Nigerian Constitutional Development Quiz

Nigerian Peoples and Global Culture GES 122

• Course focuses on Nigerian peoples and global culture.

The Concept of Culture

• Culture, according to E.B. Tylor, is a complex whole encompassing knowledge, beliefs, art, law, morals, customs, and capabilities/habits acquired by a person as a member of society.
• Culture is the way of life of a group of people, including ideas, habits and transmitted across generations (Ralph Linton).
• It defines behaviour and thinking patterns within a social group.
• It differentiates one group from another and distinguishes humans from animals due to human capacity for transmitting behaviors from generation to generation.

Concept of Culture Continued

• Culture encompasses diverse elements: beliefs, behaviour rules, language, rituals, arts, technology, dress styles, food preparation methods, religion, politics, and economic systems.
• Culture defines a society's identity (e.g., Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa).

Characteristics of Culture

• Culture is learned, not inherited, through socialization; examples include learning language, societal rules, and skills.
• Culture is shared by members of a society, influencing common behaviour patterns (food, dress, celebrations).
• Culture is idealistic.
• Culture is adaptive, varying across societies.
• Culture is dynamic and changes over time.
• Culture is independent.

Types of Culture

• Material Culture: tangible objects created by humans (arts, clothing, tools, houses) representing civilization.
• Non-Material Culture: intangible aspects (ideas, values, morals, attitudes) that shape a way of life.

Components of Culture

• Ideas: encompass values, myths, superstitions, and beliefs of a particular society.
• Norms: according to Donald Light Jr & S. Keller, are rules that guide everyday behavior, stemming from values.
• Norms define standards of behavior widely expected and accepted within a society (e.g., respect for elders, paying taxes).
• Norms represent the formal rules and regulations of a society.

Folkways

• Folkways are customary behaviours, typical beliefs, attitudes, and ways of conduct within a community.
• They are expected but not strictly enforced; violations don't usually merit serious consequences.
• E.g., greetings, hygiene practices.

Mores

• Mores are social norms that set moral standards for a society.
• They are taken seriously and violations are met with significant punishment.
• Define moral or immoral behavior (e.g., prohibitions against murder, theft, assault).

Beliefs

• Belief is a conviction that something is true, influencing human actions and social relations (e.g., belief in unseen powers, reincarnation, heaven/hell).
• These beliefs help shape behavior and social control.

Customs

• Customs are long-established habits that regulate social life, passed down through generations.
• Generally accepted ways of acting within a society.

Laws

• Law, according to Roscoe Pound, is a recognized standard of values established by politically organized society and supported by the power of the state.
• Laws help eliminate harmful actions, ensure individuals respect each other's rights, protect individuals and society, and promote social welfare.

Values

• Values are beliefs that something is desirable, defining what's important and worth striving for in a specific society.
• Reflect desirable practices for ordered social life, guiding behavior.
• Vary across societies (e.g., respect for elders, democracy, fundamental human rights).
• Contribute to stability and uniformity in interactions within social groups.

Superstitions and Taboos

• Superstitions are widely held, but irrational beliefs related to supernatural influences.
• Taboos are social or religious prohibitions against certain practices or associations (e.g., incest).

Origin and Socio-Political Organisation of the Kanuri

• Kanem-Bornu was one of the earliest kingdoms in the Nigerian region (10th century).
• Its founding is attributed to Saif, and the dynasty is known as Saifawa.
• Kanem-Bornu was a centralized state ruled by a Mai and was the first to record Islamic presence in Nigeria.
• It reached its peak under Mai Idris Aloma in the 16th century.
• European imperialism eventually led to its decline.

Origin and Socio-Political Organisation of the Hausa

• The Hausa states were founded by the descendants of the legendary warrior Bayajida, who travelled to Kanem-Bornu and then Daura in Hausa land.
• The union of the queen of Daura with Bayajida produced six sons, who established the original Hausa states (Daura, Katsina, Kano, Rano, Zazzau, Gobir).
• Subsequently, a seventh state of Biram was formed.
• This group of seven Hausa states became known as the Hausa Bakwai.

Origin and Socio-Political Organisation of the Fulani

• Fulani are a transnational group primarily residing in the northern regions of Nigeria.
• Their origins lie in the Senegal River valley, resulting from a hybridization of indigenous Negroid and Berber immigrants, starting in the 12th century.
• The Fulani are divided into two groups - sedentary scholars and nomadic pastoralists (cattle herders).

Traditional-Political Hierarchy in Northern Nigeria

• Traditional leadership structure: Emir, Council Members, District Head, Village Head, Ward Head, family household, settlement, communities and city.
• Caliphate system—governmental structure that governs the rural-urban (common people - rulers) relationship.

