WASSCE Government · Paper 1 style

Pre-colonial systems

One sample question with the full working. 10 more in the app, with instant feedback and repair sessions for the traps below.

In the pre-colonial Old Oyo Empire, the Alaafin's power was checked mainly by the

AAsantehene
BOyomesi
CEmir
DOzo title holders

Show the answer and working

Answer: B

The council of chiefs led by the Bashorun could ask the Alaafin to commit suicide.

Trap A Confuses pre-colonial political systems: Hausa-Fulani: centralised emirates under the Emir with Sharia. Old Oyo: Alaafin checked by Oyomesi, Ogboni. Igbo: acephalous/segmentary, council of elders, age grades. Ashanti: Asantehene with the Golden Stool, confederacy.

Trap C Mixes up pre-colonial political systems: Keep one card per system: Hausa-Fulani (Emir, Waziri, Alkali, Sharia), Oyo (Alaafin, Oyomesi, Bashorun, Ogboni), Igbo (acephalous, age grades, elders), Ashanti (Asantehene, Okyeame).

Trap D Mixes up pre-colonial political systems: Keep one card per system: Hausa-Fulani (Emir, Waziri, Alkali, Sharia), Oyo (Alaafin, Oyomesi, Bashorun, Ogboni), Igbo (acephalous, age grades, elders), Ashanti (Asantehene, Okyeame).

Traps in Pre-colonial systems

Confuses pre-colonial political systems
Hausa-Fulani: centralised emirates under the Emir with Sharia. Old Oyo: Alaafin checked by Oyomesi, Ogboni. Igbo: acephalous/segmentary, council of elders, age grades. Ashanti: Asantehene with the Golden Stool, confederacy.
Mixes up pre-colonial political systems
Keep one card per system: Hausa-Fulani (Emir, Waziri, Alkali, Sharia), Oyo (Alaafin, Oyomesi, Bashorun, Ogboni), Igbo (acephalous, age grades, elders), Ashanti (Asantehene, Okyeame).
Reverses the principle or its effect
Ask what problem the principle is meant to solve; the right answer serves that purpose, the reversal defeats it.
Confuses legislative structures
Unicameral = one chamber (Ghana); bicameral = two (Nigeria: Senate + House of Reps). Speaker presides; whips enforce party discipline; quorum is the minimum number to transact business.
Uses the everyday meaning of a term
Recall the textbook definition of the term before matching options.
Picks a closely related concept
Learn related terms as contrasting pairs with one-line definitions, then identify which one the stem describes.
Gives only one part of the concept
Recall the full definition and check the option covers it, not just one component.

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