Nigeria journey into nationhood reached a defining moment in October 1960. After decades of constitutional evolution and political negotiation, the country formally became an independent state with full authority over its internal governance. The ceremonies that marked this transition were rich in symbolism and historical importance. They began on 1 October when the Union Jack was lowered at Lagos and the green white green flag of the new nation was raised before thousands of citizens. At this pivotal ceremony Princess Alexandra of Kent, representing Queen Elizabeth the Second, presented the Instrument of Independence to Nigerian leaders. This act confirmed Nigeria as a sovereign state within the Commonwealth under the provisions of the Nigeria Independence Act and the Nigeria Constitution Order in Council.
Independence did not end with the ceremonial handover of authority. The new constitutional framework required the activation of the federal Parliament. That historic opening took place two days later when Princess Alexandra returned to the parliamentary chambers to inaugurate the first legislative session of the independent nation. This occasion marked the full commencement of parliamentary governance under Nigerian leadership.
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The Framework of Nigeria’s Independence Constitution
The 1960 Independence Constitution provided Nigeria with a parliamentary system modeled on the Westminster tradition. Under this structure the country operated a federal arrangement made up of three regions and a bicameral federal Parliament. Legislative authority was divided between the Senate and the House of Representatives. Executive power rested with the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Judicial authority was vested in the Federal Supreme Court.
Queen Elizabeth the Second remained Nigeria’s ceremonial Head of State and was represented at the national level by a Governor General. At independence this position was assigned to Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe who assumed office immediately after the formal transfer of sovereignty. Although Nigeria remained a Commonwealth realm until 1963 the new constitutional order placed political decision making firmly under Nigerian control. The Parliament was empowered to enact laws. The Cabinet was responsible to the House of Representatives and the electorate. The judiciary gained authority within a fully sovereign framework.
The Role of Princess Alexandra in Nigeria Transition
Princess Alexandra of Kent was chosen by the British Crown to represent Queen Elizabeth the Second during the 1960 independence ceremonies. Her role extended beyond the presentation of the Instrument of Independence. On 3 October she appeared before the newly assembled federal Parliament in Lagos to perform a central constitutional duty. She delivered the Speech from the Throne and declared the Parliament open. This was in accordance with Westminster practice where the monarch or the monarch’s representative inaugurates a parliamentary session with a formal speech outlining the government’s legislative priorities.
The ceremony affirmed that Nigeria Parliament was now empowered to govern under a sovereign constitution. It signaled the nation’s entrance into the family of independent states with a functioning legislative system.
The Federal Parliament Building in Lagos
The opening ceremony took place in the Federal Parliament building located in Lagos. This was the established seat of Nigeria bicameral legislature. Contemporary governmental records, including the Federal Parliament’s sessional reports and official communiqués issued at independence, refer to the venue simply as the Parliament Building. While later descriptions sometimes apply the term Independence Hall to the location, primary sources from 1960 do not use that designation. The ceremony occurred in the official parliamentary chambers where newly elected senators and representatives had gathered to commence the first session of federal legislative business.
Leadership at the Dawn of Independence
Several key Nigerian leaders played central roles in the opening session of Parliament. Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, President of the Senate and Governor General designate, formally presented the invitation requesting Princess Alexandra to open the federal Parliament. His participation reflected both his constitutional authority as Senate President and his pending appointment as the first Nigerian Governor General.
In the House of Representatives the Speaker was Jaja Wachuku who had succeeded Sir Frederic Metcalfe earlier in 1960. Wachuku presided over the lower chamber and guided the House during its initial period of independent legislative activity. This transition marked the passing of parliamentary control from British officials to Nigerian leadership.
The Meaning of the 3 October Ceremony
The opening of Nigeria first federal Parliament represented the activation of the country’s sovereign legislative authority. For the first time the Senate and House of Representatives convened as institutions of an independent nation empowered to enact laws, oversee the executive and represent the Nigerian people. The ceremony underscored the constitutional continuity between independence and parliamentary government. It also demonstrated the cooperative nature of the transition from British rule to Nigerian self governance. The Crown’s representative opened the Parliament but authority thereafter rested entirely with Nigerian leaders.
Historians emphasize this moment as a foundational chapter in Nigeria’s political development. It was the point at which the structures created through decades of constitutional reform began to operate under Nigerian direction. The opening of Parliament validated the independence constitution and marked the beginning of Nigeria’s legislative life as a sovereign state.
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Why This Event Still Matters Today
This ceremony represents the true beginning of Nigeria parliamentary identity. It marked the shift from colonial administration to national self determination under a constitutional order designed to reflect Nigeria federal character. The commitment to democratic practice made during this opening session continues to shape Nigeria political evolution and remains a reminder of the nation’s aspirations at the moment of independence.
Author’s Note
The opening of first federal Parliament on 3 October 1960 stands as one of the most consequential events in the nation’s political history. It formally activated the institutions of democratic governance, placing the responsibility of lawmaking and national leadership in the hands of elected Nigerians. Princess Alexandra’s presence connected the ceremony to Nigeria constitutional position within the Commonwealth, yet the proceedings clearly demonstrated that legislative authority now rested with the Nigerian Parliament.
References
Nigeria Independence Act
Nigeria Constitution Order in Council
Federal Parliament Records, 1960
National Library of Nigeria Photographic Archives
Tamuno, Government and Politics in Nigeria
Kirk Greene, Nigeria Under British Rule
Sklar, Nigerian Political Parties
Coleman, Background to Nigerian Nationalism
