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It was therefore quite easy for the British colonial officials and traditional rulers to
align against the educated elites who had no political platform to articulate their
position. The meeting of the National Congress of British West Africa held
in Accra, Ghana in 1920, provided the opportunity for educated African to
articulate their views. The Congress demanded for self-government and an elected
legislative council, among other things.
The British colonial authorities rejected these political demands as being too
ambitious and unrealistic. Sir Hugh Clifford who had become the governor
of Nigeria in 1919 was particularly trenchant in his criticism of the Congress and
denounced the conference as “a self-elected and self appointed congregation of
educated African gentlemen.
4. Franchise
5. Local government
The division of the country into three units, namely, the Lagos Colony,
the Northern Provinces and Southern Provinces was retained under
the Clifford Constitution. The Governor had responsibility to administer the whole
country while a Lieutenant Governor was in charge of each protectorate.
The Governor continued to make laws for the Northern Protectorate.
A Legislative Council which had power to make laws for the Colony of Lagos and
the Southern Provinces was set up. The body had 46 members including the
following:
2. 26 official members
▪ Franchise
a) He must be a male.
b) He must be a citizen of Nigeria.
c) He must have been resident in the area for at least 12 months.
d) He must have a gross annual income of £100.
▪ Local Government
The constitution provided for the extension of indirect rule to the Southern
Provinces.
The Hugh Clifford Constitution of 1922 in Nigeria has the following advantages.
▪ Those elected were only for the legislative council and were unofficial.
This franchise was not extended to the executive council.