JAMB Government syllabus

Contents

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• define Government as an institution
• state the characteristics of Government
• explain the functions of Government

Contents

• Power, Influence, Authority, Legitimacy, Sovereignty
• Society, State, Nation, Nation-State
• Political Processes
  • Political Socialization, Political Participation, Political Culture

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• identify the fundamental concepts in governance
• analyse various political processes
• explain the relationship of the state to Government

Contents

• Monarchy, Aristocracy, Oligarchy, Autocracy, Republicanism, Democracy - definitions, features, merits and demerits

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• distinguish between different forms of government
• discuss the features of each of the forms of Government

Contents

• The Legislature – types, structure, functions, powers
• The Executive – types, functions, powers
• The Judiciary – functions, powers, components
• Their relationships

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• identify the duties and obligations of the various arms of government and their agencies
• relate each arm to its functions
• appreciate how these arms interrelate

Contents

• Unitary – features, reasons for adoption, merits and demerits
• Federal – features, reasons for adoption, merits and demerits
• Confederal - features, reasons for adoption, merits and demerits

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• compare the various political structures of governance
• understand the reasons for the adoption of any of these structures of governance

Contents

• Presidential, Parliamentary and Monarchical, features, merits and demerits

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• distinguish between the different systems of governance
• analyse the features, merits and demerits of each system of governance

Contents

• Communalism, Feudalism, Capitalism, Socialism, Communism, Totalitarianism, Fascism, Nazism, Liberalism

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• differentiate between the major political ideologies
• contrast their modes of production

Contents

• Meaning, Sources, Functions, Types - Written, Unwritten, Rigid and Flexible

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• Define and identify sources and functions of constitutions
• compare the nature of constitutions

Contents

• Ethics and Accountability in Public Office, Separation of Power, Checks and Balances, Individual and Collective Responsibility, Constitutionalism, Rule of Law, Representative Government, Centralization and Decentralization of Government

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• identify the principles of democratic government
• determine the application of these principles

Contents

• Legislative Enactments – Acts, Edicts, Bye-laws, Delegated Legislation, Decrees

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• analyse the processes involved in the making of laws

Contents

• Meaning, types
• Citizenship rights
• Dual citizenship, renunciation, deprivation
• Duties and obligations of citizens
• Duties and obligations of the state

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• differentiate between the various methods of acquiring citizenship
• specify the rights and responsibilities of a citizen
• assess the obligations of the state

Contents

• Suffrage – evolution, types
• Election – types, ingredients of free and fair election, pre- and post-election crisis
• Electoral System - types, advantages and disadvantages of each
• Electoral Commission – functions, problems

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• distinguish the different types of franchise
• identify and explain the types of electoral systems
• analyse the various electoral processes

Contents

• Political parties – Definition, organization, functions
• Party Systems – Definition, organization, functions, merits and demerits

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• assess the role of political parties
• distinguish between types of party systems

Contents

• Definition, types, functions and modes of operation
• Differences between Pressure Groups and Political Parties

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• evaluate the functions and the modus operandi of pressure groups
• distinguish between pressure groups and political parties

Contents

• Meaning, formation and measurement
• Functions and limitations

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• compare methods of assessing public opinion
• assess the functions of public opinion
• analyse the limitations of public opinion

Contents

• Definition, characteristics, functions, structure, control and problems of the civil service
• Definition, characteristics, functions, structure, control and problems of the public service

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• analyse the significance of civil service in governance
• distinguish between the civil service and public service

Contents

• Pre-jihad Hausa/Fulani Emirate, Tiv, Igbo, Yoruba
• Their structural organization
• The functions of their various political institutions

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• appreciate the effectiveness of the pre-colonial political systems
• compare pre-colonial systems of governance

Contents

• The British process of acquisition – trade, missionary activities, company rule, crown colony, protectorate
• The British colonial administrative policy – direct and indirect rule
• The French colonial administrative policy – assimilation and association
• Impact of British colonial rule - economic, political, socio-cultural
• Comparison of British and French colonial administration

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• trace the processes of imperialists penetration
• assess the impact of British and French colonial policies
• distinguish between British and French colonial practices

Contents

• Nationalism – Meaning, Types
• Nationalist Movements – emergence, goals, strategies
• Nationalist Leaders – Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Ladipo Solanke, Aminu Kano, J. S. Tarka, Tafawa Balewa and others
• Emergence of Nationalist Parties
• Influence of external factors

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• evaluate the process of decolonization
• assess the roles of nationalist leaders and parties
• assess the impact of external forces and ideas (Pan-Africanism, Back–to–Africa Movements, Second World War etc.)

