However, it is also fact that since independence Nigeria has promulgated several constitutions and that if Nigeria wanted an alternative system of government, she could have opted for it. Keywords: Federalism, Nigeria, ethnic groups, federal character principle . /Font << 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. 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. Revenue Allocation and Economic Development in Nigeria: An Empirical 2013 PP.100-107, This paper explores the issue of unification federalism in Nigeria, which has been an obstacle to peace, development and threats to security .The findings from an extensive reading of related materials suggest that, the root of contemporary political conflict and underdevelopment in Nigeria political landscape shows clearly in the area of imbalance political structures that were established before and after independence. This has led to a deep sense of alienation and politics of ethnic identity. This paper explores the issue of unification federalism in Nigeria, which has been an obstacle to peace, development and threats to security .The findings from an extensive reading of related materials suggest that, the root of contemporary political conflict and underdevelopment in Nigeria political landscape shows clearly in the area of Fourthly, there shall be the existence of court to interpret the constitution as it applies to cases and conflicts among the tiers of government. 7 Reasons for Federalism in Nigeria: Why Nigeria Adopted Federal System Economic factors in adoption of federalism in Nigeria are not unconnected with the issues of resource control, wealth generation and redistribution, and income distribution. This was one of the major reasons for the creation of the newer and smaller states after the independence. You can download the paper by clicking the button above. READ ALSO: Reasons for political apathy in Nigeria, Get the hottest stories from the largest news site in Nigeria. PDF Introduction: Federalism in Nigeria - JSTOR Another important factor that necessitated federalism in Nigeria was the political culture of the country. Military administration does not apply the principle of federation. 3l:rmO"XDhG%2| What are the reasons Nigeria adopted the Federalism system of government in Nigeria? Policy Brief on the agitation for cessation of Biafra republic from the Nigerian state, response to the agitation and the options to address the issues. This notwithstanding, the concept of federalism boasts of a very popular definition by an American scholar, K.C. @VF:8=|@5&/1df gbjtCoy(L5A,JCI1/'5DT8`A!UY*&wTN5[v;KXvH* 5:>}W^Bp_ ;R!&L %s\q'(], The chief architect of this theory is Riker. Have you ever wondered why Nigeria is practicing a federal system of government and not any other system? PDF The Efficacy of Federalism in a Multi-Ethnic State: The Nigerian - CORE Stated reasons of the coup were prevailing gangsterism and disorder, corruption and nepotism in the civil government. The regional government had power over matters that are listed under the residual list. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! There must be a formal decision of government powers by the constitution between the federal and state government. It is also an undisputed fact that the Hausas and Yorubas fought Biafra to keep the unity of Nigeria. Nigeria, a previously unitary state, became a federation in 1954. Here, both the majority and minority are represented in the government. sir Arthur Richards strengthened this proposal in 1945 and regionalism was introduced by his administration in 1946. by the federal or any state government. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Reasons for the Adoption of Federalism in Nigeria. It is important to also reason that small states are prone to domination and sometimes control by the big ones. The Plural nature of Nigeria: Nigeria is a plural society of over 250 tongues and tribes. Federalism was implemented in Nigeria as way back as 1946 during the British colonial era. >> I have said that Nigeria is reputed to be the largest black country around, even Nigeria has claimed to be the giant of Africa by . Common national, racial, religious, cultural linguistic or social ties have often contributed to the unification of political unit. %PDF-1.5 /F4 15 0 R All these strengthen political bonds and gave Rice to unity in diversity. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. To avert this domination, states unite to form a strong, virile and stable union capable of withstanding external attacks. /Type /XObject So for effective governance of a country of this big size, federalism has to be adopted. Population of the country For this alone, one thinks in consonance with the conviction of dominant scholarship, that such clustering and bundling of diverse identities in an amalgamative sense, in the case of Nigeria, is too, an irreconcilable British experimentalism of the federal principle. Nigeria is a plural society of over 250 tongues and tribes. In Nigerian democracy, there is a federalist system of government. Advantages and Disadvantages of Federalism - Course Hero This regional arrangement gave rise to ethnic sentiment and political struggle for the center among the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria. In this article, i will comprehensively