NWABUEZE, B. O.2024-02-242024-02-241973https://nigeriareposit.nln.gov.ng/handle/20.500.14186/1261Government is universally accepted to be a necessity, since man cannot fully realise himself — his creativity, his dignity and his whole personality - except within an ordered society. Yet the necessity for government creates its own problem for man, the problem of how to limit the arbitrariness inherent in government, and to ensure that its powers are to be used for the good ofsociety. It is this limiting of the arbitrariness of political power that is expressed in the concept of constitutionalism. Constitutionalism I recognises-thejiecessity forgovernment but insists upon a limitation n being,placedupon its powers. It connotes in essence therefore a ‘limitation on government; it is the antithesis of arbitrary rule; ' its opposite is despotic government, the government of will instead of law.The concept of constitutionalism; The constitution in emergent states; The westminster export model and constitutionalism; Constitutionalism and national unity in Nigeria national unity as a foundation for constitutionalism; Ineffectiveness of federalism to foster national unity, stability and constitutionalism in Nigeria; The practice of constitutlonalism in emergent states generally; Constitutionalism and the frequent incidence of emergencies in new nations; Coups d’Etat in emergent states and their implications for constitutionalism; Secession and its implication for constitutionalism and legality;enBook