Sovereignty is the supreme power of a state to make and enforce laws without outside control, but in practice this power is limited by the following factors.
1. The supremacy of the constitution. In a constitutional state every law and action of government must agree with the constitution, so no organ of government can exercise power beyond it.
2. The presence of international organisations like the OAU, UNO, UNESCO, ECOWAS and OPEC. A state that joins the United Nations Organisation (UNO), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) or similar bodies must obey their charters and decisions.
3. Interdependence of states on external aid. A state that depends on foreign loans, grants or aid often has to accept conditions set by the donors, which limits its freedom of action.
4. The influence of powerful nations like the USA. Strong nations can use economic, military or diplomatic pressure to push weaker states into decisions they would not otherwise take.
5. The application of international laws. Treaties and rules of international law bind every state that accepts them, so a state that breaks them can face sanctions from other states.
How WAEC asks it: “(a) Define sovereignty. (b) Identify any four external limitations to the exercise of sovereignty of a state.” (WASSCE Nov/Dec 2015, Government Paper 2, Question 1).
Examiner’s note: Some candidates lost marks in part (b) by listing the limitations without explaining them.