Before independence, the structure of the country (referring to Nigeria) was determined by two distinct periods: the pre-colonial era with diverse indigenous systems, and the colonial era under British indirect rule
Pre-Colonial Structure (before the British)
Before British colonization, the region that would become Nigeria was composed of various independent and diverse political systems, including centralized kingdoms, decentralized communities, and theocratic states.
Northern Nigeria (Hausa-Fulani Emirates): This region was characterized by a highly centralized, theocratic system known as the Sokoto Caliphate, established in the early 19th century. Emirs, the apex leaders, held political, military, and religious authority, governing according to Islamic (Sharia) law with the help of a council of advisers and district heads. This system effectively unified vast territories.
Southwestern Nigeria (Yoruba Kingdoms): The Yoruba people were organized into powerful, centralized city-states and kingdoms, such as the Oyo and Ife empires, led by Obas (kings). These were complex constitutional monarchies where the Oba ruled with a council of chiefs (like the Oyomesi in Oyo) who provided checks and balances on the monarch’s power, and could even remove an unjust ruler.
Southeastern Nigeria (Igbo Communities): The Igbo people largely operated a decentralized, egalitarian system. Power was dispersed among councils of elders, age grades, and influential title holders. Decisions were often made communally through village assemblies, emphasizing inclusivity and shared responsibility rather than a single, all-powerful central authority.
Colonial Structure (under British Rule)
The British gradually took control and, in 1914, amalgamated the Northern and Southern Protectorates into a single entity, the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.
The structure under the British was based on indirect rule, a system where the colonial authorities governed through existing traditional rulers and local institutions to administer the country.
Regional Divisions: The British established a structure that eventually led to a federation of three regions: the Northern, Western, and Eastern regions. Each region had a significant measure of self-government under a federal constitution.
British Authority: Overall power rested with a British-appointed Governor-General (later Governor), who was the ultimate authority during the colonial period.
Imposed Systems: The British essentially imposed a single political framework over the diverse indigenous systems, which often altered or undermined traditional power structures. For instance, indirect rule was more easily applied in the centralized North and West than in the decentralized East, leading to different experiences and consequences across the regions.
At independence in October 1960, Nigeria became a federation of these three regions under a parliamentary system of government, with a Prime Minister as head of government and a ceremonial President.