DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN NIGERIA
SS 3
GOVERNMENT
FIRST TERM
LESSON NOTE SCHEME OF WORK
WEEKLY LESSON NOTE
WEEK 1
TOPIC: DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN NIGERIA
CONTENT
(i) Nigeria National Democratic Party
(ii) The Nigeria Youth Movement (NYM)
(iii) National Council of Nigeria and Cameroon Citizen (NCNC)
(a) Origin of the political parties
(b) Organizational structures
(c) Sources of finance
(d) Objectives
(e) Performance
SUBTOPIC 1
DEVELOPMENT OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN NIGERIA
(i) NIGERIA NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NNDP)
One of the unique features of political parties in Nigeria is that they originated from cultural and ethnic associations and the successive government in Nigeria adopts multi-party system.
ORIGIN OF NNDP
Nigerian National Democratic Party NNDP was founded by Herbert Macaulay. He was the leader of the party. The party was established on 24th June 1923. The party was regarded as the First political party in Nigeria. The political campaigns and activities were aided by a newspaper called the Lagos Daily Newspaper in 1925. It acted as the organ of the party. The first president of the party was a Gambian born barrister, Egerton Shyngle, T.H. Jackson was it first honorary secretary while J.C Zizer was the first solicitor.
The party was Lagos based it had no branches in either part of the country. It was only national in name.
SOURCES OF FINANCE
The party was financed by the following:
i. Its leaders
ii. Market women
iii. Oba of Lagos.
(b) ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
At its inception, the party’s organizational structure was based on region and administrative division. The NNDP had an Executive Committee which consisted of elected representatives from each region and local government in Lagos State. This structure proved to be unsustainable due to poor coordination between various regions, resulting in ineffective and inefficient policy implementation.
(c) PERFORMANCE
Despite being the first political party in Nigeria, NNDP struggled to gain traction among voters due to its limited regional reach. By the time elections were held in 1945, the party had lost momentum due to internal conflict within its leadership ranks. However, it eventually managed to form a coalition with the NCNC in order to defeat opposition parties during the 1954 elections, resulting in Herbert Macaulay becoming Nigeria’s first elected governor. Despite this initial success, NNDP ultimately failed to establish a strong national presence and dissolved after only five years of existence.
OBJECTIVES OF NNDP
i. To upgrade Lagos to a municipality with its own self-government.
ii. To coordinate the nomination and election of the Lagos members of the legislative council
iii. To co-operate and work together with the national congress for British west Africa (NCBWA).
iv. To work towards securing independence for Nigeria.
v. To strive towards having branches in other parts of Nigeria.
vi. To work towards securing an atmosphere for free and fair elections.
vii. To assist in providing necessary facilities for higher institution of learning Nigeria
PERFORMANCE / ACHIEVEMENT OF NNDP
i. It won the three seats allocated to Lagos in the Legislative council through the elections conducted in 1923, 1928 and 1933.
ii. It actualized the elective principle as the party contested the elections in 1923, 1928 and 1933
iii. It was instrumented to the restoration of the Eleko who had been deposed and deported by the colonial administration.
iv. It motivated the establishment of other political parties’ e.g Lagos youth Movement (LYM) NCNC etc.
v. It won the elective seats into the Lagos town council in 1923 and 1933
vi. It provided an avenue for experimenting representative government.
vii. It boosted the political awareness of the people of Lagos.
EVALUATION
1. Trace the origin of NNDP.
2. Outline the party’s sources of finance.
3. What are the achievements that have been recorded by the party?
4. How has NNDP influenced the development of political parties in Nigeria?
5. Summarize the key lessons that can be learnt from the development of NNDP.
SUBTOPIC 2
THE NIGERIAN YOUTH MOVEMENT (NYM)
NYM was formed by Lagos nationalist led by Ernest Ikoli, H.O Davies, Dr. J.C Vaughan and Samuel Akinsanya in 1934. The party was first called Lagos Youth Movement by 1936 other Nigerian from other parts then changed to Nigerian Youth Movement. The movement acquired national outlook as other prominent Nigerians joined from other part of Nigeria for example Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe. It was the first authentic Nigeria nationalist movement.
OBJECTIVES OF NYM
i. To develop a united nation out of conglomeration of people that inhabited Nigeria.
ii. To pressurized the government to give scholarship to the youths to study abroad.
iii. To strive for the establishment of a new legislative council built on the principle of an unofficial majority.
iv. To demand for equal economic opportunity for Nigerian with those enjoyed by the foreigners.
v. To demand for better pay Africans in the civil service.
vi. To demand for higher executive opportunities for Africans within the civil service.
vii. To see that more use are being made of Africans in the administrative branch of the civil
service.
iix. To work for political emancipation of Nigerians with the aim of achieving complete autonomy within the British Empire.