Marriage in Hausa Culture

• Marriage is a socio-cultural and religious obligation in Hausa society.
• Two marriage types exist: Auren Budurwa (virgin-girl marriages) and Auren Bazawara (marriages after the first marriage).
• The father has the right to choose a partner for his daughters without their consent, and the bride price is significant.

Marriage Types

• Traditional/Betrothal Marriage, Modern Marriage (Fathia), Household Pattern, Descent-Patrilineal, Authority-Patriarchy.

Marriage in Fulani Culture

• Fulani marriages are endogamous, primarily between cousins, believed to strengthen social cohesion.
• Child marriage, agreement between adults, and elopement are common marriage styles.

Origin and Socio-Political Organization of the Yoruba

• Yoruba history has two versions—Autochthonous and Migratory.
• Autochthonous: Yoruba originated from Ile-Ife from the God's messengers (Obatala, others). Oduduwa, the leader, set down the five pieces of iron on the earth and it resulted in the formation of other settlements.
• Migratory: Yoruba originated in Mecca in the Middle East and led by the ancestors of Oduduwa, travelling to modern-day Nigeria.

Origin and Socio-Political Organization of the Edo

• Edo were ruled by Ogizo and a council of chiefs called Uzama before the rise of Oranmiyan (Oduduwa's son), who formed the basis of Benin kingdom.
• Considering that Benin people were hard to govern, Oranmiyan married a daughter from a Benin chief. The marriage produced a son named Eweka, founding the present line of Benin kings.

Origin and Socio-Political Organization of the Igbo

• Igbo are a non-centralised people, owing to their kinship-based societies.
• Led by the council of elders known as Ohane-eze (Ofo title holders).
• Arochukwu oracle functions as a major court.

Marriage in Igbo Culture

• Igbo marriage focuses on unions between families, not just individuals.
• Four stages are involved: Consent request, appointment of a middleman, bride's character evaluation, bride price and ceremony.
• Traditional, modern, women's marriages, and photograph marriage are types of Igbo marriage.

Colonialism and Local Responses

• Colonialism is the domination and effective occupation of one country by another.
• Nigeria's colonialism, led by Britain, occurred through explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomatic military invasions.
• Local resistance to colonial rule occurred through varied forms of opposition (passive, active, collaborative).

Colonial System of Administration in Nigeria

• British indirect rule in Nigeria involved using existing traditional rulers to govern.
• Key political instruments were local leaders.
• Colonial administration was characterized by suppressing local press, excluding educated elites from politics, and marginalization of Nigerians in federal legislature and executive councils.

Constitutional Development in Nigeria

• Lagos separated from the Gold Coast in 1886 and merged with the Southern Nigeria Protectorate in 1906, then amalgamate to form a single entity in 1914.
• Constitutions in the colonial era, such as the Clifford's constitution of 1922 (incorporating the elective principle) and the Richards constitution of 1944 (enhancing Nigerian participation).
• The 1960 constitution, based on 1954 and amended 1957-58 conferences, was the base for Nigeria's independence.

Home-Made 1963 Republican Constitution

• The 1963 Constitution was home-made, free from dictating decree by an alien monarch; a consensus document.
• Key was promoting Nigerian unity and international understanding.

Nationalism and Independence

• Nigerian nationalism was a reaction against foreign rule, with various phases of resistance, including traditional rulers, educated elites, and popular movements.
• Nationalist movements aimed at creating a sovereign Nigerian state.
• Notable movements and leaders fought against various oppressive practices.

Means Adopted in Achieving Independence

• Nationalist leaders used dialogue and propaganda to achieve independence through conferences with colonial masters discussing the issues of self-rule.

Civil and Military Rule in Nigeria

• The 1954 Lyttleton constitution granted regional self-government to Western and Eastern regions deferring the North till March 1959.
• Regional self-governance took place, in line with the British administration's regional power structure.

The Development of Nationalism in Nigeria

• Defects in indirect rule (the imposition of traditional rulers and warrant chiefs).
• Western education sparked political consciousness, influencing Nigerians' constitutional struggles.
• Formation of political parties drove nationalist struggles.
• Economic depression and the Second World War promoted nationalist sentiment against British colonialism.

Economic Development in Nigeria

• Pre-colonial economy was mainly agricultural (shifting cultivation, crop rotation) and non-agricultural (hunting, processing, textile production).
• Colonial period saw the rise of cash crops and the emergence of marketing boards, which impacted the agricultural sector's contribution to the GDP.
• The state regulated and promoted the agricultural sector using policies for ensuring adequate food supply, production growth, and the creation of employment.
• The fall of crude oil prices in the 1970s led to economic problems, and structural adjustment programs were introduced starting in 1986.

Test your knowledge on the key features and criticisms of Nigeria's constitutions from 1951 to 1963. This quiz covers important aspects like the Macpherson Constitution, Lyttleton's Constitution, and the Republican Constitution, as well as cultural definitions and characteristics. Enhance your understanding of Nigeria's political history and cultural concepts.