One of the major reasons why countries choose federalism is because of size. In examining post-independence constitution-making in Nigeria, this chapter finds that military rule blighted Nigerias capacity to respond appropriately to the challenges of federalism. /F5 18 0 R This makes it possible for the minorities to be separated from the domination of big ethnic groups. Federalism is a defined or is said to be the system where powers are shared between central and regional governments so that each is in a sphere coordinate and are independent. Federalism is a system of government where there are a decentralization power and autonomy of governance to the regional or federated states that share sovereignty with the Federal Government. Such arrangement would inter alia breed neglect, frustration and aggression; no thanks to the red-tape inherent in unitarism. Between 1960 and 1996, the three regions have been divided into smaller entities which are now known as states and their boundaries were reorganised. From the onset, Nigeria, like most of her federating peers, has faced one major challenge in the course of her political voyage - the crisis of who is who. Ordinarily and without much logicality, by who is who, one means the problematic and destructive component of identity. 2023, Bscholarly LLC. Also see: Reasons why lawyers wear wigs to court, Origin and nature of federalism in Nigeria. Over the years the fiscal federalism in Nigeria has crystallised and remained . Each document posted on the site includes a link to the corresponding official PDF file on govinfo.gov. More so, the colonial masters with the Richards Constitution in 1947 launched Nigeria onto the path of the present federal system of government via the regionalization of the country. Meaningful studies, especially the comparative study of Vile, have significantly shown that emerging challenges of conflict, cooperation and competition amongst levels of government in classical federalist states such as U.S., Canada and Australia, are important rationales for federating as well as the hallmarks of federal government (Vile, cited in Jinadu, 1979). Thus, federalism is mostly considered a tangible element for coexistence, but much more, I think, as political syrup, for adumbrating potent dislocations inherent in, and symptomatic of pluralist societies. It was under the 1954 constitution that federal system of government was fully adopted. All these strengthen political bonds and gave Rice to unity in diversity. (8 Best Paying Jobs), General consensus among our leaders when seeking independence from Britain. In the case of Nigeria - how the oil money will be (in)judiciously dealt with. Local Government In Nigeria : Definition, Functions, And Importance, Bad Leadership Causes, Effects And Solutions In Nigeria, How To Calculate OAU Aggregate Score for Admission, Best Education Websites and Blogs In Nigeria (2021), Lakzeland Regional High School Board Of Education, Student Loan Planning Educational Webinar With Justin Rice, Is Agricultural Chemicals a Good Career Path? Pls visit us again dear reader. government and the governed by enhancing political cohesion in such country with regional, ethic, racial, linguistic and cultural diversity like Nigeria. Keywords: Civil war, Secession, Self-determination, Nationalism and Restructuring, This work critically examines the issues undermining the unification of Nigeria, using indicators and concepts including failed state, separatist agitation and insecurity. With the total area of 923,768 km, Nigeria can not justifiably be administered by a lone leviathan from the top. Moreover, . Fiscal Federalism and Democratic Governance in Nigeria - I. O. Taiwo 2004 That is often the reason why some adherents of Marx quarrel vehemently about such preordained classification such as: haves and have-nots; and the liberal minds grappling with, insisting not only that all hands are not equal, but that they must never, for whatsoever reason at all, be made equal - believing that that would tantamount to the highest injustice. However, that is not so in a federal government system. /BitsPerComponent 8 This understanding is also in tune with that of Jinadu (1979:15), who insists that Federalism is usually viewed as a form of governmental and institutional structure, deliberately designed by political architects, to cope with the twin but difficult task of maintaining unity while also preserving diversity. It is no news, therefore, that the peoples of Nigeria are diverse in different respects culturally, historically, socially, religiously, educationally, industriously, and even philosophically. federalism, a heavily coercive effort by a nondemocratic centralizing power to put together a multinational state, some of the components of which had previously been independent states. Unity of the country: 3.3 3. Trouble for INEC staff who violated Electoral Act during presidential polls as c 53 things to do with your boyfriend: fun ways to spend time together, Presidential election: Jack-Rich salutes Tinubu, Shettima over victory, Maritime workers hail Supreme Court over old naira notes, says cargo can now leave ports, Dating apps in Nigeria: best applications to help you find the one. The states were later increased to 30 states. ), Constitutionalism, Constitution Making and Constitutional Reform in Africa: Contemporary Perspectives from Sub-Saharan Africa, Chapter IX: The politics and policies of oil deregulation in Nigeria: Implications and policy suggestions. