WAEC Government 2002 past questions

Checked by the Skolra question team · Last updated 15 October 2026

Ten questions from the 2002 WAEC Government paper, with answers and explanations. We hold 48 questions from this paper, and the Skolra app has all of them.

WAEC Government 2002 questions and answers

1. 1.The ultimate goal of the nationalists in Africa was to
   1. A
      achieve political independence and self-governance
      Correct
   2. B
      establish a continental African military force
   3. C
      secure better trade terms with European powers
   4. D
      reform the colonial administrative system
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   Answer: A

   While early nationalist demands focused on reforms, the ultimate goal of African nationalists was to end colonial rule and attain full political independence and self-determination for their countries.

2. 2.Indirect Rule failed in some areas of West Africa because of the
   1. A
      opposition from European trading companies
   2. B
      introduction of western education
   3. C
      absence of recognized traditional rulers in some societies
      Correct
   4. D
      strength of existing traditional institutions
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   Answer: C

   Indirect Rule failed in areas such as south-eastern Nigeria because many societies were acephalous (lacking centralized traditional rulers), making it impossible to identify legitimate chiefs through whom the British could govern.

3. 3.The principle of checks and balances modifies the theory of
   1. A
      Rule of law
   2. B
      Judicial review
   3. C
      Parliamentary sovereignty
   4. D
      Separation of powers
      Correct
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   Answer: D

   Checks and balances modifies the theory of separation of powers. While separation of powers divides government into three branches, checks and balances ensures each branch can limit the others, preventing any one branch from becoming too powerful.

4. 4.A government headed by a person elected for a fixed period of time is referred to as
   1. A
      Presidential government
      Correct
   2. B
      Monarchical government
   3. C
      Military government
   4. D
      Parliamentary government
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   Answer: A

   A presidential government is headed by a president elected for a fixed tenure. Unlike parliamentary systems where the executive depends on legislative confidence, the president serves a constitutionally defined term regardless of parliamentary composition.

5. 5.After which of the following stages will a bill be said to have reached the report stage in Parliament?
   1. A
      Committee stage
      Correct
   2. B
      First reading
   3. C
      Third reading
   4. D
      Second reading
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   Answer: A

   The report stage follows the committee stage. After a bill has been examined and amended in committee, the committee reports back to the full House, which is the report stage, before the third reading and final vote.

6. 6.Under military governments local authorities issue bye-laws while state governments issue
   1. A
      Decrees
   2. B
      Acts
   3. C
      Bills
   4. D
      Edicts
      Correct
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   Answer: D

   Under military government in Nigeria, state governments (military governors) issued edicts, while the federal military government issued decrees. Local authorities continued to pass bye-laws for their areas.

7. 7.Traditional practices which can be sanctioned by public opinion when they are broken are called
   1. A
      Folkways
   2. B
      Taboos
   3. C
      Mores
      Correct
   4. D
      Laws
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   Answer: C

   Mores are traditional social norms or practices that carry strong moral significance and can attract public sanction when violated. They are more binding than mere folkways and their breach invites community disapproval or punishment.

8. 8.Autonomy of constituent units is an important feature of
   1. A
      Confederate system
   2. B
      Presidential system
   3. C
      Federal system
      Correct
   4. D
      Unitary system
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   Answer: C

   Autonomy of constituent units (states or regions) is a key feature of federalism. In a federal system, the component units have constitutionally guaranteed powers independent of the central government.

9. 9.The method used by the French to show down the development of nationalist activities in West Africa territories was
   1. A
      deploying military force against all protests
   2. B
      incorporating Africans into the French political system through assimilation
      Correct
   3. C
      granting immediate independence to all territories
   4. D
      establishing separate legislative assemblies for Africans
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   Answer: B

   The French slowed nationalism by co-opting Africans into the French political system — granting representation in the French National Assembly and offering citizenship — which diluted separatist demands and focused African ambitions on integration rather than independence.

10. 10.Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) is one of the socialized agencies of the
    1. A
       Non-Aligned Movement
    2. B
       Commonwealth of Nations
    3. C
       African Union
    4. D
       United Nations Organization
       Correct
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    Answer: D

    The FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations, established in 1945 to lead international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security worldwide.

The questions come from past JAMB, WAEC and NECO papers. We use software to help write the answer options and explanations, and every answer is checked twice before it goes on the site. How we check

Spotted a wrong answer? Tell us from the app or on the contact page and we check it.

Practise all 48 questions we hold from the 2002 paper, on a timed CBT screen

Every question has the answer and an explanation, in the Skolra app.

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