History Syllabus

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓identify the geographical zones and the people within them
• ✓establish the relationship between the people and the environment
• ✓relate the impact of geography on human activity in the specific zones
• ✓comprehend the relationships among the various peoples of the Nigeria area

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓highlight the main features of the early centres of civilization
• ✓examine the significance of various centres
• ✓establish the historical significance of the various monuments such as caves and rocky formations

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓relate the different groups of people occupying the various zones to their traditions of origin
• ✓determine the inter-state relations
• ✓account for their social and political organizations
• ✓highlight the differences between centralized and non-centralized (acephalous) states

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓identify the various economic activities of the people
• ✓differentiate the economic activities and specialties of the people
• ✓relate trade and other economic activities to the growth of the states

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓assess the impact of the contact with North Africa on the people and states South of the Sahara
• ✓highlight the role of the Tuaregs in the trans-Saharan trade
• ✓examine the impact of early European contact with the coastal people
• ✓outline the impact of the early Christians missionary activities in the coastal areas
• ✓trace the origin, organization and impact of the trans-Atlantic slave trade

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the causes and the course of the Jihad
• ✓determine the factors that led to the rise of the caliphate
• ✓examine the administrative set-up of the caliphate and its relations with its neighbours
• ✓examine the impact of the caliphate
• ✓trace the internal and external factors that led to the collapse of the caliphate

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓highlight the factors for the long survival of the Saifawa dynasty
• ✓determine the factors that led to the collapse of the Saifawa dynasty
• ✓examine Borno under the administration of the Shehus
• ✓assess the role of Rabeh in Borno’s history

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the causes and the implications of the fall of the Old Oyo Empire
• ✓examine the causes and effects of the Yoruba wars
• ✓assess the impact of the 1886 peace treaty

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the internal political and cultural development
• ✓examine her relations with her neighbours
• ✓assess her relationship with the Europeans

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine Nupe internal political and cultural development
• ✓assess her relations with her neighbours
• ✓highlight the scope and nature of Nupe Imperialism

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine Igbo internal political and cultural development
• ✓assess her relations with her neighbours

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine Efik internal political and cultural development
• ✓assess her relations with her neighbours

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the motive for the exploration of the interior
• ✓give reasons for the suppression of the trans-Atlantic slave trade
• ✓trace the development of commodity trade
• ✓examine missionary and European activities in the area
• ✓assess the activities of the European trading companies
• ✓account for the rise of consular authority

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓highlight the factors responsible for the bombardment and annexation of Lagos
• ✓determine the reasons for the conquest and the methods used during the second phase
• ✓examine the various acts of resistance to the conquest
• ✓evaluate the results and the aftermath of the conquest

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓outline the various features and methods of the British pacification and occupation of the territories
• ✓examine the administrative set-up of the Protectorates

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the reasons for the 1914 Amalgamation and its effects

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓relate the composition of the central administrative set-up to its consequences
• ✓identify the reasons for the introduction and workings of the indirect rule system
• ✓assess the effects of indirect rule
• ✓examine the local administrative units
• ✓account for the anti-colonial movements and their significance

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the nature of the economy as it affected the society under colonial rule

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓identify the scope of social development under colonial rule
• ✓examine the impact of urbanization on the people
• ✓examine the level of social integration among the people

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓highlight the significance of the Clifford constitution of 1922
• ✓examine the effect of World War II on the agitations for independence and constitutional developments
• ✓trace the emergence of the nationalist movement
• ✓assess the roles of the different constitutions in constitutional development
• ✓trace the development of party politics and its impact on regionalism and the minority question
• ✓examine the impact of the constitutional conferences on the move towards independence
• ✓determine the factors that aided the attainment of independence

