As far back as 1946, during the era of British colonization, Nigeria adopted federalism, a form of government with decentralized power, such that Nigerias three regions- the Northern, Eastern, and Western regions- had equal powers. The states were later increased to 30 states. Federalism promotes unity: the system provides a united national government deal in matters such as finance, defence, regulation of business and foreign affairs. Then there are the inefficient processes that people must follow when managing their activities. Need a custom Assessment sample written from scratch by We do hope that you find this article helpful. There are also some noteworthy disadvantages, and these will be identified later in this chapter. Federalism can be structured to benefit only the rich. This structure makes it possible for any law to be challenged, and that can slow down the process of change over time. There can be a rebellion by a regional government against the national government too. The first military head of state was dethroned for adopting unitary system of government yet successive military administration in practice follow unitary principle instead of federal system. Differences between 1960 and 1963 constitution of Nigeria. Register or login to make commenting easier. It also offers opportunity to test the courage of selected leaders and to prove whether they are responsible. sir Arthur Richards strengthened this proposal in 1945 and regionalism was introduced by his administration in 1946. 5. Among the merits of federalism are that it promotes policy innovation and political participation and accommodates diversity of opinion. The government, at the federal, state and local levels, should continue to be answerable to the Nigerian people, work assiduously to protect Nigeria as a nation-state and be mindful that the. 6. At the same time, the accommodation of very diverse groups whose differences are fundamental rather than transient by giving them territorial power bases of their own has enhanced the ability of federal systems to function as vehicles of political integration while preserving democratic government. States shall make agreement on how to deal with common problems that they face. "What do we want from federalism?" asked the late Martin Diamond in a famous essay written thirty years ago. So, without wasting much time, what is a federal system of government? (2019, November 23). It can also be used as a way to pass ridiculous laws as a way to make a political statement, discourage tourism, or some other specific result. What Are The Advantages Of Federalism? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. There must exist supremacy of the constitution, which implies that laws passed by the authority in the federal arrangement, if contrary to the constitution shall be declared to be ultra votes. His answer was that federalism a political system permitting a large . +rohyC ! 9S ) ?roh _ O4C sR & Pf?? AK kyC?& Pf;_Hu j_ G$: 5/ Thus, the failure of Nigerian federalism can be attributed to its' abundance and dependence on oil resources. . Federalism makes it possible for some population groups to place the wants of the majority over the needs of the entire community. Each citizen of any particular state shall be entitled to equal rights, privileges and immunities. The leaders also were from different major tribes and also wanted a level of power. 1. Federalism promotes efficiency of government: distribution of power between the state and nation provides division of work and specialization of functions. (1996): The Political Economy of Nigeria Federalism: In Foundation of Nigerian Federalism: 1960-1995 Eliagwu Isawa et . The states' territories were formed around ethnic groups with common interest and close ties, culture, and dialects. Thus, it is often said that only rich countries can afford it. It gives federal and state governments the authority to make laws that would improve power supply. 3. Two local governments can have two different approaches to bring reforms in any area of public domain, be it taxation or education. 7. It came about following the necessity for administrative convenience and managerial expenses. This has nexus with the particular sharing formula adopted. They can formulate policies which might be detrimental to other regions. Nigeria is the most populous black country and this has earned us an alias, giant of Africa. 10 Best Nursery/Primary Schools in Akwa Ibom State, Top 5 Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State. 4. Fourthly, there shall be the existence of court to interpret the constitution as it applies to cases and conflicts among the tiers of government. What were the reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria? 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. This is where the regional government steps in. Also see: Historical constitutional development in Nigeria explained. Federalism provides a structure that diffuses governmental power . The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Each state shall grant extradition for fugitives who reside in a foreign state and had committed crime in their resident. This was many times more the population of most African countries then. The Babangida administration followed the same step and created 21 states and more local governments. Take for example, in the Nigerian case of Attorney General of Federation v Attorney General of Abia and others (2002) 3 NCLR 1ar p 54, the issue of resource control in a true federalism was the bone of contention in that matter. Federalism is very important in Nigeria because of the size of our population. 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 . To avert this domination, states unite to form a strong, virile and stable union capable of withstanding external attacks. Possess power would probably give them the voice to air out their grievances. Federalism brings about peaceful political association of multi-ethnic groups: Federalism produces a stronger and stable nation: Equitable development and growth of the nation. Federalism provides a way for different groups of people in different parts of the country to live together. 