Concept:A stateless society has no centralized authority or formal government structure.
Explanation:Statelessness in pre-colonial Nigeria meant the society operated without formal governmental institutions.
There were no kings, chiefs, or bureaucratic administrative bodies to enforce laws centrally.
Instead, governance was based on kinship ties, age grades, and councils of elders.
These societies maintained order through shared customs, family lineage, and communal decision‑making.
Their independence and population size did not determine their stateless status.
The key feature was the absence of institutionalized political authority.
This is why such societies are described as stateless.
Answer:Option A – They had no formal governmental institutions.