Rt. Nigeria therefore falls into the latter because of the wide diversities. Federalism was basically introduced to bring about peace and unity in the different regions of the country. Ethnic, Religious and Geographical Factor 3.5 5. 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. Rather there has been more challenges than benefits of this federal system. In order to examine these issues, this paper adopted qualitative research and intrinsic approach methodology, along with relative deprivation theory. - Cooperative or "marble-cake" federalism is de ned as a exible relationship between the national and state government in which both work together on a variety of issues and programs. Also read: Highest paying law firms in Nigeria. The military were able to create more states because military decrees do not pass the same rigorous method bills pass in a democratic government. It has been suggested that the creation of more states and local government have helped in the distribution of national cake. five reasons for the adoption of federalism in nigeria Another factor that prompted the adoption of federalism in Nigeria is the fear of insecurity and the desire for union. READ ALSO: Reasons for political apathy in Nigeria, Get the hottest stories from the largest news site in Nigeria. Also see: Differences between 1960 and 1963 constitution of Nigeria, reasons for federal system of government in nigeria. In Nigeria, there are different and distinct ethnic groups brought together by colonization. "There are reasons why some nation-states opt for federalism. In recent times, specifically in post 2015 general election, there have been new waves of agitations for the Biafra republic by both Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra and Indigenous People of Biafra on one hand and for Niger Delta republic by Niger Delta Avengers on the other, added to terrorism and militancy that are already threatening Nigeria fragile state. Mainly of telling who is who in a given society. Academia.edu uses cookies to personalize content, tailor ads and improve the user experience. And even now we can see the population of Nigeria compared to other countries in Africa. It is not surprising that Nigeria in its 55 years of political sojourn has tried different forms of federalism. Insecurity and the desire for union are the main reasons for the shift from unitary system of government to federal system of government in 1954. Problems of Nigerian Federalism 1) Revenue Allocation: This has been a problem in Nigeria. THE THEME OF IMAGERY AND SYMBOLISM IN THE IPOB SECESSIONIST STRUGGLE, Abdul's Assignment on 711 Dr. Usman Mohammed, A nation divided against itself: Biafra and the conflicting online protest discourses, Ethnicity, Political Exclusion and the Resurgence of Separatism in South-Eastern, Nigeria, Hands Behind their backs: Making a case for a region-centred restructuring framework, THE EFFECT OF CRIMINAL INJUSTICE AGAINST EASTERN NIGERIA AND THE DEMAND FOR SELF-DETERMINATION BY IPOB. So majority if not all of them were in favor of a federalist system of governance. Book excerpt: Defensive Federalism presents an original contribution to the field of federalism and multinational democracies, exploring the concept of defensive federalism as a protection of self- government against the "tyranny of the majority". 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. five reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria explained. Keep it up , Yes , I love it and I was sentitize on those reasons. Do you want to know the basis and the reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria? Asst. 74 . Federalism has been present in Nigeria since the former British colony was reorganized into a federation of three regions in 1946. Reasons For The Adoption Of Federalism In Nigeria. The Babangida administration followed the same step and created 21 states and more local governments. Another important factor that necessitated federalism in Nigeria was the political culture of the country. Is there high propensity or likelihood of exclusion, marginalization and relative deprivation, which was to engender obsessive mutual antagonism? } !1AQa"q2#BR$3br << It is our pleasure. These maladies have led to a renewal of the call for secession by the South-Eastern ethnic group of Nigeria for a Republic of Biafra, on the basis that they are being short-changed in the political cum socio-economic largess accumulating from the Centre. Also, Read: Local Government In Nigeria : Definition, Functions, And Importance. In my view, federalism is a good system for Nigeria. From the onset, Nigeria, like most of her federating peers, has faced one major challenge in the course of her political voyage - the crisis of who is who. Ordinarily and without much logicality, by who is who, one means the problematic and destructive component of identity. Multi-Ethnicity Nigeria is a country with a lot of ethnic groups. The main goal of the Convention was to revise the Articles of Confederation, the agreement that governed the 13 colonies and was adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, shortly after the end of the Revolutionary War . Nigeria's independence was gotten and founded on the basis of a federalist system of Government. In light of this, a constitution is said to be federal when its operates two levels of government, that is the federal and state, and each of this level exercise its different powers without interference by the other level. I have said that Nigeria is reputed to be the largest black country around, even Nigeria has claimed to be the giant of Africa by . The constitution must be rigid to avoid frequent and unnecessary changes. In Nigerian democracy, there is a federalist system of government. +rohyC ! 