During the traditional politics in Nigeria, in which polity was rulership invariably a form of gerontocracy?

Analyze the question: Gerontocracy means rule by elders, where authority comes from age and seniority. The question asks which traditional Nigerian polity was ruled this way.

Explain the concept: Traditional Nigerian political systems fall into three broad types:

• Centralized monarchies/emirates: the Hausa-Fulani (emirs and the Sultan), the Kanuri (Mai/Shehu), the Yoruba (Oba) and the Edo (Oba of Benin). Authority was hereditary or by selection within royal lineages, with a hierarchy of officials.
• Stateless (acephalous) or segmentary societies: the Igbo and Tiv. There was no single king. Power was spread across lineages and villages.
• Among these stateless societies, decisions were made by councils of elders (the Ndichie or Umunna among the Igbo), age-grade associations carried out the decisions, and the oldest man in a lineage (the Okpara) held ritual authority.

Working through the options:

• A. Edo: a centralized monarchy under the Oba, so not gerontocracy.
• B. Hausa-Fulani: an emirate system under emirs, with Islamic and hereditary rule.
• C. Igbo: traditionally ruled by elders. The village assembly, the council of elders and the age-grade system gave authority to the senior members of society. This is the classic example of gerontocracy.
• D. Kanuri: a centralized monarchy under the Mai and later the Shehu.
• E. Tiv: also a stateless society, with elders of the compound and lineage playing a major role. But the Tiv are usually described as a segmentary lineage system, and the Igbo are the standard textbook example of rule by elders.

Tip: Link "gerontocracy" with "elders" and the Igbo. Remember the Igbo as "republican" or "age-grade/elders" and the Hausa-Fulani, Kanuri, Yoruba and Edo as "monarchical". When the options include both Igbo and Tiv, pick the one the textbooks use as the standard example of elder rule, which is the Igbo.