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Difficulty: EasyThe Lyttelton Constitution of 1954 and Nigerian Federalism

Match each legislative list introduced under the 1954 Lyttelton Constitution on the left with its corresponding constitutional jurisdiction on the right.

  • Exclusive Legislative ListMatters under the sole law-making authority of the Federal/Central Legislature, such as defense and currency.
  • Concurrent Legislative ListMatters shared by both Federal and Regional Legislatures, such as higher education and industrial development.
  • Residual Legislative ListMatters reserved exclusively for Regional Legislatures, such as primary education and local governance.

Answer

Exclusive Legislative List matches with matters under sole federal authority; Concurrent Legislative List matches with matters shared by federal and regional legislatures; Residual Legislative List matches with matters reserved exclusively for regional legislatures.
The 1954 Lyttelton Constitution formally established federalism in Nigeria by dividing legislative authority into three distinct lists: the Exclusive List (federal legislature only), the Concurrent List (shared jurisdiction), and the Residual List (regional legislatures only).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the scope of the Exclusive Legislative List.
Exclusive powers (e.g., defense, aviation, currency) were assigned solely to the central federal government.
National security and monetary policy required unified central authority.
2
Identify the scope of the Concurrent Legislative List.
Concurrent powers were shared between both tiers of government.
Areas like higher education and statistics required joint responsibility, though federal law took precedence if laws conflicted.
3
Identify the scope of the Residual Legislative List.
Unlisted subjects were assigned exclusively to regional assemblies.
Granting residual powers to regions was a defining feature of the federal structure established in 1954.

Key Concept

Division of Legislative Powers under the 1954 Lyttelton Constitution
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Topics

The Lyttelton Constitution of 1954 and Nigerian Federalism