discuss the reasons for federalism in Nigeria. Therefore, the adoption of a federal political framework in Nigeria was a necessity as the system was the only viable option for a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria. (PDF) Nigeria: a model of federalist ethnic conflict management or Federalism in India - Analysis of the Indian Constitution The analysis of the emerging issues and scenarios as well as the response options aims at supporting the efforts of different stakeholders including the Federal government on managing the current pro-Biafra agitation. Even the masses in the rural areas of the country are allowed to participate in politics by electing their representatives into office. Also, the adoption of the Littleton constitution of 1954 laid further credence to . /Height 235 It will schock you to know Nigerias adoption of federalism was also in the interest of the leaders. /Length 3884 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? 7 Functions of Nigerian Federalism - Information Guide in Nigeria Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. Political culture of Nigeria: 3.4 4. This embodies ideas of promise, obligation, and undertaking; and consequently, the federal idea draws on collaboration, reciprocity, and mutuality. As a result, issues relating to marginalization, economic imbalance, social alienation, ethnic suspicion and superior-subordination contestation are recurring malaises in the system. Identities can be in terms of ethnicity, culture, religion and other differences," she says. The logic for this call, nay, agitation for self-determination by this group is not faulty in itself except that the laws of the land; Nigeria 1999 Constitution (as amended) does not guarantee self-determination or secession by any group of the Nigerian political environment. Over the years, it is quite obvious that Nigeria is one of the few countries that adopted federal system of Government in Africa, a system that envisages autonomy for every sect of its authorities (federal, state and local government respectively). 1. Minority Marginalization 3.6 6. Federalism was the only solution to ensure peace and unity amongst the leaders and the citizens and that was why federalism was adopted into the Nigerian political system. Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer. PDF Nigerian Federalism: Issues, Challenges and Prospects 7 Topics Revenue Allocation in Nigeria | Week 9. 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. And this is one of the factors responsible for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria. Federalism - Federal Features of Indian Constitution For UPSC! What were the reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria? Post-independence creation of states and further division of states created after independence was done as a framework for the development of Nigeria. To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds toupgrade your browser. Nigeria: A Federation in Search of Federalism reasons for the adoption of federalism in nigeria pdf. Wheare who contends that it is a system where powers are shared between central and regional governments so that each is in a sphere cordinate and independent. It established that the resources of a particular state is not totally owned by the federal government. +rohyC ! 9S ) ?roh _ O4C sR & Pf?? AK kyC?& Pf;_Hu j_ G$: 5/ << Thus, federalism seemed to be the only option left for Nigeria because it allows for popular participation in government. This type of government is also known as a "federation" or a "federal state" in common parlance (eg., United States of America). Multi-Ethnicity Nigeria is a country with a lot of ethnic groups. It was under the 1954 constitution that federal system of government was fully adopted. To begin with, the title of this book, " Last Train to Biafra " is allegorically evocative of the severing of, or rather the dead relationship between Nigeria and Biafra. or this it really helped me, Your email address will not be published. One of the major reasons why countries choose federalism is because of size. Required fields are marked *. Federalism: Federal Features in the Colonial State." A chronology of critical events in Nigeria's political development from the adoption of a federal system in 1954 to the present is provided in Table 1. There is no doubt that geographical factored are one of the influential reasons for federalism in Nigeria. Moreover, it is important to note that most of the ethnic groups in Nigeria had strong political inter-group relationship before colonial rule. Northern Cameroons should remain with Northern Nigeria but Southern Cameroon should be granted autonomy with a legislature of its own. Since federal systems have been formed for different reasons and to The Evolution, Development and Practice of Federalism in Nigeria Levoluzione del federalismo nigeriano tra conflitti etnici e transizioni democratiche. Problems facing the legal profession in Nigeria, History of the legal profession in Nigeria, Problems of Local Government in Nigeria And Solutions, 5 important Characteristic of customary law, Sources of Nigerian Law: everything you need to know. The paper suggested that fiscal and political restructuring as panacea for the instituted conflicts and underdevelopment caused by