3. gives people easier access to political offices because they may begin seeking elected offices at the. All these strengthen political bonds and gave Rice to unity in diversity. Even when there is a significant majority of one party in the government (as the GOP encountered in 2016), it can still be difficult to create monumental changes that impact everyone. This type of government is also known as a "federation" or a "federal state" in common parlance (eg., United States of America). Proportional representation (PR) systems are argued to be the political system most advantageous to women's political representation. This is a lesson from the tutorial, Structure and Systems of Government and you are encouraged to log The British in their quest for economic wealth and geo-political edges over other Europeans in Africa made Nigeria the largest British colony in Africa. Other forms of government do not offer such an opportunity. V(B8eDK@sx AK hG~ u;6DV,pwP# _ O4C sR 8_yC ! 9S ) ?roh _ O4C sR & Pf?? AK kyC?& Pf;_Hu j_ G$: 5/ America also wanted to possess inherent power to enable them conduct foreign affairs which inherently belonged to the nation. 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. This particular corroborated federalism in Nigeria. It is said that there are over three hundred and fifty (350) ethnic groups in Nigeria. This process is one of the primary reasons why democratic countries choose this form over the other governing options which are available. It is difficult to enforce law on criminals because of federalism. The availability of resources in a particular region and the need for that area to control the resources has also been seen as a reason for a federal system in Nigeria. The constitution must be rigid to avoid frequent and unnecessary changes. Federalism was implemented in Nigeria as way back as 1946 during the British colonial era. There is no way to obtain runaway power in this structure unless voters approve of that process first. John Paden, George Mason University: Federalism in Nigeria. Another reason why federalism is adopted by any country is that of its population. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. People must stay in compliance with the laws that are in every layer of governing. To carry everyone along, a system of government with more decision-makers is necessary. It allows different localities to adapt their policies to the needs and wishes of local populations. Thats not to say that all actions are a disadvantage. 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. 2.1 It Is An Effective Process. s" Before the arrival of The Supreme Court of the United States underscored the point when it said that "the people of the United States are an integral, not a composite mass, and their unity and identity, in this . The powers that exist between the federal and state government also depends on the constitution. Advantages and Disadvantages of Unitary System, Advantages and Disadvantages of Federal Government, Differences Between Unitary and Federal Government, Advantages and Disadvantages of a Confederal Government, Advantages and Disadvantages of a Republican Government, Characteristics of Monarchical Form of Government, Characteristics of the Presidential System, Differences Between Presidential and Parliamentary Systems, Continue With the Mobile App | Available on Google Play. Nigeria as a country occupies a large geographical area and what she has as singular states in Nigeria is the equivalent of the entirety of some other African countries. Another major reason why federalism was adopted in Nigeria is the multiple ethnic backgrounds in Nigeria. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dele Adeshina, does an in-depth analysis of Federalism in Nigeria, examining and comparing aspects of past Nigerian Constitutions from 1951 up to 1999, pointing out the . By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. regions, states, provinces. ##### 483. Nigeria's independence was gotten and founded on the basis of a federalist system of Government. Federalism in Nigeria can be traced to Sir Frederick Lord Lugard, when the Northern and Southern protectorates were amalgamated in 1914. Federalism is a compromise meant to eliminate the disadvantages of both systems. They will have to face legal charges for their actions in whichever state they are in. It established that the resources of a particular state is not totally owned by the federal government. And even now we can see the population of Nigeria compared to other countries in Africa. In the words of Richards, regionalism was introduced to strengthen unity in diversity. Unfortunately, since the formation of Nigeria and adoption of this system of governance in the country has not seen much effect of federalism. Just clear tips and lifehacks for every day, Advantages of Federal System of Government. Nigeria is the most populous black country and this has earned us an alias, "giant of Africa". The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Presently, Nigeria has a strong center and a weak component. It is important to also reason that small states are prone to domination and sometimes control by the big ones. The centralization of Nigeria's fiscal federalism began with the report of the Dina Commission (1968) which argued that an appropriate revenue allocation system should result in a more equitable distribution of revenue among the states to achieve a balanced development of the federation. Rigid to avoid frequent and unnecessary changes this domination, states unite to form a,! Democratic countries choose this form over the needs and wishes of local populations any of... 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