JAMB History 2022 Past Questions & Answers

The Nguni people are a major Bantu ethnic group whose historical origins are primarily in Southern Africa, particularly the area that is now South Africa. They are well-known for their migrations and the establishment of powerful kingdoms like the Zulu. Therefore, South Africa is correctly identified as their original homeland.

Common mistake: Students might incorrectly choose other Southern African countries or be unfamiliar with the Nguni people, as this question falls outside the typical focus on Nigerian history.

The question asks about the head of the Zulus during the Mfecane war, which is a significant event in Southern African history during the early 19th century. While this question is not directly about Nigerian history, the provided classification options are exclusively Nigerian. Among the given choices, 'Nineteenth-Century Nigeria' is the only period that aligns chronologically. Within this period, 'The Sokoto Caliphate and the Fulani jihad' involves similar themes of large-scale warfare, state formation, and the rise of powerful leaders, making it the closest thematic parallel despite the geographical difference. Shaka was indeed the powerful Zulu king who initiated the Mfecane.

Common mistake: Students might confuse Shaka with his mentor Dingiswayo or his rival Zwide, both prominent figures during the Mfecane period, or Sobhuza who was a contemporary but not a Zulu leader.

Lord Lugard is famously credited with introducing and implementing the system of indirect rule in Nigeria. He first applied this system in Northern Nigeria and later extended it to the entire country after the amalgamation of 1914. This method involved governing through existing traditional rulers and institutions.

Common mistake: Some students might mistakenly choose John Beecroft, who was an early British consul, but he was not responsible for introducing indirect rule.

The Ekumeku movement was a series of anti-colonial uprisings by the Anioma people against British rule in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This places it squarely within the period of British conquest and the establishment of their colonial administration in Nigeria. Anioma, where the movement originated, is located in present-day Delta State.

Common mistake: Students might incorrectly choose other southeastern states like Anambra or Enugu due to the cultural proximity of Anioma to these regions, overlooking its specific geographical location within Delta State.

The correct answer is French. The policy of Association was the system of colonial administration used by France in its West African colonies. This policy involved the French government ruling through cooperation with existing local chiefs and respecting local customs, which was a change from their earlier policy of Assimilation. This is often studied alongside the British policy of Indirect Rule used in Nigeria to understand the differences and similarities in European colonial governance.

Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose 'British' because they confuse the French policy of Association with the British policy of Indirect Rule, as both systems involved using local rulers to govern.

The correct answer is $1884/1885$. The Berlin Conference was a meeting where European powers gathered in Berlin, Germany, to agree on rules for dividing Africa among themselves. This event, which started in late 1884 and concluded in early 1885, officially began the 'Scramble for Africa' and was a key step leading to Britain's conquest and establishment of colonial rule in Nigeria.

Common mistake: Students often get confused by the similar date ranges in the options and may mistakenly choose a year that is very close but incorrect.

The indigenous pre-colonial Nigerian economy was diverse, encompassing various activities. While crafts and local industries represented specialized production for trade and exchange, agriculture was primarily for subsistence, meaning it was mainly for personal consumption rather than a distinct 'industry' for widespread commercial exchange. Therefore, in some contexts, agriculture might be seen as an exception when listing commercial economic components.

Common mistake: Students often mistakenly assume that agriculture, being fundamental, was always considered a 'commercial' or 'industrial' component of the economy, leading to confusion when it is presented as the exception.

In the pre-colonial era, before the widespread introduction of modern currency, the most common method of exchange was the barter system. This involved directly trading goods and services for other goods and services, for example, exchanging salt for cloth. While some societies used commodity money like cowries or manillas, the fundamental and most popular system across the Nigeria area was barter.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'The coin system' because they confuse commodity currencies like cowries and manillas with modern minted coins, which were introduced during the colonial period.

