Explicit GOVERNMENT

RAYMOND ILORI

221 pages

To the student opening this book, perhaps with an examination approaching and a great deal still to learn, I want to begin with a simple assurance: Government is a subject you can understand. Its unfamiliar terms, constitutional dates and institutional names become easier to remember when you see the ideas that connect them. A difficult topic need not remain difficult, and an incorrect answer can become the beginning of a better understanding. Political phenomena are evolving quickly. Electoral laws change, institutions acquire new responsibilities, and international alliances are reshaped. Public debate now travels rapidly through digital media, placing competing accounts of political events before young people every day. Students must learn to distinguish an enduring principle from a changing arrangement, and a historical fact from a statement about the present. Existing textbooks offer valuable foundations, but accounts that have not kept pace with these developments can leave gaps between what students read and what SSCE and JAMB syllabuses require them to understand and apply. A list of definitions, or a collection of answers without explanations, cannot by itself prepare a learner to interpret an unfamiliar question. This need for clear, current and purposeful preparation is why I consider Explicit Government essential to the student's study. I have organised this book around the topics of the JAMB Government syllabus, bringing together explanations, comparisons, historical context and examination practice. It also supports the study of Government at senior secondary level. The chapters move from the basic ideas of government to Nigeria's political development and her place in international affairs. Particular care is taken to explain the period to which a law, institution or past question belongs, so that yesterday's arrangements are not mistaken for today's rules. The 1,600 revision questions give you repeated opportunities to turn reading into understanding. Questions are grouped by topic, while the answer keys and explanations at the back help you discover why a choice is correct. Use them honestly. Attempt the questions before looking at the answers, return to the notes when an explanation reveals a gap, and try the difficult items again after a few days. Confidence grows when you can explain your reasoning and recognise your own progress. For SSCE preparation, practise expressing these ideas in complete sentences as well. Explain a concept, develop the relevant points and support them with suitable examples. For JAMB, learn to read the wording of each question carefully and distinguish the best answer from an option that is only partly true. In both examinations, careful understanding gives your preparation a stronger foundation. My hope is that this book will help you approach your examination with greater confidence, discipline and a clear sense of what you know. Your success will grow through steady effort, and every well-used study session brings you closer to it. Beyond the examination, may the knowledge you gain help you ask thoughtful questions about public life and recognise your responsibilities within it.