The first storey building in Nigeria stands as a historic …

Analyze the question: The sentence is "The first storey building in Nigeria stands as a historic ___." We need the word that best describes a building that is preserved for its historical importance.

Explain the concepts (the meanings of each option):

• Effigy: a sculpture or model of a person (for example, a burnt effigy). It cannot describe a building.
• Artefact: a small, portable man-made object of historical or cultural interest, such as a pot, tool or ornament. A building is not usually called an artefact.
• Monument: a structure, building or site preserved because of its historical importance or to commemorate a person or event. "Historic monument" is a very common collocation.
• Edifice: a large, imposing building. It describes size and grandeur, not historical significance. It would also be repetitive, since the subject is already a building.

Step-by-step solution:

1. The subject is a building: "the first storey building in Nigeria".
2. The phrase "stands as a historic ___" means it serves as a lasting reminder of the past.
3. Effigy and artefact are ruled out because they do not describe a building.
4. Edifice does mean a building, but it does not carry the idea of commemorating history. The sentence would also be redundant: "a building stands as a historic building".
5. Monument fits best because it is a structure preserved for its historical value. This is the case with the Badagry first storey building, which is a national historic monument.

Correct answer: C. monument

Tip: When a question asks about something "historic" that "stands as" a reminder, think monument. Remember: artefact = small object, effigy = statue or likeness of a person, edifice = big impressive building, monument = a structure preserved for history.