**Question 1**
Discuss any FIVE measures that promote human rights. [15 marks]
**Question 2**
Explain any FIVE of the following sub-fields of government and politics: [15 marks]
- (a) Political Theory
- (b) Political Economy
- (c) International Relations
- (d) Comparative Politics
- (e) Security Studies
- (f) Development Studies
- (g) Peace and Conflict Studies
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### GOV 002: IDEOLOGIES AND PROCESSES OF GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
**Question 3**
(a) What is an Electoral System? [3 Marks]
(b) Explain any FOUR types of Electoral System. [12 Marks]
**Question 4**
Discuss any FIVE factors responsible for military intervention in Nigerian politics. [15 marks]
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### GOV 003: NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
**Question 5**
Describe any FIVE features of the 1954 Lyttleton Constitution in Nigeria. [15 marks]
**Question 6**
(a) What is Pre-colonial Administration? [3 Marks]
(b) Discuss any THREE features of the Igbo pre-colonial system of administration. [12 Marks]
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### GOV 004: AFRICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
**Question 7**
(a) What is Nationalism? [3 Marks]
(b) Explain any FOUR factors responsible for the emergence and development of Nationalist Movements in West Africa. [12 Marks]
**Question 8**
(a) Define the concept of colonialism. [3 Marks]
(b) Describe any FOUR factors that necessitated the colonisation of Africa. [12 Marks]
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## CORRECT ANSWERS
### GOV 001
**Answer 1 — Five Measures That Promote Human Rights**
1. **Constitutional Guarantees:** Fundamental rights and freedoms entrenched in a national constitution legally bind governments to respect and protect those rights. Nigeria's 1999 Constitution (Chapter IV) is a prime example.
2. **Rule of Law:** When laws apply equally to all citizens — including government officials — arbitrary detention, discrimination, and abuse of power are checked. No one is above the law.
3. **Independent Judiciary:** An impartial court system allows individuals to challenge rights violations and obtain remedies. Judicial independence shields courts from executive interference.
4. **Human Rights Education:** When citizens are educated about their rights, they are better positioned to recognize violations, seek redress, and hold institutions accountable. This also builds a rights-respecting culture.
5. **Civil Society and NGOs:** Organizations like Amnesty International, SERAP (in Nigeria), and other advocacy groups monitor government conduct, publish reports on abuses, and pressure authorities to comply with human rights standards.
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**Answer 2 — Sub-fields of Government and Politics**
**(a) Political Theory:**
The systematic study of political ideas, concepts, and ideologies — such as justice, liberty, equality, sovereignty, and democracy. It examines the philosophical foundations of political life through thinkers like Plato, Hobbes, Locke, and Rawls.
**(b) Political Economy:**
Explores the relationship between political institutions and economic systems. It analyzes how governments shape economic policy, how wealth is distributed, and how economic forces influence political decisions — including taxation, trade, and development.
**(c) International Relations:**
Studies interactions among sovereign states and other global actors such as the UN, multinational corporations, and NGOs. Key topics include diplomacy, foreign policy, international law, war, and global governance.
**(d) Comparative Politics:**
Involves the systematic comparison of political systems, institutions, behaviors, and processes across countries. The goal is to identify similarities, differences, and patterns — for example, comparing presidential and parliamentary systems.
**(e) Security Studies:**
Examines threats to state and human security, including terrorism, insurgency, nuclear proliferation, cybersecurity, and military strategy. It has expanded beyond the state to include human security concerns like hunger and displacement.
**(f) Development Studies:**
Investigates the political, economic, and social conditions that determine why some nations develop while others remain underdeveloped. It covers issues like poverty, governance, aid, and structural inequality — particularly in the Global South.
**(g) Peace and Conflict Studies:**
Analyzes the root causes of violent conflict and explores frameworks for conflict prevention, resolution, and post-conflict peacebuilding. It draws from political science, sociology, psychology, and international law.
---
### GOV 002
**Answer 3**
**(a) Electoral System:**
An electoral system is a set of established rules, procedures, and methods by which votes cast during an election are translated into seats in a legislature or positions of political authority.
**(b) Four Types of Electoral System:**
1. **First-Past-The-Post (FPTP):** The candidate who secures the highest number of votes wins, regardless of whether they obtain an absolute majority. It is simple and decisive but can produce unrepresentative outcomes. Used in Nigeria's National Assembly elections and the United Kingdom.
2. **Proportional Representation (PR):** Legislative seats are distributed among parties in proportion to their share of the total votes cast. It promotes inclusivity and gives smaller parties a voice. Used in South Africa and many European countries.
3. **Two-Round System (TRS):** If no candidate secures an outright majority (50% + 1) in the first round, a runoff election is held between the top two candidates. Used in French presidential elections and Nigeria's presidential election under INEC guidelines.
4. **Mixed Electoral System:** Combines elements of both FPTP and PR. Some seats are contested in single-member constituencies (FPTP) while others are filled through proportional party lists. Used in Germany and Japan.