The correct answer is 1886. This year marks the signing of the peace treaty that officially ended the Kiriji War, a major 16-year civil war among the Yoruba states. The British administration in Lagos brokered this treaty, using it as a way to increase their influence and establish control over the Yoruba interior, which was a key part of their conquest strategy.

Common mistake: Students often confuse the date with other significant events of the era, such as the Berlin Conference which concluded in 1885, leading them to select the wrong year.

The longest war in Yoruba land was the Kiriji War, also known as the Ekiti Parapo War or the Sixteen Years' War. It lasted from 1877 to 1893, which is exactly 16 years. This conflict was significantly influenced by the economic shifts of the 19th century, particularly the competition for control over trade routes and access to legitimate commerce after the abolition of the slave trade.

Common mistake: Students might choose option A (15 years) if they are aware of the war but misremember its exact start or end date, as it's a very close duration.

The correct answer is the Portuguese. Portuguese explorers, led by João Afonso de Aveiro, were the first Europeans to make contact with the Benin Kingdom around 1485. This historic visit started a long period of trade in goods like ivory, pepper, and cloth between Benin and Portugal, long before other European nations arrived.

Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose the British because they were the eventual colonizers of Nigeria and had a more famous interaction with Benin in 1897, but the Portuguese arrived almost 400 years earlier.

The question asks about a specific title within the Benin Kingdom's royal structure. The 'Iyoba' is the title for the Queen Mother in the Benin Kingdom, a position of significant power and influence. This detail falls under the study of the social and political organization of the Benin Kingdom, which is covered in the 'Forest and coastal states' subtopic.

Common mistake: Students might incorrectly choose 'Iye' or 'Yeye' as they are general terms for mother in some Nigerian languages, but 'Iyoba' is the specific royal title in Benin.

Muhammad Ali Pasha, often called the 'father of modern Egypt,' ruled from 1805 to 1848, a period squarely within the 19th century. His reign was characterized by ambitious state-building, military expansion, and modernization efforts that transformed Egypt into a powerful regional entity. This significant process of state formation and political restructuring in 19th-century Africa shares thematic parallels with other major developments of the era, such as the establishment and expansion of the Sokoto Caliphate in Nigeria through the Fulani jihad, both representing powerful and transformative state-building movements.

Common mistake: Students might struggle to classify this question as it is not directly about Nigerian history, or they might confuse Muhammad Ali with other African leaders from different periods.

Nigeria is officially divided into six geo-political zones, which is the correct answer. These zones are North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-West, South-East, and South-South. This administrative structure was created during the military regime of General Sani Abacha in the mid-1990s to help ensure a more equitable distribution of political power and resources among the country's diverse ethnic groups.

Common mistake: Students might simply misremember the number, as there is no other major political or administrative division in Nigeria that uses a similar number like 5 or 7 to cause confusion.

The Sokoto Caliphate was founded by Usman Dan Fodio, a Fulani Islamic scholar and preacher. He led a jihad (holy war) beginning in 1804 against the Hausa rulers, whom he accused of religious impurity. This successful campaign resulted in the creation of a large Islamic empire, the Sokoto Caliphate, which became the most powerful state in the region during the 19th century.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose Abdullahi Dan Fodio because he was Usman Dan Fodio's brother and a very important commander and scholar during the jihad, but he was not the overall leader and founder.

The Clifford Constitution of 1922 was pivotal because it introduced the elective principle, allowing for limited African representation in the Legislative Council. This provision directly led to the formation of Nigeria's first political party, the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) by Herbert Macaulay, to contest these elections. Therefore, it laid the foundation for organized political party activity in Nigeria.

Common mistake: Students often choose later constitutions like Richards or Macpherson because they are more widely known for advancing self-governance, but Clifford was the first to enable the formation of political parties through the elective principle.