Contents

• Hugh Clifford Constitution (1922)
• Arthur Richards Constitution (1946)
• John Macpherson Constitution (1951)
• Oliver Lyttleton Constitution (1954)
• Independence Constitution (1960)
• Their features, merits and demerits

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• compare the various constitutional developments
• analyse the merits and demerits of each of the constitutions

Contents

• 1963, 1979, 1989 and 1999 (As Amended) characteristics and shortcomings

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• assess the workings of the various Constitutions
• analyse the merits and demerits of the Post-Independence Constitutions in Nigeria

Contents

• The Legislative – structures, functions and workings
• The Executive – structure, functions and workings
• The Judiciary – structure, functions and workings

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• evaluate the operations of the Arms of government and their agencies, e.g., the Civil Service, Armed Forces, Police, Courts and others

Contents

• The Civil Service Commission, the Public Complaints Commission, Electoral Commissions, National Boundary Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Others – objectives, functions and problems

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• evaluate the operations of Public Commissions
• assess the problems of the Public Commissions and their constraints

Contents

• First Republic
• Second Republic
• Third Republic
• Fourth Republic
• Evolution, membership spread, structure, etc.

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• contrast political processes in the republics
• evaluate the ideologies, structure and composition of the political parties

Contents

• Rationale for a Federal System
• Tiers of Government and their relationship
• Creation of States – 1963, 1967, 1976, 1987, 1991, 1996
• Problems of Nigerian Federalism – Census, Revenue Allocation, Conflicts etc. solutions e.g. The Federal Character Principle, etc.

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• examine the workings of Nigerian federalism
• identify its problems
• evaluate the corrective measures to be adopted

Contents

• Definition, types, purpose and functions
• Finance, control and problems
• Deregulation, Privatization and Commercialization – objectives, features, merits and demerits
• Comparison between Public Corporations and parastatals

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• examine the operations of public corporations and parastatals
• identify the processes involved in privatization and commercialization
• assess the economic importance of privatization and commercialization

Contents

• Local Government Administration prior to 1976
• Features of Local Government Reforms (1976, 1989) – structure, functions, finance and inter-governmental relations
• Traditional Rulers and Local Governments
• Problems of Local Government Administration in Nigeria

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• trace the evolution and structure of Local Government
• identify the major problems faced by Local Governments
• analyse the roles of Traditional Rulers in the Local Government system in Nigeria

Contents

• Factors that led to military intervention
• Structure of military regimes
• Impact of military rule – political, e.g. creation of states, NYSC, introduction of unitary system (Unification Decree NO. 34) etc. economic, e.g. SAP, DFRRI, Peoples Bank, MAMSER, etc.
• Processes of military disengagement

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• evaluate the reasons given for military intervention
• assess the achievements of military rule
• determine the conditions that necessitated withdrawal from the political scene

Contents

• Definition, purpose, determining factors; formulation and implementation

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• Define foreign policy, identify and explain its determinants

Contents

• Relations with major powers
• Relations with developing countries, e.g. the Technical Aid Corps (TAC), Peace-Keeping Operations etc.
• Nigeria’s Non-Alignment Policy

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• identify the major objectives of Nigeria’s foreign policy
• analyse Nigeria’s non-aligned posture during the cold war

Contents

• Africa as the “centre piece” of Nigeria’s foreign policy – guiding principles, implementation and implications
• NEPAD – origin, objectives and implications

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• evaluate the role of Nigeria in continental affairs
• assess the role of NEPAD in developing Africa

Contents

• The United Nations
• The Commonwealth
• The Organization of African Unity
• The African Union
• The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
• The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• analyse the dynamics of Nigeria’s involvement in international organizations
• assess their contribution to the development of Nigeria

Contents

• ECOWAS
• OAU, AU
• Commonwealth
• OPEC
• UNO
• African Petroleum Producers Association
• Origin, objectives, structure, functions, achievements, problems and prospects of these organizations

Objectives: candidates should be able to

• evaluate the operations of these international organizations
• assess the role of these organizations in world affairs
• appreciate the challenges of these organizations and how they can be overcome