Decol in Africa and Asia Flashcards
Decol in the Gold Coast:
In 1946 - The Burns Constitution drawn up for the Gold Coast producing a legislative councilwith 12 nominated British officials and 18 elected African representatives.
This was a breakthroufh - However final power restd in the British GG and a wave of unrest spread across the country - protests against Br colonial rule.
- The Convention People’s Party (CPP) founded in 1949 by Nkwame Nkrumah and pressured the administartion to make further concessions - The Leg Council expanded, renamd Leg Assembly and no. of people who could vote increased. - br still ultimate power.
- Nkrumah gaoled in 1950, although th CPP won 2/3 of eats in the Assembly in 1951 - made clear to Burns that members of the CPP would have to be brought into government to contain some unrest.
- Nkrumah released in 1952 and made PM and members of CPP given ministerial posts. - Power over intral affairs - popularity grew.
- 1956 - a plebiscit in the neighbouring Br mandate of Togoland - overwhelming vote in favour of unification w Gold Coast.
- Support for independence was such that in 1957 new elections were held on full adult suffrage and country became fully independent - 6 March 1957 as GHANA.
Nigeria:
- Similar to Ghana
1946 - the Richards Constitution was drawn up
Greater African representations but the GG and the Executive Council that the GG appointed retained ultimate power.
The country was regionally and ethnically divided and the Br took the view that a move towards an independent Nigeria should take the form of a federation of separate regional states.
An expanded Leg Council was created to discuss issues affecting the whole country.
Three assemblies for each of the three major reasons (West, East and South) : local matters and to advise Br governors in these regions.
Greater pressure for change from nationalist movements forced the Br to amend the Constitution.
The Macpherson Constitution 1951 extended the right to vote and created a National Council of Ministers, answerable to a 165 seat federal HOR.
This stimulated the growth of Nigerian political parties which began to compete in elections to the new House.
However, the regions were also strengthened, with each region being allowed its own government as well as an elected assembly.
The Federal HOR could not over rule these regional governments.
The effect was to exacerbate tensions between the different ethnicities rather than ease them.
Br found themselves being pushed along the path of granting concessions more quickly than initially envisaged.
Further revisions of the constitution and federal election in 1954
A government was formed consisting of 3 Br officials together with 9 ministers drawn from the various regional political parties in order to strike a balance at the national level between the different regions.
However, more power was increasingly devolved to the various regional governments and following federal elections in 1959 moves were made towards full independence for the country - October 1960.
