Decolonizing the Nigerian Legal System

The book investigates the continuing influence of British colonial legacies, practices and structures on various aspects and sectors of Nigeria’s legal system.The book systematically uncovers the colonial underpinnings of Nigeria’s past and current legal systems. Moving beyond the making of the constitution, the book considers ongoing lawmaking process and structures, past and recent legislations affecting the legal systems, the Supreme Court’s interpretations of the constitution, and several other dynamics influencing the legal system, such as the treatment of customary and Islamic law. Overall, whilst the book exposes the various continuing influences of British colonialism, the book also contends that this influence seems to be slowly waning.This comprehensive and critical examination of the last hundred years of the Nigerian legal system will be an important read for researchers of African law, politics, and history.