Unity in diversity and nigerias federalism the guardian. Other causes of nigerias development take their branches from it. By this stage the nigerian leaders had agreed on the need for a more thorough going federal system which would leave all residual powers with the regions. It purports to cope with the twin objectives of maintaining unity, and.
This paper looks into the origin and practice of federalism in nigeria. Obi states creation and the political economy of nigerian federalism rotimi t. There were ijaws, igbos, urhobos, itsekiris, yorubas. Several views abound as regard the emergence of nigerias. Ethnic minorities and federalism in nigeria african affairs. Federalism is a political system of government where there is division of power among the three tiers of government federal, state and the local government. The impact of oil on nigeria s revenue allocation system cyril i. The demand for the creation of newer states in nigeria tends to emanate from substate groups, often ethnic or tribalinterest groups, which accuse the current larger state governments of subverting or ignoring the interests and necessities of the more local regions. The concept federalism in political science, like many other concepts in the social sciences, is without a universally accepted definition. In achieving this, the paper adopted both descriptive and analytical methods by. My first proposition is that a major weakness in the practice of democracy and federalism in nigeria arises is that our political institutions. Aug 28, 2018 problems of federalism in nigeria and solutions. Nigeria and usa has a lot of interesting similarities and contrasting ideas.
Compare and contrast nigerian and american federalism legit. Origin and evolution of federalism in nigeria nigerian. Federalism can be seen as a system of government in which governmental powers that exist in a country are shared between central government and other component units i. The impact of oil on nigerias revenue allocation system cyril i. Finally, the study shall be concluded with alternatives for remediationpolicy options. Problems facing nigerias federalism a number of factors make the system so problematic in practice, and few of them will be discussed below. Reasons for the adoption of federalism in nigeria legit. Problems of federalism in nigeria and solutions information. Osaghae teathes political science at ibadan university, nigeria, and is currently visiting professor at the babangida school, university of liberia. Therefore, the problem with federalism in nigeria is the mixapplication or nonapplication of this clause especially as it has to do with power distribution awa, 1976. The richards constitution of 1946 provided the ground work for. Federalism, nigerian federal constitution and the practice of. Here the paper identifies two broad schools of analyses, the internalist and the externalist that give birth to a midpoint analysis.
Federalism, the constitution and resource control by. Advantages and risks federalism is a means of ensuring peace, stability and mutual accommodation in countries that have territorially concentrated differences of identity, ethnicity, religion or language. The past, current peril and future hopes aderonke majekodunmi political science department, faculty of social sciences university of lagos, nigeria abstract the origins of nigeria s federalism lie not in the pluralities of economic and geographic regions. The feelings of marginalisation, which had been suppressed during the military era are fully expressed by ethnoregional groups in the postmilitary era and these feelings finds expression in the potent agitation for a more functional federal system. This work recommends that the calls for the restructuring of federalism in nigeria under the constitution 1999as amended.
X have an impact on the nature of federalism in nigeria. Federalism, the constitution and resource control by itse sagay in the beginning, there was no nigeria. The structure of nigerian federalism was born out of convenience rather than accident. Lets compare and contrast nigerian and american federalism to know why. It linked the literature on geographical determinants of conflicts. The ordinary least square ols technique is adopted. Having firmly and solemnly resolve, to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under god, dedicated to the promotion of interafrican solidarity, world peace, international cooperation and understanding. This paper investigated how the institution of federalism and the deeply conflictual issue of natural resource exploitation were implicated in the drive for human security in nigeria. The evolution, development and practice of federalism in nigeria. This practice of federalism seems an enduring phenomenon which remains destructive to the very essence of the nigerian nation.
Federalism is the mixed or compound mode of government, combining a general government the central or federal government with regional governments provincial, state, cantonal, territorial or other subunit governments in a single political system. Dec 24, 2019 problems facing nigerias federalism a number of factors make the system so problematic in practice, and few of them will be discussed below. The federal system adopted in 1954 comprised a national government and three. The basic minimal structures required for a country to lay claims to the practice of federalism include a political system in which there is power sharing under a written constitution with a government consisting of at least two orders. See below for the abstract, table of contents, list of figures, list of tables, list of appendices, list of abbreviations and chapter one. Challenges of fiscal federalism in nigeria and solutions.
Pdf federalism, the politics of oil and human security. Nigeria can be said to be operating the federal system of government, whereas in actual practice, the country is tending towards a unitary system. Fiscal federalism and challenges of development in nigeria. It is argued that the system has not produced the desired results because the various military and civilian rulers have not done enough to make it work. Argentina, belgium, brazil, canada, germany, india, malaysia, nigeria, pakistan, spain, south africa and the united states. The practice of fiscal federalism in nigeria has been inhibited by several factors which include, the dominance of the federal government in the revenue sharing, the protracted period of. It enabled scholars to research an old subject without. Federalism and nationbuilding in nigeria longdom publishing sl. Federalism is a political structure that allows states to unite under a central government to maintain a measure of independence and interdependence. He explores the evolution of nigerian federalism through its various constitutional experiments and administrative redesigns, including those in. Unfortunately, the essence of federalism in nigeria as not being fulfilled. Federalism was basically introduced to bring about peace and unity in the different regions of the country. Stateregion and local government, but in 1954 there were only the central and regional government in nigeria.
