The features advantage disadvantages and criticism of Clifford constitution of 1922

Criticism of Clifford constitution of 1922

Despite the fact that the sir Clifford constitution was the first written constitution Nigeria ever had, and not with standing the fact that it gave a voting right to at least some Nigerian for the first time, some constitutional analysts have criticized the constitution on the following ground. read; The history and development of the Nigerian constitution council of 1914: The Clifford constitution of 1922

The markets of the constitution were not elected representative of Nigeria people, nor were Nigerians consultant during the process of making the constitution.

The constitution did not make any provision for the Nigerian nationalists and politicians to contribute to the decision-making and policies of the government, as the executive council reserved for the whites only 

The constitution sowed a seed of division in the amalgamated Nigeria because the legislative council was not allow to legislate for the northern part of the country there by planning the force of the north/south dichotomy, which has affected the unity of Nigeria up till date. 

The provision of the constitution were so operated that it served only the interests of the administration and their home country, at the expense of the Nigerian masses and unity. How ever even in the face of all the above criticism, the constitution still remains the first in the constitutional development of Nigeria,read;  The defect of MacPherson constitution of 1951 and major provision

The features of Clifford constitution of 1922

1. This constitution created a legislative council 
2. It included the first elected African in the whole British west African 
3. There was an executive council which had no African membership 
4. The north was not represented in the legislative council 
5. The legislative council was made up of 46 members, out of this members, 27 were official while 19 where non officials
6. Out of the 19 non officials members 15 were nominated while 4 were elected out of the four (4) elected members, 3 members came from Lagos, 1 member from caliber. 
7. The legislative council was responsible and had the power to legislate on monetary issue nfor north, other matters were the prerogative of the governor to legislate for the territory by proclamation
8. Electorates consist of British subjected or British protected persons with 100 pound or 200 naira per annual income

read; Functions of Party system in Nigeria

Advantages of Clifford constitution of 1922

1. Introduction of first elective principle 
2. The introduction of a single legislative council for the colony of lagos and the protectorate of southern Nigeria 
3. It layed the foundation for the introduction of first political party in Nigeria in 1923. 
4. The electorate principle stimulated the formation of political organization in the country such as the Nigeria nation democratic party (NNDP) Such political organization provide a more effective vehicle for expressing grievance as aspiration of Nigeria.

read; Nigeria Republic constitution of 1963-The constitution review of 1963: the republican constitution

disadvantages of Clifford constitution of 1922

1. The constitution isolated the north from the legislative council 
2. The constitution also introduced the British policy of divide and rules which laid the foundation for the birth and development of ethnicity and tribalism in Nigeria.
3.  The north were excluded from legislative council on the flimsy reason that the country was too large, coupled with poor communication facilities and enthinic diversity. 
4. This failure to integrate properly the north posed disastrous problem to the cause of national unity in Nigeria. 
5. Another deflect was the absence of Nigerians ( Africans) in the executive council, executive members were limited to Lagos and calabar with male adult and income suffrage, most of the citizens and women were entirely disfranchised 
6. The legislative power under this constitution had no power but only served as advisory body. This constitution could be said to have been imposed on and alien to Nigeria.