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Difficulty: EasyThe Richards Constitution of 1946 and Regionalism

Which major political structural arrangement was first introduced into Nigerian colonial governance by the Richards Constitution of 1946?

  1. A
    A formal federal structure granting autonomous executive powers to regional units
  2. Regionalism through the creation of administrative regions for the North, West, and EastAnswer
  3. C
    The elective principle granting democratic franchise to urban voters in Lagos and Calabar
  4. D
    A fully cabinet-style parliamentary executive headed by an elected Nigerian Prime Minister

Answer

Regionalism through the creation of administrative regions for the North, West, and East
The correct answer highlights that the Richards Constitution of 1946 officially institutionalized regionalism in Nigeria by dividing the country into Northern, Western, and Eastern regions, each provided with a regional house of assembly.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the core objective of the Richards Constitution of 1946
Identified that Governor Sir Arthur Richards designed the constitution to promote unity while giving expression to Nigeria's diverse ethnic composition.
Understanding the administrative intent helps isolate the specific structural change introduced in 1946.
2
Distinguish between administrative regionalism and formal federalism
The 1946 Constitution divided the territory into Northern, Western, and Eastern regions with regional councils, introducing regionalism while maintaining central legislative supremacy.
This sets apart the 1946 Richards Constitution (regionalism under a unitary structure) from the 1954 Lyttelton Constitution (true federalism).

Key Concept

Introduction of Regionalism in Nigeria
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

The Richards Constitution of 1946 and Regionalism

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