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz Pillars of democracy: 7 Essential pillars of democracy. Thus, there is continuous agitation by many ethnic nationalities for a sovereign national conference in order to renegotiate the Nigeria federal deal to put Nigeria on the path of true federalism to guarantee her unity and co-existence. Another major reason why federalism was adopted in Nigeria is the multiple ethnic backgrounds in Nigeria. All attempts to solve these problems over the years have failed. The unity here is brought about by the desire of the component units of the federation to form union in respect of some matters. It means that the sovereign unit (Centre) and local units . Federalism in Nigeria can be traced to Sir Frederick Lord Lugard, when the Northern and Southern protectorates were amalgamated in 1914. /Resources << Promoters of the idea were of the view that the This allows the central or federal government to share governmental powers between the central or federal government and the components regions, state, etc. The fact that these nations chose to adopt a federal system does not prove anything; it does, however, suggest that federalism may help these countries manage the problems that come with ethnic . The federal system adopted in 1954 comprised a national government and three regional governments: Eastern, Northern, and Western. The post war efforts for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of the Igbo secessionist into the post-civil war Nigeria through the (3Rs) policy of rehabilitation, reconstruction and reconciliation (the 3Rs) to promote national unity and nationalism have failed to yield desire result. five reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria explained. It has been suggested that the creation of more states and local government have helped in the distribution of national cake. Federalism was favoured among other systems of government in a bid to averting . Problems of Nigerian Federalism 1) Revenue Allocation: This has been a problem in Nigeria. << This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. In many countries of the world, federalism has emerged as a means of accommodating the growing desire of people to preserve or revive the intimacy of small societies and the growing necessity for larger combinations to mobilize the utilization of common resources. POL 124 MAIN CONTENT Mar 21, 2011 NEW (1), Resource Control, Federalism and Peace in the Niger Delta: A Reflection on Nigeria at Fifty, Federalism and Revenue Allocation in Nigeria: A Critical Evaluation of the Derivation Principle, Legal Framework for Fiscal Federalism: Issues and Options for Reform, RESOURCE CONTROL, REVENUE ALLOCATION AND PETROLEUM POLITICS IN NIGERIA: THE NIGER DELTA QUESTION, Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations in Nigeria's Fourth Republic: Issues and Challenges, The Nigerian State and the Quest for Restructuring: Implications for Democratic Consolidation, Federalism, Democracy and Constitutionalism: The Nigerian Experience. This paper is a critical exploration of the current challenges bedeviling the Nigerian state, capable of heating up the polity and disintegrating the Nigerian project. In 1939 sir Bernard Bourdillion made a serious constitutional proposal which concluded having regional councils with a central council in Lagos. Not minding the general relevance of these coinages, an arduous task lies in properly assessing their specific impacts in a given political enclave. Excellent, thanks a lot f Nigeria is confronted to the boomerang effects of the evolution of its federalism. %PDF-1.5 That notwithstanding, The origin and concept of federalism boasts of a very popular definition by an American scholar, K.C. 4 0 obj It was subsequently, not until after the American constitution of 1787, that a new concept of federalism was introduced. You can download the paper by clicking the button above. Moreover, it is important to note that most of the ethnic groups in Nigeria had strong political inter-group relationship before colonial rule. Minority Issues and the Creation of State | Week 10. A large body of literature exists on Nigeria's fiscal federalism particularly with reference to revenue allocation. This is why there is a clamoring for restructuring and true federalism in Nigeria. Power Sharing Formula Naturally, federal system of government has some distinctive features namely: 1. Federalism And Intergovernmental Relations In Nigeria. To make mortgage industry standards more flexible and modernized, the proposed rule would remove the requirement that lenders and mortgagees register with HUD each branch office . FOR CLIENTS OUTSIDE NIGERIA. Notwithstanding the above reasons for the adoption of Nigerian federalism, we can also mention some specific factors peculiar to Nigeria. ICT services have help in the improvement of the markets, reduction in transaction costs and increase . So majority if not all of them were in favor of a federalist system of governance. Do you want to know the basis and the reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria? It forays into the inherent issues underlying the Biafran movement and the ways in which those issues, as well as Biafran agitation, are inimical to Nigeria's development. Since Nigeria is a heterogeneous nation and Federalism is more practicable in such kind of nation, it is an ideal system of government. The USA and Canada were formed with the above interest at heart. Federalism in Nigeria refers to the devolution of self-governance by the West African nation of Nigeria to its federated states, who share sovereignty with the Federal Government . This is so because where federal principles apply, the various ethnic groups that cannot or dont form majority to produce large part may have the opportunity of governing themselves within their federating unit controlled by them. we are proud to nigeria our inherited country,god bless nigeria. Are there certain inherent and primordial grievances and preferences? If the desire to remain separate does not exist, the the association will not be federal but unitary with some delegation of powers to local government. The contradictions generated by this rigional arrangement threatened Nigeria unity. