The first inter-territorial association organised by some educated African elite in the Gold Coast as the ________

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for the first inter-territorial association formed by educated African elites in the Gold Coast. "Inter-territorial" means it covered more than one territory or colony, in this case several British West African colonies, not just the Gold Coast.

Step 2: Explain the concept Early nationalist groups in West Africa were of two kinds:

• Local (territorial) bodies, which worked within one colony. An example is the Aborigines' Rights Protection Society (ARPS), formed in 1897 in the Gold Coast to resist the Crown Lands Bill, which threatened African land ownership.
• Regional (inter-territorial) bodies, which linked the educated elites of several colonies. The main example is the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA), founded in 1920.

Step 3: Evaluate the options

• A. ARPS (1897): This was a Gold Coast body only, so it was not inter-territorial.
• B. NCBWA (1920): The Gold Coast lawyer J.E. Casely Hayford founded it in Accra. It brought together elites from the Gold Coast, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. It demanded elected representation in the legislative councils, and it was the first organisation of this kind in British West Africa.
• C. MEEWA: No such organisation existed in West African history.
• D. WAFF: This was a colonial military force created by the British, not an association of the elite.

Step 4: Answer The first inter-territorial association organised by educated African elites was the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA), so the answer is B.

Exam tip: Match the key word to the organisation:

• "Land rights, Gold Coast only" means ARPS.
• "Inter-territorial or British West Africa" means NCBWA, and you can link it to Casely Hayford in 1920.