Sir Oliver Lyttleton Constitution 1954 (Pols 104)

Introduction 

The Lyttleton Constitution of 1954 emerged from the breakdown of the Macpherson Constitution, following political crises such as the Eastern Region crisis and the Kano riots of 1953. It is widely regarded as Nigeria's first truly federal constitution and a major step towards independence.

Sir Oliver Lyttelton 

In 1953, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr. Oliver Lyttleton, notified the British House of Commons about the challenges of the federal system of government in Nigeria. He advised the drafting of a new constitution to provide greater autonomy to the regions. A Conference was called in 1953 in London (with a follow-up conference in Lagos in January 1954). The issues discussed included the introduction of exclusive and concurrent lists, the establishment of the principle of collective responsibility, the regionalization of the civil service, the introduction of a revenue allocation formula based on the principle of derivation, and the status of Lagos as a federal territory.

The Constitution further consolidated the federal system of government by granting executive powers to all regions. It also granted residual powers to the regions, establishing Nigeria as a Federation of 3 regions. However, in situations of conflict of interest, federal laws could override regional laws.

The Constitution removed regional governors from the federal Council of Ministers, while regional legislative members were also removed from the federal legislature, in favour of direct election to the House of Representatives.

The continued existence of the office of Governor-General (with no provision for a Prime Minister) was also marked as a serious weakness of the Constitution. The imbalance in autonomy granted to the regions increased agitation and competition among ethnic and tribal groups and further widened gaps in the development of the country.

Conclusion 

The Lyttleton Constitution succeeded in establishing a genuine federal structure and paved the way for regional self-government and eventual independence in 1960, though its retained colonial oversight and structural imbalances between the North and the South continued to fuel political tension.