JAMB Government Topics & Areas of Concentration
PART I: ELEMENTS OF GOVERNMENT+
Topics to Cover:
- •Definition and Scope of Government
- •Basic Concepts of Government: (a) Power, Influence, Authority, Legitimacy, Sovereignty; (b) Society, State, Nation, Nation-State; (c) Political Processes; Political Socialization, Political Participation, Political Culture.
- •Forms of Government: Monarchy, Aristocracy, Oligarchy, Autocracy, Republicanism, Democracy - definitions, features, merits and demerits.
- •Arms of Government: (a) The Legislature (types, structure, functions, powers); (b) The Executive (types, functions, powers); (c) The Judiciary (functions, powers, components); (d) Their relationships.
- •Structures of Governance: (a) Unitary (features, reasons for adoption, merits and demerits) (b) Federal (features, reasons for adoption, merits and demerits) (c) Confederal (features, reasons for adoption, merits and demerits).
- •Systems of Governance: Presidential, Parliamentary and Monarchical, features, merits and demerits.
- •Political Ideologies: Communalism, Feudalism, Capitalism, Socialism, Communism, Totalitarianism, Fascism, Nazism, Liberalism.
- •Constitution: Meaning, Sources, Functions, Types - Written, Unwritten, Rigid and Flexible.
- •Principles of Democratic Government: 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.
- •Processes of Legislation: Legislative Enactments – Acts, Edicts, Bye-laws, Delegated Legislation, Decrees.
- •Citizenship: (a) Meaning, types; (b) Citizenship rights; (c) Dual citizenship, renunciation, deprivation; (d) Duties and obligations of citizens; (e) Duties and obligations of the state.
- •The Electoral Process: (a) Suffrage (evolution, types); (b) Election (types, ingredients of free and fair election, pre- and post-election crisis); (c) Electoral System (types, advantages and disadvantages of each); (d) Electoral Commission (functions, problems).
- •Political Parties and Party Systems: (a) Political parties (Definition, organization, functions) (b) Party Systems (Definition, organization, functions, merits and demerits).
- •Pressure Groups: (a) Definition, types, functions and modes of operation. (b) Differences between Pressure Groups and Political Parties.
- •Public Opinion: (a) Meaning, formation and measurement. (b) Functions and limitations.
- •The Civil Service/Public Service: Definition, characteristics, functions, structure, control and problems of the civil service and public service.
What JAMB will test you on:
- Define Government as an institution, state its characteristics, and explain its functions.
- Identify fundamental concepts in governance, analyse various political processes, and explain the relationship of the state to Government.
- Distinguish between different forms and systems of government, and discuss their features, merits, and demerits.
- Identify the duties, obligations, and interrelated relationships of the various arms of government and their agencies.
- Compare the various political structures of governance (Unitary, Federal, Confederal) and understand the reasons for their adoption.
- Differentiate between the major political ideologies and contrast their modes of production.
- Define and identify sources, functions, and natures of constitutions.
- Identify the principles of democratic government and determine their application.
- Analyse the processes involved in the making of laws.
- Differentiate methods of acquiring citizenship, specify rights and responsibilities of citizens, and assess state obligations.
- Distinguish types of franchise/electoral systems, analyse electoral processes, and assess the role of political parties.
- Evaluate the functions and modus operandi of pressure groups, and distinguish them from political parties.
- Compare methods of assessing public opinion, assess its functions, and analyse its limitations.
- Analyse the significance of civil service in governance and distinguish between the civil and public service.
PART II: POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA+
Topics to Cover:
- •Pre-colonial Polities: Pre-jihad Hausa/Fulani Emirate, Tiv, Igbo, Yoruba. (a) Their structural organization; (b) The functions of their various political institutions.
- •Imperialists Penetration: (a) The British process of acquisition (trade, missionary activities, company rule, crown colony, protectorate); (b) British colonial administrative policy (direct and indirect rule); (c) French colonial administrative policy (assimilation and association); (d) Impact of British colonial rule (economic, political, socio-cultural); (e) Comparison of British and French colonial administration.
- •Process of Decolonization: (a) Nationalism (Meaning, Types); (b) Nationalist Movements (emergence, goals, strategies); (c) Nationalist Leaders (Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Ladipo Solanke, Aminu Kano, J. S. Tarka, Tafawa Balewa and others); (d) Emergence of Nationalist Parties; (e) Influence of external factors.
- •Constitutional Development in Nigeria: Hugh Clifford (1922), Arthur Richards (1946), John Macpherson (1951), Oliver Lyttleton (1954), Independence Constitution (1960) - Their features, merits and demerits.
- •Post-Independence Constitutions: 1963, 1979, 1989 and 1999 (As Amended) characteristics and shortcomings.
- •Institutions of Government in the Post-Independence Nigeria: The Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary (structures, functions and workings).
- •Public Commissions Established by the 1979 and Subsequent Constitutions: The Civil Service Commission, the Public Complaints Commission, Electoral Commissions, National Boundary Commission, ICPC, EFCC and Others (objectives, functions and problems).
- •Political Parties and Party Politics in Post-Independence Nigeria: First, Second, Third, and Fourth Republic (Evolution, membership spread, structure, etc.).
