degree of autonomy for the different regions. Each region had its own legislature and executive, with the Governor-General appointing a premier for each region.
The Macpherson Constitution was a significant step towards self-rule for Nigeria, but it was not without its flaws. It was criticised for concentrating too much power in the hands of the Governor-General and for not providing for a fully democratic system of government. Nonetheless, it laid the foundation for future constitutional developments in Nigeria, including the eventual independence of the country in 1960.
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The Clifford Constitution of 1922
Nigeria's first constitution was the Clifford Constitution of 1922. This was enacted during the colonial era when the country was administered as a Crown Colony. The Clifford Constitution was followed by the Richards Constitution of 1946, the Macpherson Constitution of 1951, and the Lyttleton Constitution of 1954. The Lyttleton Constitution firmly established the federal principle and paved the way for Nigeria's independence from Great Britain.
The country gained its independence on 1 October 1960, retaining the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, as titular head of state. Nnamdi Azikiwe represented the queen as Governor-General. The first republican constitution was adopted in 1963, establishing the First Nigerian Republic and abolishing the monarchy. The First Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966, governed by the first republican constitution. The country's government was based on a federal form of the Westminster system. The period between 1 October 1960, when the country gained its independence, and 15 January 1966, when the first military coup d’état took place, is also generally referred to as the First Republic.
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The 1979 Constitution established the Second Nigerian Republic
Nigeria's first constitution was enacted in 1960, when the country gained independence from the United Kingdom. This constitution retained Queen Elizabeth II as titular head of state, with Nnamdi Azikiwe representing the queen as Governor-General. The country's second constitution, enacted in 1963, abolished the monarchy and established the First Nigerian Republic. This lasted until 1966, when the first military coup d'état took place.
The 1979 Constitution was an attempt to avoid the pitfalls of the First Nigerian Republic. The First Republic was a period of instability, with different leaders representing their regions as premiers in a federation. The First Republic ended with the first military coup d'état in 1966.
The 1979 Constitution was also a response to the diverse and divided nature of Nigerian society. Nigeria has over 374 multilingual groups with different cultures and traditions, which has contributed to political corruption and instability. The 1979 Constitution sought to address these issues by establishing a more centralised and federal system of government.
The 1979 Constitution was followed by the 1993 constitution, which established the Third Nigerian Republic. This constitution was intended to return democratic rule to Nigeria, but it was never fully implemented due to continued military control of the country.
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Frequently asked questions
Nigeria's first constitution was the Clifford Constitution of 1922.
The Clifford Constitution came into force in 1922, during the colonial era when Nigeria was administered as a Crown Colony.
The second constitution of Nigeria was the Richards Constitution of 1946.
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