The Nigerian Supreme Court became the highest court of appeal in the

Analyze the question: The question asks which constitution made the Supreme Court Nigeria's highest court of appeal. This is about the history of Nigeria's judiciary.

Explain the concept: Before independence, Nigeria's final court of appeal was the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. Appeals from Nigerian courts could go all the way to the Privy Council, which was a British institution.

• 1954 (Lyttleton) Constitution: Introduced federalism and a Federal Supreme Court, but appeals could still go to the Privy Council.
• 1960 (Independence) Constitution: Nigeria became independent, but the Privy Council remained the final appellate court for certain matters. The Federal Supreme Court was still not the final court.
• 1963 (Republican) Constitution: Nigeria became a Republic and severed ties with the British Crown. Appeals to the Privy Council were abolished, and the Supreme Court replaced the Federal Supreme Court as the highest court of appeal in the land.

Step-by-step solution:

1. Identify what changed: the Privy Council's role as the final court had to end.
2. This could only happen when Nigeria cut its constitutional links with Britain, which happened when it became a Republic on 1 October 1963.
3. The 1963 Constitution created the Supreme Court of Nigeria as the highest court of appeal.

Exam tip: Remember the link "1963 = Republic = Supreme Court = no more Privy Council." Whenever you see a question about the end of British judicial control, think 1963.