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓give reasons behind the struggle for the control of the centre
• ✓account for the controversies in revenue allocation
• ✓account for the controversies generated by the 1962/63 census
• ✓highlight the key features and significance of the 1963 constitution
• ✓account for the controversies generated by minority agitations and the quest for creation of states
• ✓examine the problems created by the Action Group crisis and the General Elections of 1964/65
• ✓analyse the consequences of the 1966 military intervention

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the remote and immediate causes of the war
• ✓examine the course
• ✓assess the effects of the war

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓assess the challenges and achievements of the Gowon Regime

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓assess the challenges and achievements of the Murtala/Obasanjo Regime

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓evaluate the challenges and achievements of the Second Republic

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓assess the challenges and achievements of the Buhari Regime

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓assess the challenges and achievements of the Babangida Regime

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the role and challenges of the Interim National Government

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓assess the challenges and achievements of the Abacha Regime

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓assess challenges and achievements of the Abdulsalami Regime
• ✓examine the role of the key actors in the transition process and the growth and development of the Fourth Republic

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the role of Nigeria in ECOWAS
• ✓assess the role of Nigeria in the AU
• ✓evaluate the role of Nigeria in the Commonwealth of Nations
• ✓assess the role of Nigeria in the OPEC
• ✓examine the role of Nigeria in the UN
• ✓examine the role of Nigeria in conflict resolutions in the Congo, Chad, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Sudan

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓establish the relationship between the Sokoto Jihad and other Jihads in West Africa
• ✓compare the achievements of the Jihads of Seku Ahmadu and Al-Hajj Umar
• ✓examine the activities of Samori Toure of the Madinka Empire

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓determine the factors that led to the founding of Sierra Leone and Liberia
• ✓examine the importance of Sierra Leone and Liberia in the spread and impact of Christianity in West Africa
• ✓assess the impact of Christian missionary activities in West Africa

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓determine the factors that aided Mohammad Ali’s rise to power and his reforms
• ✓establish the relationship between Mohammad Ali’s Empire and the Europeans
• ✓account for the fiscal policies of Ismail
• ✓examine the reasons for the British occupation of Egypt

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the factors that led to the rise of Theodore II as the Emperor of Ethiopia
• ✓analyse the strategies that were adopted to achieve Ethiopian unification
• ✓assess the role of Menelik II in the maintenance of Ethiopian independence

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓trace events in Nguniland before the Mfecane
• ✓determine the factors that led to the rapid rise of Shaka
• ✓examine the causes, course and consequences of the Mfecane

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓determine the factors that led to the frontier wars
• ✓account for British intervention in the Boer-African relations
• ✓describe the nature of the Great Trek
• ✓examine its consequences

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓understand the concept of the New Imperialism
• ✓assess the justifications for the New Imperialism
• ✓examine the causes of the scramble and the nations involved
• ✓account for the significance of the Berlin Conference
• ✓highlight African resistance to the occupation

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine and compare the patterns of colonial rule by the various European powers

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the policies employed by the colonial rulers and the magnitude of African discontent
• ✓assess the impact of the First and Second World Wars on African nationalism
• ✓determine the strategies used in the attainment of independence

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓trace the origin of Apartheid in South Africa
• ✓give reasons for the rise of Afrikaner Nationalism
• ✓highlight Apartheid laws
• ✓relate the internal reactions to Apartheid to the African struggle for majority rule
• ✓relate the contributions of African states and international organizations to the fight against Apartheid
• ✓identify the steps taken towards the dismantling of Apartheid in South Africa
• ✓assess the post-Apartheid developments in South Africa

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

• ✓examine the political and economic problems faced by African countries in nation-building
• ✓assess the effects of natural disasters on Africa
• ✓determine the role of ethnic and religious problems in Africa
• ✓examine the role and implications of military interventions in African politics
• ✓examine the role and implications of neo-colonialism in Africa
• ✓highlight the problems of boundary disputes
• ✓establish the relationship between civil wars and refugee problems in Africa
• ✓examine the consequences of terrorism for African states and societies
• ✓enumerate the effects of globalisation on African nations