9S ) ?roh _ O4C sR & Pf?? AK kyC?& Pf;_Hu j_ G$: 5/ Further Philosophical Issues 4.1 Sovereignty or federalism 4.2 Issues of Constitutional and Institutional Design 4.3 Sources of Stability 4.4 Division of Power 4.5 Distributive Justice If you answer to the above questions is no, then you lucky to be here. Common national, racial, religious, cultural linguistic or social ties have often contributed to the unification of political unit. Now, because the level of the development of the productive forces was still at a rudimentary stage, the pervasiveness of commodity relations was equally at a low level. 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. There are three major tribes in Nigeria namely Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. Secondly, are these groups well pleased, or do they at least accept such manipulative placements? 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. Given the size of Nigeria, it lays claims to being the Giant of Africa. Many nations in the international community recognizes her as such. 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: 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. 2. /F4 15 0 R 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. The paper contends that unitary federalism in Nigeria is an imposition and extension of colonial and military entrenched inequalities in the Nigerian state. REVENUE ALLOCATION IN NIGERIA: NEED FOR REFORM? This has led to a deep sense of alienation and politics of ethnic identity. Introduction In a statement on the 2015 Nigerian General Elections the Freedom House (2015a) congratulated Nigerians for an election that appears to be one of the smoothest and least violent in Nigeria's The origin of federalism in Nigeria can be traced to the colonial era. i dont have my first school leaving certificate. We can offhandedly list all of the reasons for the adoption of federal system in Nigeria. But before moving to the crux of this article, we will be looking briefly at the meaning and history of federalism in Nigeria. Nigeria's founding fathers desired a federal political framework, believing that federal states have the structural capacity to accommodate diversity. This has nexus with the particular sharing formula adopted. In Nigeria, the main reason for the adoption of a federal arrangement was the sociological complexity of the society, its ethnic and geographical diversity. Section 10 of the constitution rule outs the adoption of any religion as a state religion either. The paper begins by placing the question in an historical context examines its different phases and characters. we are proud to nigeria our inherited country,god bless nigeria. But besides these three major tribes, there are over 350 other smaller tribes with diverse languages and dialects. 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. x^[YsF~[-`pys)fk"%J hE;}LO *%gH=zoN/oNS~~zb|\U?_s3jJ}ZxhK2&$9|H-&9)q7"|kxN7i,anHiw>&_N~@bdkBs>gIM>z2|1zFDW+1"y-#HCQJmvj4CW5z,#IwHGc&Y"`Sg|2)FQ& p:?WT hQ4M:*|9tKy?c[U(zqfNBA=XCOf~2i6KC@;DGO? of diversities helps in a nations decision to adopt the aggregative or disaggregative type of federalism. Mere desire to unite is not enough but there must be the desire to remain separate in respect to other matters. This marginalization is evinced by untold hardships such as poverty, lack of infrastructure for health care and education, and generally impaired wellbeing. >> /F7 24 0 R Between 1960 and 1996, the three regions have been divided into smaller entities which are now known as states and their boundaries were reorganised. Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer. The Evolution, Development and Practice of Federalism in Nigeria Charas Madu Tella, Ahmed Wali Doho, Aliyu Bapeto Abstract Federalism is a political philosophy in which members of a group are. Notwithstanding the above reasons for the adoption of Nigerian federalism, we can also mention some specific factors peculiar to Nigeria. /F2 9 0 R 2. Federalism in Nigeria. For instance, such noun phrases like: nationality, nation, citizenship, identity, ethnicity, ethnic group, indigene, state of origin, etc, are inherently conflict laden, with abundant intellectual understandings. The states were later increased to 30 states. 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. 3. What a nice article, very educative for students in school, Could you please explain fear of minorities, Could you please explain fear of minorities, Economic factors and Diversities in culture. This is because most of the power (financial and. Some of the reasons include preservation of identities. The calls for restructuring have been louder particularly from the southern part of Nigeria. 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. 