The under listed countries are founding members of Commonwealth of Nations EXCEPT

Analyze the question: You are asked to pick the country that was NOT a founding member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Concept: The Commonwealth began as the "British Commonwealth of Nations." It was formalised by the Balfour Declaration of 1926 and the Statute of Westminster in 1931. The founding members were the self-governing dominions of the British Empire:

• United Kingdom
• Canada
• Australia
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• Newfoundland
• Irish Free State (Ireland)

These countries were recognised as equal, autonomous communities within the British Empire.

Solution:

• A. Australia was a founding dominion.
• B. Canada was a founding dominion.
• C. Ireland (the Irish Free State) was a founding dominion. It later left in 1949.
• D. Nigeria was still a British colony. It gained independence on 1 October 1960 and then joined the Commonwealth, so it is not a founding member.
• E. South Africa was a founding dominion (it later withdrew in 1961 and rejoined in 1994).

Answer: Nigeria is the exception, so the answer is D.

Tip: Remember that founding members were the "white-settler" dominions of the 1920s-30s. Any African or Asian country that became independent after 1945 (Nigeria, Ghana, India, etc.) joined later and so is not a founding member. South Africa is the only African founding member.