The Need for National Political Reform Conference (3), by Afe Babalola

Indeed it is an irony that arsenic a young school teacher, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (who was to aboriginal look arsenic the First Executive President successful the America-styled medication of the defunct Second Republic) has successful 1948 written powerfully against the amalgamation. The Northern absorption to the amalgamation process was to beryllium re-enacted successful 1953 debates starring to the telephone for the independency of the country, erstwhile Sir Ahmadu Bello was quoted arsenic saying that the “amalgamation process” was a “mistake of 1914”.

In his publication connected “Nigeria” the German writer Walter Schwarz had quoted Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, arsenic saying: “I would alternatively beryllium called Sultan of Sokoto than President of Nigeria”. The supra underscores the presumption astir the religion successful the geographic look called Nigeria, antecedently held by the Northern governmental elites.

Nationalist Movements

The archetypal large constitution for the state since the fusion of medication (amalgamation successful 1914) was the Sir Hugh Clifford’s Constitution of 1922. Though the Constitution was handed down successful veiled absorption to a dependable increasing feeling of nationalist movement, its proviso failed to wholly code the crux of the expectations of the Nigeria elites. The divergence of opinions arsenic betwixt the colonialists and nationalists whitethorn beryllium understandably traceable to a situation of loyalty and allegiance. The British had for respective years, aft the purported amalgamation, failed and oregon neglected to construe the afloat substance of the ineligible conception of amalgamation into a governmental reality.

As overmuch arsenic imaginable Nigeria had remained a national lone for economical reasons and until aft the First World War the Northern and Southern sections were being administered arsenic 2 chiseled countries, the South enjoying each the trappings of a mean colony/possession protectorate having Executive and Legislative councils, whilst the Northern portion of the state was being ruled by the Governor’s proclamation. In presumption of this, therefore, it was hard for a communal outlook amongst the British officials successful the North and successful the South connected the 1 manus and their wards successful the others.

When, however, pursuing the promulgation of the Constitution of Sir Arthur Richards and the part of the state for administrative purposes successful 1939, into the Eastern, Northern and Western radical of provinces, the assemblage medication reacted to the governmental world successful Nigeria.

Ever since this administrative division, determination parties had grown from proceedings organisations. Invariably the largest fig of these parties rank were drawn from the regions of the enactment leaders. The Nigerian Youth Movement formed successful 1934 by Dr. J. C. Vaughan, Ernest Ikoli and Samuel Akinsanya soon disintegrated due to the fact that of proceedings jealousies and machinations of rival supporters of Samuel Akinsanya and Ernest Ikoli who fought implicit Dr. Kofoworola Abayomi. It was this unhealthy authorities of affairs which watered the ungraded of decampings and caller entrants into governmental conflict that greeted the enactment connected August 24, 1944 of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, NCNC.

Suffice it to taxable that the emergence of NCNC marked the opening of Nigeria’s tortuous travel into nationhood. As events were changing successful England politically, the effect of the Second World War which was going connected tin besides not beryllium implicit emphasized successful considering factors which convinced the British successful believing that determination indispensable beryllium a gradual process towards a progressive disengagement from her colonies. With the volition of forestalling nationalist demands,  the British unfolded their plans for law reforms successful Nigeria.

Preparation for Independence

The Richard Constitution, therefore, tried to code immoderate of the demands of the nationalists by enlarging rank of the legislative assembly to 43. For the archetypal clip besides the jurisdiction was countrywide dissimilar what happened earlier wherein the Northern portion was being administered separately. The Constitution besides contained the proviso which related to predetermination of 4 members, 3 representing Lagos and one, Calabar. Regional legislatures were established successful Enugu, Ibadan and Kaduna with an Upper House of Chiefs successful the North wherever the Emirs person been truthful important and indispensable for the purposes of the Colonial administration.

The powers of these Regional legislatures were intelligibly defined. They included chiefly a considera...