Constitutional conferences aimed mainly to tinker with the old order but achieving no concrete results etc. The seeming failure of constitutionalism is not unconnected with the nature of the politics of transitions to democracy. The old order never wishes to give away its privileges because the continuation of these privileges has always been the basis of the oppression. To throw off the yoke of oppression therefore implies a loss of privileges by those who are the beneficiaries. As a result, there is always something tentative and uncertain about transitions.
Constitutionalism is one device for ensuring some degree of certainty.
Unfortunately, there are no fool-proof measures to be taken. We can only try to learn from the experience of others by looking at their experiences. The issue of how and where religion and ethnicity fits into all this is problematic because both are neglected themes in African politics. Despite its seeming rigour, the left read the writing wrongly when it came to the role and place of both religion and ethnicity. Both were condemned as being obstacles to genuine national cohesion and other categories of relations such as class where invented.