quasi federalism through ongoing review of the 1999 constitution. However, the practice of fiscal federalism in Nigeria is a negation of true federalism. What is federalism? Federalism can be defined as a system of government in which political powers of the state are shared between the central government and other component units. welcome, and thanks for reading us. 1. Below are the reasons why Nigeria adopted a federal system of government: The major reason for the adoption of federal system of government in Nigeria is borne out of the historical experience that brought all the ethical groups together under one Nigeria. PDF Federalism in Nigeria: the Past, Current Peril and Future Hopes The intimidating size of Nigeria does not only earn her an international respect but also provides her with a buffer to attacks by rogue nations and disgruntled neighbours. *$( %2%(,-/0/#484.7*./. C Rt. The military were able to create more states because military decrees do not pass the same rigorous method bills pass in a democratic government. But before moving to the crux of this article, we will be looking briefly at the meaning and history of federalism in Nigeria. On the other hand; a constitution is unitary when there are created by the law made by the central legislature and their existence depends upon the government to control, supervision of the central government. There is a general opinion that Nigeria was formed because of the interest of the British and they had to govern the country under a federation system. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. INTERNAL COLONIALISM IN NIGERIA Some of the reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria are the diversity of the nation and the desire for political, cultural and social identity of a people of over 250 ethnic groups, several languages, diversities and a lot of political traditions; the desire for some form of It also shows the growth rate as an engine to the development of economies of developing countries like Nigeria in this 21p century. Another reason why federalism is adopted by any country is that of its population. In a Unitary system, the minority states cannot govern the entire region which is controlled by majority. Here, the Attorney General of the Federation Instituted the case to test the true position so that the federal government would be guided on the varying issues of derivation formula. /F3 12 0 R There was just the Northern Protectorate and the Southern Protectorate. This was a period when long efforts were made to identify the legal relationships between the Leagues and the City States (Mogi, 1931:21). The disadvantages are that it can set off a race to the bottom among states, cause cross-state economic and social disparities, and obstruct federal efforts . Adobe d C You are welcome dear reader. Is there high propensity or likelihood of exclusion, marginalization and relative deprivation, which was to engender obsessive mutual antagonism? By every political barometer, this is a thought-provoking account of the Nigeria-Biafra political imbroglio. Seven (7) Reasons for the Adoption of Federalism in Nigeria - Blogger 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. All attempts to solve these problems over the years have failed. ICT and Its Impact on National Development In Nigeria: An Overview ! Federalism was further adopted because the developed countries from which Nigeria borrowed democracy practice federalism. 3. Federalism And Intergovernmental Relations In Nigeria. To learn more, view ourPrivacy Policy. PDF Nigeria'S Federalism and State Reorganization and Restructuring Promoting an awareness of federalism - University of the Philippines Also see: Historical constitutional development in Nigeria explained. Federalism | PDF | Federalism | Decentralization It means that the sovereign unit (Centre) and local units . The Plural nature of Nigeria. REASONS FOR LOW TRADE Historical reasons - India adopted socialist model of economy and policy of import substitution and protectionism till 1990s and civil wars and domestic instability in other countries Poor Connectivity- Due to difficult terrain on borders, poor development of inland waterways, poor border infrastructure like border huts . But nigeria today became the proudable and bearable country, 4 0 obj Nigeria is a plural society of over 250 tongues and tribes. was federalism friendly and that gave rise to easy adoption of . The Challenge of Domesticating Children's Rights Treaties in Nigeria Manages And Maintains And Secures Nigeria. 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. 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. 2012, Issues and Trends in Nigeria's Development. The governmental powers are shared between the federal government and the thirty-six state governments. Generally speaking, one of the reasons for federalism is common historical or ancestral background. In the words of Richards, regionalism was introduced to strengthen unity in diversity. 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. Your email address will not be published. 