- •The Structure and Workings of Nigerian Federalism: (a) Rationale for a Federal System; (b) Tiers of Government and their relationship; (c) Creation of States (1963, 1967, 1976, 1987, 1991, 1996); (d) Problems of Nigerian Federalism (Census, Revenue Allocation, Conflicts) and solutions (e.g. The Federal Character Principle).
- •Public Corporations and Parastatals: (a) Definition, types, purpose and functions; (b) Finance, control and problems; (c) Deregulation, Privatization and Commercialization (objectives, features, merits and demerits); (d) Comparison.
- •Local Government: (a) Administration prior to 1976; (b) Features of Local Government Reforms (1976, 1989); (c) Traditional Rulers and Local Governments; (d) Problems of Local Government Administration in Nigeria.
- •The Military in Nigerian Politics: (a) Factors that led to military intervention; (b) Structure of military regimes; (c) Impact of military rule (political e.g. creation of states, NYSC, Unification Decree NO. 34; economic e.g. SAP, DFRRI, Peoples Bank, MAMSER); (d) Processes of military disengagement.
What JAMB will test you on:
- Appreciate the effectiveness of pre-colonial political systems and compare their governance.
- Trace imperialist penetration, assess the impact of British/French policies, and distinguish between their practices.
- Evaluate the process of decolonization, assess roles of nationalist leaders/parties, and assess the impact of external forces (Pan-Africanism, WWII).
- Compare constitutional developments and analyse the merits and demerits of each constitution (Pre and Post-Independence).
- Evaluate the operations of the Arms of government, their agencies, and Public Commissions in post-independence Nigeria.
- Contrast political processes in the republics and evaluate the ideologies and structure of political parties.
- Examine the workings of Nigerian federalism, identify its problems, and evaluate corrective measures.
- Examine the operations of public corporations, identify privatization processes, and assess their economic importance.
- Trace the evolution of Local Government, identify its major problems, and analyse the roles of Traditional Rulers.
- Evaluate reasons for military intervention, assess their achievements, and determine conditions that necessitated their withdrawal.
PART III: FOREIGN POLICY AND NIGERIA’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY+
Topics to Cover:
- •Foreign Policy: Definition, purpose, determining factors; formulation and implementation.
- •Nigeria’s Foreign Policy: (a) Relations with major powers; (b) Relations with developing countries, e.g. the Technical Aid Corps (TAC), Peace-Keeping Operations etc. (c) Nigeria’s Non-Alignment Policy.
- •Nigeria’s Relations with African Countries: (a) Africa as the “centre piece” of Nigeria’s foreign policy (guiding principles, implementation and implications); (b) NEPAD (origin, objectives and implications).
- •Nigeria in International Organizations: (a) The United Nations; (b) The Commonwealth; (c) The Organization of African Unity; (d) The African Union; (e) The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); (f) The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
What JAMB will test you on:
- Define foreign policy, identify and explain its determinants.
- Identify the major objectives of Nigeria’s foreign policy and analyse its non-aligned posture during the cold war.
- Evaluate the role of Nigeria in continental affairs and assess the role of NEPAD in developing Africa.
- Analyse the dynamics of Nigeria’s involvement in international organizations and assess their contribution to the development of Nigeria.
PART IV: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS+
Topics to Cover:
- •International Organizations: (a) ECOWAS; (b) OAU, AU; (c) Commonwealth; (d) OPEC; (e) UNO; (f) African Petroleum Producers Association. Origin, objectives, structure, functions, achievements, problems and prospects of these organizations.
What JAMB will test you on:
- 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.
Official JAMB Government Recommended Textbooks
- Adigwe, F (1985) Essentials of Government for West Africa, Ibadan: University Press Plc.
- Anifowose, R and Enemuo, F. C. (eds)(1999) Elements of Politics, Lagos; Malthouse Press Limited.
- Appadorai, A. (1978) The Substance of Politics, London: Oxford University Press.
- Ball, A. R. (1983) Modern Politics and Government, London: Macmillan.
- Christopher, O. (2022). Fundamental of Government A complete Guide for Schools and Colleges. Markins (Ugo) International Company Press, Delta State, Nigeria.
- Dibie, C. Chris (2020) Essential Government for Senior Secondary Schools, Ibafo, Ogun State; Tonad Publishers Limited.
- Gboyega, A; Obiyan, S. & Mimiko, F. (ed.) (2001) Exam Focus Government for WASSC & SSCE, Ibadan: Ibadan University Press Plc.
- Ofoegbu, R. (1977) Government for the Certificate Year, London: George Allen and Unwin.
- Olawale, J. B (1987) New Topics on Ordinary Level Government, Ilesha: Jola Publishing.
- Oluonye, A. U. (2023). Government Simplified Completely Revised and Expanded for Senior Secondary Schools SSS1-3. Andyson Press Limited, Garki-FCT-Abuja.
- Oyediran, O. Nwosu, H., Takaya, B., Anifowoshe, R., Femi, B., Godwill, O. and Adigun, A. (1990) Government for Senior Secondary Schools, Books 1, 2 and 3, Ibadan: Longman.
- Oyeneye, I., Onyenwenu, M. and Olusunde, B. E. (2000) Round-Up Government for Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination: A Complete Guide, Ibadan: Longman.
- Oyovbaire, S., Ogunna, A. E. C., Amucheazi, E. C., Coker, H. O. and Oshuntuyi, O. (2001) Countdown to Senior Secondary Certificate Examination: Government, Ibadan: Evans.