Federalism is a system of government whereby power is constitutionally shared between the central government and other component units e. Hausa language, widely spoken in northern nigeria, seeks a replacement of western systems with those prescribed by islam. Federalism in nigeria is a product of the colonial administration. Federalism and ethnic conflict in nigeria united states. Conceptual issues fiscal federalism is a byproduct of federalism. In order to discuss federalism at a theoretical level at least, it is necessary to dene it. In fact, fiscal federalism is a general normative framework for assignment of functions to the different levels of government and appropriate fiscal instruments for carrying out these functions oates, 1999. Download as pdf abstract this article argues that the nigerian federation epitomises an incomplete federal arrangement. Some of the issues with the practice of fiscal federalism in nigeria include the centralist system of fiscal relations, conflict over sharing principle, over dependence on oil revenue. Federalism, nigerian federal constitution and the practice. This immediately raises a number of the complexities that beset this subject and that mechanistic discussions of it tend to ignore or obscure.
Buchan fiscal residuum theory was used to explain and analyze issues that relate to federalism, fiscal federalism and the challenges therein. Overtime, federalism has become an attractive and acceptable political arrangement designed to govern multiethnic, multireligious and multicultural societies such as nigeria. Sep 08, 2018 in this article, we identify the challenges of fiscal federalism in nigeria. Comparative perspectives from canadian fiscal federalism olumide victor ekanade 0 1 2 recommended citation 0 redeemers university, ogun state nigeria 1 commons, other international and area studies commons, and the political economy commons 2 part of the african. Download the complete political science project topic and material chapter 15 titled federalism and national integration in nigeria. As an ideology on one hand, federalism performs not only the function of explaining and orientating people.
Its distinctive feature, exemplified in the founding example of modern federalism by the united states under the constitution of 1787, is a. Pdf federalism as a political ideology and system of. Federalism, mode of political organization that unites separate states or other polities within an overarching political system in a way that allows each to maintain its own integrity. Federal fiscal policy, the creation of states, ethnicity, religion, the local government system, the military. Learn more about the history and characteristics of federalism in this article. Federalism and ethnic conflict in nigeria suberu, rotimi, diamond, larry on. Therefore, the problem with federalism in nigeria is the mixapplication or nonapplication of this clause especially as it has to do with power distribution awa, 1977.
Pdf federalism, military legacies and the restructuring. After independence, this regional rivalry became the basis for triggering the conflicts between economic and ethnic areas present in nigerias federal system and. Click the download now button to get the complete project work instantly. Advantages and risks federalism is a means of ensuring peace, stability and mutual accommodation in countries that have territorially concentrated differences of identity, ethnicity, religion or. In fact, the problem is sufciently complex that no mere denition will sufce. Ethnic minorities and federalism in nigeria african. Thus, in this article, we shall be dealing with the problems of nigeria federalism. Causes for, and effects of federalism causes for federalism. Federalism is often regarded as the appropriate governmental principles for countries with huge ethno cultural diversities. This is actually the core reason for federalism in nigeria. Both countries have become federal republics as a result of some events in their history. In nigeria, there are different and distinct ethnic groups brought together by colonization.
Structure of nigerian federalism nigerian infopedia. Federalism is a system of government in which powers are divided between the centre and the regions states. Belgian federalism is a twin system which reflects both the linguistic communities of the country, french ca. Federalism is a system of government in which entities such as states and local governments share power with the national government. Federalism is the bedrock of democratic edifice for a country of nigerias size and bewildering diversities. To start with, nigeria s federalism fundamentally violated b. Federalism is a political concept in which power to govern is shared between national, and subnational governments creating what is often called a federation arowolo. The increasing agitation for a functional federal system or what is referred to as true federalism in the nigerian parlance, after the democratic transition that culminated in civil rule in 1999 is an indication that all is not well with the existing practice of federalism in nigeria. These actions were what led to the development of federalism in nigeria today. His federalism and federation was a new and different approach to the subject. Dureleys conceptualization of federalism as a division of powers between a central government and several regions of state. This will enable us to locate the pitfalls in nigeria s federal experiment. He is coeditor of federal character and federalism in nigeria heinemann, 1989, and author of the federal solution in nigeria forthcoming.
Nigeria, with over two hundred and fifty 250 ethnic groups inherited a federal system from britain in 1960 and successive. I think nigeria falls into the latter category or group. Spread the loveby eruke mume looking at nigeria closely, it is no secret that the main reason why nigeria remains in its current state of development lies principally on the type of superficial federalism we practice. In this compelling new work, suberu examines the profound political contradictions that make up nigeria, a nation whose leaders have constantly tinkered with a colonial federal legacy that sought to balance the countrys three major ethnic groups. Research paper federalism, democracy and the national. The convenience was at the instance or whims and caprices of the colonial british government and partly from the selfish nigerian leaders who probably wanted to be leader of a big and united nigeria and as such connived with the british colonial. Below are the reasons why nigeria adopted a federal system of government. This is because federalism is presented as a panacea in organizing distinct political identities under a state. The evolution, development and practice of federalism in.
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