3. This paper recommends that there should be an overhaul of the political system through constitutional amendment process to expunge provisions that negate federalism and provide for implementation of true federalism. /F2 9 0 R In Nigeria, it could be argued that our federal system of government is the creation of British colonialism. Besides this desire, there was also the presence of certain socio-economic conditions (Babalola, 2013 . As I have already explained, Nigeria is an amalgamation of three different regions with beliefs and customs. Before the amalgamation of the Northern Protectorate and the Southern Protectorate in 1914, there was nothing like Nigeria. Does Federalism Make Sense For The Philippines? - Forbes ideology, federalism becomes the only solution to ensure peace and unity amongst the. In 1954, the Nigerian founding fathers opted for a federal system of government despite its inherent challenges in a pluralistic society. Federalism is a method of segregating powers so that the central and local governments are each within a domain, harmonizing and autonomous. To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds toupgrade your browser. Very often, the problem has appeared in twofold. In the same way, the political culture of the United States is civic, republican and participatory. The Babangida administration followed the same step and created 21 states and more local governments. Another factor that prompted the adoption of federalism in Nigeria is the fear of insecurity and the desire for union. The 1951 constitution gave more strength to regionalism with the creation of two chamber legislation in the northern and western Nigeria. This post will give you some insight into why federalism was adopted as the system of governance in Nigeria. (PDF) Intricacies and paradoxes federalism and secessionism in Nigeria The contradictions generated by this rigional arrangement threatened Nigeria unity. Also, there was a demand for more local regions by all these ethnic interest groups which was what led to the creation of new states. The federal government however has occupied a very strong position vis--vis the State and Local government since the 1970's in Nigeria. Reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria - Legit.ng Evidently, Nigerias political culture was federalism friendly and that gave rise to easy adoption of federalism. By the time Nigeria got her independence, the various party involved had been regionally based. As at the time of independence, the population of Nigeria was estimated at 45.21 million. A large body of literature exists on Nigeria's fiscal federalism particularly with reference to revenue allocation. PDF Federalism, Politics and Corruption in Nigeria: Implications for Higher All rights reserved. True Federalism and Restructuring in Nigeria: Challenges and the - SSRN /F7 24 0 R So majority if not all of them were in favor of a federalist system of governance. This is because federalism is presented as a panacea in organizing distinct political identities under a state. 2023, Bscholarly LLC. i dont have my first school leaving certificate. Besides the Big Three - Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, there are other macro and micro ethnic minorities in the country. 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. 4 Topics . By using our site, you agree to our collection of information through the use of cookies. It is our pleasure. Also read: Highest paying law firms in Nigeria. Pls visit us again dear reader. CLICK HERE To Pay With Debit Card ($15) GHANA - Make Payment of 80 GHS to MTN MoMo, 0553978005, Douglas Osabutey. Reasons for the Adoption of Federalism in Nigeria | LearnAllinfo We can offhandedly list all of the reasons for the adoption of federal system in Nigeria. Parliamentary and Unitary system of government were in operation in Nigeria between 1914 and 1946. June 1,2022 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. Thus, Nigeria's federalism is not only complex but also hard to understand. /F1 6 0 R 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. Federalism in Nigeria can be traced to Sir Frederick Lord Lugard, when the Northern and Southern protectorates were amalgamated in 1914. It advocates good governance and a participatory approach to constitutional review as the foundations for strong constitutionalism in Nigeria. Emphasis on indigeneity, the federal revenue allocation formula and the increasing formalization of the 'federal character' principle, to mention only a few issues, increase sources of tensions and potential conflicts. Then Nigeria was organised into a federation that had three regions. Nigeria's independence was gotten and founded on the basis of a federalist system of Government. REVENUE ALLOCATION IN NIGERIA: NEED FOR REFORM? Also see: Differences between Cross-offers and counter-offers, five reasons for the adoption of federalism in nigeria. The unity here is brought about by the desire of the component units of the federation to form union in respect of some matters. Nigeria is quite a big country with an area of 923,768 km2. What a nice and educating document!We are grateful for this post. Mainly of telling who is who in a given society. Section 10 of the constitution rule outs the adoption of any religion as a state religion either. Send the Following Details on WhatsApp ( 08143831497) After Payment. (PDF) Politics Of Federalism in Nigeria: Preparing Human Capital for 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). Changes in Branch Office Registration Requirements