The question refers to the Macpherson's Constitution, which was a significant constitutional development in Nigeria during the colonial era, leading up to independence. The Ibadan conference of 1950 was where Nigerian representatives extensively discussed and reviewed the provisions of this constitution, marking a crucial step in the nationalist struggle for self-governance. This period is directly linked to the efforts by Nigerian nationalists to gain independence from British rule.

Common mistake: Students might incorrectly choose London, as many subsequent constitutional conferences were held there, but the specific conference for the Macpherson's constitution in 1950 took place in Ibadan, Nigeria.

The British officially annexed Lagos in 1861, making it a British colony. This event was a crucial step in the British conquest and the subsequent establishment of their colonial rule over the territories that would later form Nigeria. The annexation was formalized through a treaty signed between the British and King Dosunmu of Lagos.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 1851, confusing the annexation with the British bombardment of Lagos in that year, which led to the installation of Akitoye as king but not direct annexation.

The question directly asks about the Kanem-Borno empire, which is explicitly listed under 'States of the Central Sudan' within the 'The Nigeria Area to 1800' topic. This empire was a prominent pre-colonial state in the region. Njimi was the original capital of the Kanem Empire before its eventual shift to Bornu.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose Birni Ngazargamu, as it was a later, very famous capital of the Bornu empire, but not the initial capital of the Kanem Empire.

The question refers to the succession after the death of Said bin Sultan, the Sultan of Muscat and Oman, in 1856. His empire was subsequently divided, with Thuwaini bin Said inheriting the Asian section (Muscat and Oman). This event is part of 19th-century global history, which is relevant to the broader context of British influence and the abolition of the slave trade, a major theme in 19th-century Nigerian history.

Common mistake: Students might confuse Thuwaini bin Said with Majid bin Said, who inherited the African section (Zanzibar), or simply not know the specific details of Omani succession, as this is a question about non-Nigerian history.

The Mahdist War $(1881-1899)$ was a significant anti-colonial uprising in Sudan against Egyptian and British influence. It occurred during the late 19th century, a period when European powers, including Britain, were actively conquering and establishing colonial rule across various parts of Africa, including Nigeria. Understanding such resistance movements provides crucial context for the broader process of colonial establishment and African responses to it.

Common mistake: Students might confuse the Mahdist War with other 19th-century Islamic movements in West Africa, or simply guess a date without understanding its historical context within the broader African colonial period.

Nigeria gained independence on October 1, 1960, and promptly joined the United Nations Organization (UNO) as a sovereign state. On October 7, 1960, Nigeria was admitted as the 99th member of the UNO. This significant event marked Nigeria's formal entry into the international community during the era of the First Republic.

Common mistake: Students might incorrectly choose B (100th) because it is a round number, or D (90th) due to a general approximation, rather than recalling the specific historical fact.

South Africa became a republic on 31st May 1961, leaving the Commonwealth. Before this, the head of state was the British monarch, represented by a Governor-General. Charles Robberts Swart, who was the last Governor-General, was then elected as the very first State President of the new Republic of South Africa.

Common mistake: Many students mistakenly choose Nelson Mandela because he was the famous first president of post-apartheid, democratic South Africa in 1994, but he was not the first president of the republic itself which was formed in 1961.

The question directly asks about the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade by Britain, which is a pivotal event in the history of Nigeria during the 19th century. The British Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act in 1807, making the trade of enslaved people illegal throughout the British Empire. This act was a major step towards ending the slave trade and paved the way for the introduction of 'legitimate commerce' in West Africa.

Common mistake: Students might confuse the year of the abolition of the slave trade (1807) with other related dates, such as the abolition of slavery itself in the British Empire (1833), or simply pick a close but incorrect year like 1806.

The Census crisis of $1962/1963$ was a significant political event that occurred shortly after Nigeria gained independence in 1960. It was a major source of instability during the period of the First Republic, which lasted from 1960 to 1966. The dispute over census figures had profound implications for political power and resource distribution.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose later dates, confusing the Census crisis with other political upheavals that occurred closer to the military coups or the Civil War.