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**Answer 4 — Five Factors Responsible for Military Intervention in Nigerian Politics**
1. **Political Instability:** Weak democratic foundations, electoral violence, and frequent crises in civilian governance created a perceived vacuum that the military claimed to fill — as seen in the coups of 1966 and 1983.
2. **Widespread Corruption:** Gross mismanagement of public funds and abuse of office by civilian leaders eroded public confidence, giving the military a justification — however self-serving — to seize power.
3. **Ethnic and Regional Tensions:** Nigeria's deep-seated ethno-regional rivalries led to political gridlock and accusations of marginalization. The military often exploited these divisions or used them as grounds for intervention.
4. **Economic Mismanagement:** Deteriorating living standards, inflation, and poor economic planning under civilian governments fueled public discontent and created conditions the military used to legitimize takeovers.
5. **Weak Democratic Institutions:** The absence of strong, independent institutions — such as a credible judiciary, free press, and effective legislature — made civilian governments vulnerable and reduced resistance to military takeover.
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### GOV 003
**Answer 5 — Five Features of the 1954 Lyttleton Constitution**
1. **True Federal Structure:** The Lyttleton Constitution formally established federalism in Nigeria by clearly dividing legislative and executive powers between the central (federal) government and the three regions — North, East, and West.
2. **Regional Autonomy:** Each of the three regions was granted its own Governor, Premier, Executive Council, and House of Assembly, giving them substantial self-governing powers.
3. **Bicameral Legislature at the Centre:** The constitution created a federal House of Representatives. The regions also had their own legislative houses, reinforcing the multi-level structure of government.
4. **Separation of Lagos:** Lagos was removed from the Western Region and designated a Federal Territory, administered separately. Southern Cameroons was also granted quasi-federal status with limited autonomy.
5. **Council of Ministers:** A Council of Ministers was established at the federal level, with ministers responsible for specific government departments and required to advise the Governor-General. This moved Nigeria closer to full cabinet government.
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**Answer 6**
**(a) Pre-colonial Administration:**
Pre-colonial administration refers to the indigenous systems of governance, political organization, and social order that existed in African communities before the imposition of European colonial rule.
**(b) Three Features of the Igbo Pre-colonial System of Administration:**
1. **Acephalous (Stateless) Structure:** Unlike the Yoruba or Hausa-Fulani systems, the Igbo had no single centralized ruler. Governance was decentralized, operating through village and kindred groups with shared decision-making authority.
2. **Democratic Village Assemblies:** Political decisions were made at town meetings (*Oha na Eze*) open to adult male members of the community. This was a form of direct democracy rooted in consensus-building and communal participation.
3. **Age Grades and Title Societies:** Institutions like age grades (*Otu Ogbo*) and title societies (e.g., *Ozo* title holders) performed executive, judicial, and security functions, maintaining social order and enforcing community norms without formal state structures.
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### GOV 004
**Answer 7**
**(a) Nationalism:**
Nationalism is a political ideology and social movement that emphasizes the identity, interests, and sovereignty of a particular nation or people, often expressed through the pursuit of self-determination, independence from foreign rule, or cultural revival.
**(b) Four Factors Responsible for Nationalist Movements in West Africa:**
1. **Colonial Exploitation and Oppression:** Forced labor, land alienation, heavy taxation, and racial discrimination generated widespread resentment against colonial rule, motivating Africans to organize resistance movements.
2. **Western Education:** Colonial education produced an African elite — lawyers, teachers, journalists, and politicians — who absorbed Enlightenment ideas of freedom and equality, then turned those ideas against the colonizers. Figures like Nnamdi Azikiwe and Kwame Nkrumah exemplified this.
3. **Impact of the World Wars:** West African soldiers who fought in both World Wars returned with firsthand exposure to ideas of democracy and self-determination, while also questioning why they should fight for the freedoms of others when their own were denied at home.
4. **Role of the Press and Media:** Nationalist newspapers such as the *West African Pilot* (Nigeria) and pamphlets disseminated anti-colonial ideas, unified public opinion, and helped coordinate mass political consciousness across regions.
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**Answer 8**
**(a) Colonialism:**
Colonialism is the policy, practice, and system by which a powerful state extends its authority over a foreign territory — occupying, governing, and economically exploiting it while suppressing the political and cultural autonomy of the indigenous population.
**(b) Four Factors That Necessitated the Colonisation of Africa:**
1. **Economic Interests:** Europe's Industrial Revolution created a massive demand for raw materials (cotton, rubber, palm oil, minerals) and new markets for manufactured goods. Africa offered both in abundance.
2. **Inter-European Rivalry:** Competition among Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, and Portugal for global dominance drove the scramble for African territories, formalized at the Berlin Conference of 1884–85.
3. **The "Civilizing Mission" (Social Darwinism):** European powers justified colonization through a racist ideology claiming Africans were primitive and needed European Christianity, education, and governance to "advance." This pseudo-moral argument masked economic motives.
4. **Technological and Military Superiority:** European powers possessed advanced weapons (rifles, Maxim guns, artillery) and medicine (quinine against malaria) that gave them an overwhelming military advantage over African societies, making conquest feasible.