Why did the Macpherson Constitution of 1951 break down?

Answer Details

The Macpherson Constitution of 1951, though it introduced a large measure of self-government and a federal structure, broke down within a few years. The reasons for its breakdown include the following.

1. Absence of a doctrine of collective responsibility: Ministers had no real executive power and were not collectively responsible; they were mere advisers to the British officials who still held real power, causing frustration among nationalists.
2. The Central Legislature was too weak: The regions had grown strong while the centre lacked the power to control them, and there was constant friction over the division of powers.
3. Rivalry and mistrust among the political parties and ethnic groups: Deep suspicion between the North and the South, and among the NCNC, Action Group and NPC, made cooperation difficult.
4. The Kano Riot of 1953: Violent clashes between Northerners and Southerners in Kano deepened regional bitterness and made the existing arrangement unworkable.
5. The self-government motion of 1953: Anthony Enahoro's motion for self-government in 1956 was rejected by the Northern members, leading to a walkout and open conflict that exposed the constitution's inability to hold the regions together.
6. Its rigid and undemocratic features: The constitution was imposed with limited genuine consultation, and its unworkable sharing of powers between centre and regions made collapse inevitable, forcing a new conference and the Lyttleton Constitution of 1954.