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF NYM
i. NYM had a congress/convention as part of its organisational structure.
ii. It had a national executive committee headed by a president.
iii. It also had branches established in some urban areas throughout Nigerian and a committee of the twelve to prepare for the 1938 elections
iv. It national headquarters was in Lagos
SOURCES OF FINANCE
The party was financed through:
1. Party levies
2. Donations from members
3. Loans from wealthy individuals and financial institutions.
PERFORMANCE / ACHIEVEMENTS
1. In 1938, NYM won the election into the Lagos town council and all the three elective seat allocated to Lagos in the legislative council thus displacing the NNDP.
2. It gave birth to nationalism in Nigeria. Most of the political leader who fought for Nigeria until independence in 1960 was members of the NYM.
3. NYM set the motion for Nigeria independence in 1960.
4. A powerful newspaper called Daily Service was established. Through this the NYM tried to educate the public on major political issues and its activities.
5. The NYM promoted the Nigerian unity and national consciousness by its nation wide organization and membership.
EVALUATION
1. What is the full meaning of NYM?
2. What are the objectives of NYM?
3. List any five achievements of NYM.
4. What is the significance of NYM in Nigeria’s political history?
5. What lessons can be learnt from the successes and failures of NYM?
SUB TOPIC 3
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NIGERIA AND THE CAMEROON ORIGIN OF NCNC
In 1941, the boarding students of King’s College, Lagos were asked to leave their hostels for soldiers and move to an indecent accommodation in the city they reported to the government but nothing was done. A strike was embarked upon and 75 of the students expelled and eight were conscripted or forced into the military service.
In June 1944, the Nigerian Union of students (NUS) called a mass meeting of the Glover Memeorial Hall, Broadstreet, Lagos to consider the immediate organisation of a nation-wide committee to address the exploitation of and discrimination against Nigerians by the British.
The meeting was presided over by Herbert Macaulay. A new association called National council of Nigeria emerged and Herbert Macaulay was elected as the president while Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe was elected as the general secretary.
Membership was through existing organisations and not individuals. The NNDP by January 1945 and other unions have joined the organisation including three from Cameroon. This led to the change of the name of the organisation to national council of Nigeria and the Cameroon(NCNC). In 1960, when the southern Cameroon seceded from Nigeria to join the other part of Camoeroon.The name also changed to National Convention of Nigeria Citizens (still NCNC).
ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF NCNC
Individuals were allowed to join the party as from 1951. The party was said to be have about 300 branches all over Nigeria with headquarters in Lagos and divisional headquarters and working committee in each region. The party held annual conventions. The party National executive committee was made up of national officers, regional chairman and parliamentary leader.
SOURCES OF FINANCE
i. Overdraft from African continental Bank
ii. Membership subscription
iii. Affiliation fess and dues
iv. Sales of party constitution booklet and other items
v. Levies on the salaries of members of parliament and board members
vi. Donations
LEADERSHIP OF NCNC
After the death of Herbert Macaulay in 1948, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe took over the leadership. He handed over to Dr. Micheal Okpara when he became the Governor General of Nigeria in 1962. Other members of the party were: Okoi Arikpo, Adeniran Ogunsanya, Adegoke Adelabu, Njoku, Dennis Osadebay etc.
OBJECTIVES OF NCNC
i. To achieve self government for Nigeria
ii. To arouse political consciousness of the masses.
iii. To spread political education to the people.
iv. To establish a medium of enforcing social equality, religious tolerance, social and economic security.
v. To organise and collaborate with all its branches throughout Nigeria and the Cameroonians.
PERFORMANCE OF NCNC
i. NCNC introduced a local government that was the modern and representative
ii. It united the Nationalist in their struggle for independence.
iii. It won many seats in the federal House of Representatives, become opposition party in the
west.
iv. It dominated the politics of the eastern region
v. It organ, the West African pilot was used for socio-political information and education of the masses
vi. The first regional university of Nigeria NSUKKA, was established in the Eastern Region when Nnamdi Azikiwe was the premier of the eastern region and the leader of NCNC.
vii. Development of the eastern region under the leadership of Micheal Okpara.
GENERAL EVALUATION
1. In what way did the Nigerian National Democratic party (NNDP) contributed to the political development of Nigeria.
2. Give an account of the development of the following parties. (i) NNDP (ii) NYM (iii)
NCNC
3. Outline the achievements of NYM and NNDP
4. State four sources of finance of NCNC
5. What were the major objectives of NCNC
6. Highlight the achievements of NYM
7. State the sources of finance for NYM and NNDP. ———————–
Task 2: Organize and create an outline for a presentation on the history of political parties in Nigeria.
1. Introduction:
Throughout history, political parties have played an important role in shaping the course of politics and governance in Nigeria.
2. Early Political Parties:
There were a number of early political parties in Nigeria, including the National Democratic Party (NNDP), the Nigeria Youth Movement (NYM), and the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroon Citizen (NCNC).
