Africans were first elected to the legislative council in British West Africa in _________

Analyze the question: It asks where Africans were first elected to a legislative council in British West Africa. The key word is "elected," as opposed to being nominated or appointed by the colonial governor.

Explain the concept: The 1922 Clifford Constitution is the key event here.

• Before 1922, legislative councils in British West Africa were made up of officials and nominated members. Africans who sat on them were appointed by the Governor.
• The Clifford Constitution of 1922 introduced the elective principle to British West Africa for the first time.
• It created a Legislative Council for Nigeria (Lagos Colony and the Southern Provinces) with four elected African seats: three for Lagos and one for Calabar.
• Elections were limited to adult male residents of Lagos and Calabar with an annual income of at least £100.
• This led to the rise of Nigeria's first political parties, such as the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), founded by Herbert Macaulay in 1923.

Check the other options:

• Ghana (Gold Coast): Its 1925 constitution brought in elected African members, but this was after Nigeria's 1922 constitution.
• Sierra Leone: Its 1924 constitution allowed a few elected African members, also after 1922.
• The Gambia: Elected members came later still, in 1947.

Sierra Leone is sometimes argued for because of its long history of African participation in colonial councils. But those members were mostly nominated, not elected. The widely accepted answer for "first elected" is Nigeria, in 1922.

Answer: The Clifford Constitution of 1922 gave Nigeria the first elected African members in British West Africa, so the correct option is D. Nigeria.

Exam tip: Link "1922" with "Clifford" and "first elective principle." A quick way to remember: Nigeria 1922, Sierra Leone 1924, Ghana 1925, Gambia 1947. Whenever you see "first elected," think Clifford and Nigeria.