In 1946, the British colonial administration introduced a new constitutional framework for Nigeria under Governor Sir Arthur Richards, later Lord Milverton. Known as the Richards Constitution, the reform replaced the Clifford Constitution of 1922 and altered the structure of governance in colonial Nigeria. It extended central legislation to the entire country and formally embedded regional legislatures into the political system, shaping the political landscape that would influence Nigeria’s journey to independence in 1960.
Background: From the Clifford Constitution to Post War Reform
The Clifford Constitution of 1922 introduced the elective principle into Nigerian politics, allowing limited elections in Lagos and Calabar. However, its jurisdiction applied only to the Southern Provinces. The Northern Provinces were governed separately through proclamations issued by the Governor under indirect rule.
This arrangement reflected the administrative structure that followed the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates. Although unified administratively, Nigeria continued to operate through parallel systems of governance.
By the 1930s and early 1940s, Nigerian political consciousness was expanding. Educated elites, journalists, trade unions, and political organisations increasingly demanded wider participation in governance. The Second World War intensified these demands. Economic pressures, wartime mobilisation, and exposure to global debates about self determination strengthened nationalist sentiment.
Governor Richards proposed a constitutional framework designed to promote unity while recognising Nigeria’s diversity. His objectives included encouraging greater Nigerian participation in public affairs and securing a more inclusive legislative system within a stable colonial structure.
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The Structure of the Richards Constitution
The Richards Constitution introduced structural changes that redefined colonial governance.
A Central Legislature for the Entire Country
The Legislative Council in Lagos was granted jurisdiction over the whole of Nigeria, including the Northern Provinces. This ended the previous dual legislative arrangement in which the North had been governed separately through executive proclamations.
The central Legislative Council included representatives from all three regions, although representation remained limited and largely indirect.
Constitutional Division into Three Regions
The Constitution formally organised Nigeria into three regions:
- Northern Region
- Western Region
- Eastern Region
Each region was granted its own House of Assembly. In both the Northern and Western Regions, a House of Chiefs operated alongside the House of Assembly. In the North, the House of Chiefs reflected the emirate system under indirect rule. In the West, it incorporated Yoruba traditional rulers. The Eastern Region did not establish a House of Chiefs, reflecting differences in traditional political organisation.
This constitutional recognition of regional legislatures significantly shaped the political structure of the colony.
Representation and Executive Authority
Members of the central Legislative Council were selected largely through indirect election. Regional legislatures nominated representatives to sit at the centre. Direct elections remained confined mainly to Lagos and Calabar.
Executive authority remained vested in the British Governor, who retained veto powers and reserve authority. The Executive Council continued to be dominated by British officials, and the Constitution did not establish responsible government.
Political Consequences and the Rise of Regional Politics
The Richards Constitution created new platforms for political engagement within the regions. Regional legislatures became centres of political activity, and political mobilisation increasingly developed along regional lines.
In the Northern Region, political leadership emphasised regional autonomy and the preservation of traditional institutions. In the Western and Eastern Regions, political leaders used the Houses of Assembly to expand influence and articulate nationalist demands.
The National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, founded in 1944 and led by Herbert Macaulay and Nnamdi Azikiwe, opposed the Constitution and criticised the limited consultation preceding its introduction. Nigerian leaders organised petitions and sent delegations to London to express dissatisfaction with the arrangement.
Although the Constitution expanded legislative participation, demands for self government continued to grow.
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Constitutional Developments After 1946
The limitations of the Richards Constitution led to further constitutional reforms. The Macpherson Constitution of 1951 expanded consultation and legislative participation. The Lyttleton Constitution of 1954 introduced a clearer federal structure and granted greater autonomy to the regions.
By embedding regional legislatures within a central framework, the 1946 Constitution influenced the federal structure that later characterised Nigeria’s independence settlement.
Independence was achieved in 1960 after successive constitutional negotiations and reforms built upon the structures introduced in 1946.
Author’s Note
The Richards Constitution reorganised colonial Nigeria by extending central legislative authority nationwide and constitutionally entrenching regional governance. It reshaped political participation, strengthened regional institutions, and structured the debates that defined Nigeria’s constitutional evolution in the years leading to independence.
References
Coleman, J. S. Nigeria: Background to Nationalism. University of California Press, 1958.
Falola, Toyin and Heaton, Matthew. A History of Nigeria. Cambridge University Press, 2008.
Crowder, Michael. The Story of Nigeria. Faber and Faber, 1978.
