Class: Senior Secondary School 2 (SS2 / SSS 2)
Term: 3rd Term
Week: 4
Age: 16 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: History
Curriculum Theme: Nigerian Government and Politics
Previous Lesson: The Second Republic 1979: Meaning, Constitution and Presidential System.
Topic: THE SECOND REPUBLIC 1979 CONTINUED
Subject Matter: Federal character, federal structure, adoption of bicameralism, practice of multi-party democracy, meaning of party, meaning of democracy

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

Define federal character and federal structure.
Explain the concept of bicameralism.
State the meaning of multi-party democracy, political party, and democracy.

Affective Domain:

Appreciate the importance of federal character and structure in Nigeria.
Recognize the role of bicameralism in the legislative process.
Value the principles of multi-party democracy.

Psychomotor Domain:

Identify features of Nigeria’s federal structure during the Second Republic.
Outline the characteristics of a bicameral legislature.

Discuss the practice of multi-party democracy in Nigeria’s Second Republic.
Participate in discussions about the challenges and benefits of democracy.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

Senior Secondary Schools Education Curriculum
State Unified Scheme of Work
A.O. Akintola, New History for Senior Secondary Schools, Book 2.
J.B. Adeyemo, History for Senior Secondary Schools.

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Charts showing federal structure and legislative houses.
Maps of Nigeria.
Pictures of key political figures from the Second Republic.
Whiteboard and markers.

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand the political system adopted by Nigeria during the Second Republic. It enables them to grasp key concepts like federal character, bicameralism, and multi-party democracy, which are important for understanding contemporary Nigerian governance.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are expected to have prior knowledge of Nigeria’s independence, the First Republic, and the reasons for the military intervention.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

The Second Republic (1979-1983)

Federal Character

Federal character is a principle in Nigerian politics that aims to ensure that appointments to public offices and distribution of resources reflect the diversity of the country’s ethnic, religious, and geographical groups. It is enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution to promote national unity and prevent domination by any single group.

Federal Structure

A federal structure is a system of government where power is divided between a central government and various constituent units (states or regions). In Nigeria’s Second Republic, power was shared between the Federal Government and 19 states, each having its own responsibilities and powers as defined by the constitution.

Adoption of Bicameralism

Bicameralism refers to a legislative body composed of two chambers or houses. Nigeria adopted a bicameral legislature during the Second Republic, consisting of:

The Senate: The upper house, representing states equally.
The House of Representatives: The lower house, with members elected based on population.

This system was adopted to ensure broader representation and provide checks and balances in law-making.

Meaning of Party and Democracy

Political Party: A political party is an organized group of people with common political ideologies and goals, who seek to gain and maintain political power through elections to implement their policies.
Democracy: Democracy is a system of government where the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation, usually involving periodically held free elections.

Practice of Multi-Party Democracy

Multi-party democracy is a system where multiple political parties compete for power in elections. In Nigeria’s Second Republic, several political parties contested elections, reflecting diverse interests and ideologies. The main parties included:

National Party of Nigeria (NPN)
Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)
Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP)
Great Nigeria People’s Party (GNPP)
People’s Redemption Party (PRP)

This system allowed citizens to choose from various candidates and platforms, fostering political competition and participation.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils, reviews the previous lesson on the start of the Second Republic, and introduces the topic by asking pupils what they know about the various arms of government.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, recall key points from the previous lesson, and share their knowledge about government arms.
Learning Point: Pupils connect previous knowledge to the new topic and are prepared for the lesson.

Step 2: Federal Character

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meaning of federal character, its purpose, and its application in Nigeria using examples.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, ask clarifying questions, and attempt to define federal character in their own words.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the concept and importance of federal character.

Step 3: Federal Structure

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses a map of Nigeria and charts to explain the federal structure, highlighting the division of powers between the federal and state governments during the Second Republic.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the map and charts, identify the federal and state levels of government, and discuss the concept of power sharing.
Learning Point: Pupils grasp the idea of a federal system and its application in Nigeria.

Step 4: Adoption of Bicameralism

Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Elucidation/Visual Aids
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains bicameralism, detailing the Senate and House of Representatives, and uses charts to illustrate their structure and functions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanation, study the charts, and describe the two houses of the legislature.
Learning Point: Pupils understand what bicameralism is and why it was adopted.

Step 5: Meaning of Party and Democracy

Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Definition/Questioning
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines ‘political party’ and ‘democracy’ clearly, using simple language and asking pupils for examples.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, provide examples of political parties, and define the terms in their notebooks.
Learning Point: Pupils gain a clear understanding of the fundamental terms ‘party’ and ‘democracy’.

Step 6: Practice of Multi-Party Democracy

Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion/Narration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains how multi-party democracy was practiced in the Second Republic, mentioning key political parties and their roles.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in discussions, identify some of the political parties, and consider the implications of multiple parties.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the practical aspects of multi-party democracy in Nigeria’s history.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

Define the term ‘federal character’.
Explain what is meant by a ‘federal structure’ of government.
What is bicameralism, and which two houses formed Nigeria’s federal legislature in the Second Republic?
List three political parties that operated during Nigeria’s Second Republic.
Briefly explain the meaning of ‘democracy’.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes
Teaching Skill: Summarization
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the key concepts learned about the Second Republic and assigns homework (e.g., “List two advantages and two disadvantages of multi-party democracy”).
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and note down the homework assignment.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and prepare for further study.

Lesson Keywords

Federal Character – A principle to ensure diverse representation in public affairs.
Federal Structure – A system dividing power between central and regional governments.
Bicameralism – A legislature with two chambers or houses.
Multi-party Democracy – A political system with multiple parties competing for power.
Political Party – An organized group seeking political power.
Democracy – Government by the people, typically through elected representatives.

Differentiation

The teacher will provide additional explanations and visual aids for slower learners and encourage more advanced pupils to lead discussions and provide detailed examples of the concepts discussed.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Teachers should ensure they have updated maps and charts of Nigeria to effectively illustrate the federal structure and bicameral legislature. Encourage pupils to relate these historical concepts to Nigeria’s current political system where appropriate, fostering a deeper understanding of continuity and change in governance.