The highest court in Nigeria before 1963 was the _________

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks which court was at the top of Nigeria's judicial hierarchy before 1963. The year 1963 is the key, because it is when Nigeria became a Republic.

Step 2: The concept Before 1963, Nigeria was still a member of the Commonwealth with the British monarch as Head of State (Queen Elizabeth II was represented by the Governor-General). Because of this, the final court of appeal for Nigerian cases was in Britain, not in Nigeria. This was the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London.

Step 3: Walk through the options

• A. Supreme Court: It existed from 1954, but it was not the final court. Appeals could still go beyond it to London. It became the highest court only in 1963.
• B. High Court: This is a lower court. It handles original and appellate jurisdiction at the state or regional level.
• C. Judicial Committee of the Privy Council: This was the final court of appeal for Nigeria until the 1963 Republican Constitution abolished appeals to it.
• D. Court of Appeal: It was created much later (1976) as an intermediate court between the High Courts and the Supreme Court.

Step 4: Answer The highest court in Nigeria before 1963 was the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which is option C.

Tip: Remember the timeline: Privy Council (before 1963) → Supreme Court (from 1963 as the final court) → Court of Appeal added in 1976 as the middle court. Whenever you see "before 1963" and "highest court", think of Britain's Privy Council.