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. It also decided that the Public . Matters, enumerated in the exclusive list are selected for the federal authority, while matters that fall within the concurrent list are selected for the federal government, and the regions. Federalism is a type of government in which the sovereign authority of political power is usually divided between two units. In 1963 Midwestern region was created and Nigeria became a nation of four regions. << Consequently, the economic condition was one of the reasons that led to the adoption of federal systems of government in both Nigeria and South Africa. Minority Marginalization 3.6 6. Also it is more useful to expansiate on them. There are Benin and Togo in between Ghana and Nigeria, two of the former British African colonies. Abacha regime, added more states making Nigeria a federation of 36 states and Federal capital Territory at Abuja. As I have already explained, Nigeria is an amalgamation of three different regions with beliefs and customs. Federal System of Government/Federalism | Week 8. One of the major reasons why countries choose federalism is because of size. Again, in 1967 twelve states were created to appease the interest of those clamoring for states and weaken the geo-political holds of Biafra. Federalism as a system of government has been approached with variegated definitions such that one might argue that there are much definitions of federalism as there are authors on the subject. a group of selected academic teachers this book is suitable for adoption as a resource for a case driven approach to teaching "Corporate Governance" courses at an upper undergraduate or graduate level. The proximity of the tongues and tribes in Nigeria made it possible for the adoption of federalism in the country. Everybody would likely agree that the conscious awareness and awakening of the course of who is who invariably determines who gets what, perhaps when and how. politicization of ethnicity or the ethnicization of the politics of state creation that Nigeria has witnessed in recent years. Do you know the reasons for federalism in Nigeria? Reasons For The Adoption Of Federalism In Nigeria. The possible reasons for the practice of federalism in Nigeria are several, and have, for instance, been presented as British imposition targeted at a post-colonial relationship, or as a. In Nigeria, there are different and distinct ethnic groups brought together by colonization. 3 Reasons for federal system of government in Nigeria 3.1 1. Federalism did not return to Nigeria until after his death. /MediaBox [0 0 612 792] Present Nigeria was formed by the amalgamation of two regions which many see as a big influence in why federalism was later adopted by the British and later on by Nigerian leaders as at the time of independence. However, where there is a conflict of authority between the federal government and regional government, the federal authority supersedes. Thus, federalism seemed to be the only option left for Nigeria because it allows for popular participation in government. Dual federalism was dominant from the 1790s until the 1930s. Why do nations federate?, what are the factors or conditions to have necessitated the adoption of federalism?, how is a federation to be organized?, how is power to be shared between the levels of government in a federation?, is federalism a means to an end or an end itself?, why do some federations succeed and others fail?. Nigeria did not choose federal system of government because it is the best or most practiced system of government in the world. Prior to independence, it is believed that the British adopted federalism because it favored their interest. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. What were the reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria? It discovered a positive relationship between the changes in the fiscal structure and the aggravation of ethnic minorities' struggles. /F6 21 0 R I love this article,very educating and interesting The second theory focuses on the existence of external military or diplomatic threat for the origin of federalism. INTRO: Federalism has been approached with variegated definitions such that one might argue that there are as much definitions of federalism as there are authors on the subject. This was one of the major reasons for the creation of the newer and smaller states after the independence. In some areas where major communal or other social antagonism cuts across territorial boundaries, ranging through all the federating units, communities or classes have been driven to seek to protect or strengthen their position by inter-territorial union. Also see: Differences between 1960 and 1963 constitution of Nigeria, reasons for federal system of government in nigeria. The crux of the matter is that the minorities fear the domination of the majorities, but federalism allows them some independent existence, and as such, their fears, both real and fancied, are allayed. Federalism therefore involves the linkage of individuals, groups and policies in lasting but limited union in such a way as to provide for the energetic pursuit of common goals while maintaining the respective integrities of all parties.