3. Organizational Structures:
All of these early parties had relatively complex organizational structures, with regional branches and working committees that helped to guide their activities and promote their ideals.
4. Sources of Finance:
Sources of finance for these parties included membership subscriptions, affiliation fees, sales of party literature, and levies on the salaries of members of parliament and board members.
5. Leadership:
Leaders of these early political parties included Nnamdi Azikiwe, Herbert Macaulay, Michael Okpara, and Adeniran Ogunsanya.
6. Objectives:
The primary objectives of these parties were to achieve self-government for Nigeria, to arouse political consciousness among the masses, and to promote social and economic equality in society.
7. Performance:
Despite their many achievements, these early political parties were eventually eclipsed by more modern and secular parties like the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC). Nevertheless, their contributions to Nigerian politics have been highly influential, shaping the trajectory of political developments in the country over time.
WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT (OBJECTIVE TEST)
1. The first political party in Nigeria was (a) NPP (b) NCNC (c) NNDP (d) NYM
2. The president of the national council for Nigeria and the Cameroons was (a) Dr. Micheal Okpara (b) Chief Dennis Odadebay (c) Dr. Ernest Okoli (d) Herbert Macaulay.
3. The first political part in Nigeria was founder by (a)Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe (b) Chief Obafemi Awolowo (c) Chief H.O Davies (d) Herbert Macaulay
4. Which of the following was the organ of NYM (a) daily service (b) Lagos daily news (c) West Africa pilot (d) the comment.
5. Whose resignation led to the disintegration of Nigeria youth movement in 1941 (a) Ernest Ikoli (b) Herbert Macaulay (c) Nnamdi Azikwe (d) H.O Davies.
6. The main objective of the NCNC was (a) social and economic equality (b) Self-government (c) to arouse political consciousness among the masses (d) all of the above.
7. Name one leader in NCNC
(a) Herbert Macaulay
(b) Nnamdi Azikwe
(c) Chief Obafemi Awolowo
(d) None of the above.
8. The Nigerian youth movement was disintegrated in 1941 by (a) Herbert Macaulay (b) H. O Davies (c) By Dr. Ernest Okoli (d) None of the above.
9. The main objective of the NNDP was
(a) to achieve self-government for Nigeria (b) to promote social and economic equality (c) to arouse political consciousness among the masses (d) all of the above.
10. Which of the following movements contributed to political development in Nigeria?
(a) NCNC (b) NYM (c) NNDP (d) All of the above.
11. Modern political parties in Nigeria include
(a) APC and PDP
(b) NCNC and ANPP (c) CPC and APGA (d) All of the above.
12. The main sources of finance for early political parties in Nigeria include
(a) membership subscriptions and affiliation fees (b) levy on salaries of public officials (c) sales of party literature and donations (d) all of the above.
13. The performance of early political parties in Nigeria was largely shaped by their
(a) organizational structures and leadership (b) sources of finance and objectives (c) ability to mobilize grassroots support and public awareness campaigns (d) all of the above.
EVALUATION
1. Mention 5 achievement of Nigerian National Democratic party NNDP
2. Explain the origin of the following political parties NYM, NNDP, NCNC
3. State 3 achievement of NCNC and NYM
4. Outline four objectives each of NNDP, NYM, NCNC
5. State four sources of finance each of NYM, NCNC, NNDP
READING ASSIGMENT
Government for Senior Secondary School Book 3 by Oyeleye, Oyediran et al. Pages 11 – 14
1. The Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) was founded in 1929 with the goal of achieving self-government for Nigeria, advocating political consciousness among the masses, and promoting social and economic equality. It was initially led by Herbert Macaulay, who worked to establish strong organizational structures and leadership within the party, as well as attract grassroots support and raise public awareness about its objectives.
2. The first political party in Nigeria was the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM), founded by Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe in 1938. Like the NNDP, it also sought self-government for Nigeria, as well as to arouse political consciousness among the masses, promote social and economic equality, and develop strong organizational structures.
3. The National Council of Nigeria and Cameroon Citizens (NCNC) was founded in 1944 by Dr. Ernest Okoli, a prominent Nigerian independence leader. Like the NNDP and NYM before it, the NCNC also advocated self-government for Nigeria as well as political awareness among the masses, and had strong organizational structures and leadership.
4. Although the NNDP, NYM, and NCNC were all highly influential political parties in Nigeria, they ultimately failed to achieve their primary objectives due to a number of factors, including weak organizational structures, lack of financial resources, infighting among party leaders, and other challenges. Nevertheless, these parties helped lay the foundation for modern political movements in Nigeria and paved the way for future generations of leaders.
PRE-READING ASSIGNMENT: Read about action Group (AG), Northern people’s Congress (NPC) and Northern Element progressive Union (NEPU)