1. Size and population of a country is among the determinants of the level of power and influence which a country commands. The Political Economy and Un-ending Search, Agitation for Restructuring and Resource Control in Nigeria's Federalism: Issues, Perspectives and the Way Forward, Federalism, Military Legacies and the Restructuring Debate in Contemporary Nigeria, Federalism, Decentralisation and the Liberalisation of Business Environment in Nigeria, Hands Behind their backs: Making a case for a region-centred restructuring framework, Nigerian Pseudo-Federalism and the Agitations for Restructuring, The evolution of fiscal centralism and strong centre federalism in Nigeria An historical analysis, The Nigerian fiscal formulas and the agitations for resource control in the Niger delta region of. Then Nigeria was organised into a federation that had three regions. It was subsequently, not until after the American constitution of 1787, that a new concept of federalism was introduced. /F1 6 0 R It also shows the growth rate as an engine to the development of economies of developing countries like Nigeria in this 21p century. 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. % Nigeria is quite a big country with an area of 923,768 km2. Another major reason why federalism was adopted in Nigeria is the multiple ethnic backgrounds in Nigeria. Historical experience 3.2 2. For citation see: http://www.cejiss.org/issue-detail/biafra-s-resurgence-state-failure-insecurity-and-separatist-agitations-in-nigeria. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! What a nice and educating document!We are grateful for this post. In Nigerias case, the tongues and tribes that made up Nigeria has one colonial history. The effectiveness of linking communications has been a vital factor in geographical unit. The 1951 constitution gave more strength to regionalism with the creation of two chamber legislation in the northern and western Nigeria. /ColorSpace /DeviceRGB 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. 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. It is also an undisputed fact that the Hausas and Yorubas fought Biafra to keep the unity of Nigeria. Bashar Abubakar Bukkuyum This is good 'nd thank you Blogger. Political culture of Nigeria: 3.4 4. Many Nigerian ethnic groups began to agitate for their own states. British North American colonies unite 3 Up to 1867, the colonies 4 of British North America had no political or geographical links. 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 . Abacha regime, added more states making Nigeria a federation of 36 states and Federal capital Territory at Abuja. %PDF-1.5 19 more states were created in 1976 in order to score more political advantage by the Murtala-Obasanjo regime against those that favor General Yakubu Gowon. It is on this footing, herewith, that one can properly understand the rational for, and theory of federalism, what and why certain trends theme up federal-state relations in Nigeria, and the features of federal-state relations in Nigeria. %PDF-1.5 /F3 12 0 R Death of a nation - Biafra and the Nigerian question.pdf, The politics and problem of fiscal federalism and revenue allocation formula in Nigeria: Who should get what, how, when and why, Resource Control: a Necessary Element for True Federalism in Nigeria, THE IMPACT OF STATE JOINT LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNT ON STATE LOCAL RELATIONS IN SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA, MEMORANDUM ON TRUE FEDERALISM SUBMITTED BY THE 'RESTRUCTURE NIGERIA' COMMUNITY AS A RESPONSE TO THE APC COMMITTEE CALL ON TRUE FEDERALISM, THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL STUDIES The Legal Framework for the Corporate Existence of Nigeria, Intricacies and paradoxes federalism and secessionism in Nigeria.pdf, Civic Education Curriculum Implementation, NIGERIAN FEDERALISM AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PURSUIT, PROSPECTS AND IMPEDIMENTS TO UNITY AND NATION BUILDING, Constitutions Making, Amendments, Reviews and Nigerias Political Development: By the time Nigeria became a republic, the system of federalism was adopted and the country was considered as a federation of three regions. Your email address will not be published. Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. The contradictions generated by this rigional arrangement threatened Nigeria unity. Thus, federalism seemed to be the only option left for Nigeria because it allows for popular participation in government. 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. From the above explanation, one can rightly say that the constitution of Nigeria and United States of America are federal constitutions while the constitution of France and the Republic of Ireland are Unitary constitutions. All these strengthen political bonds and gave Rice to unity in diversity. s" It should be noted, however, that the Leagues significantly differ from modern federations in one respect: namely, while the various governments freely interacted, no prosperous direct contact between the populace of the various governments was permitted. 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. RESTRUCTURE OR DISINTEGRATE, OFFICIAL CORRUPTION AND THE DILEMA OF INSTABILITY IN NIGERIA, The Rationale for AfSol in Peace and Security: The Global, National and Regional Precipitants, Agitation for Restructuring and Resource Control in Nigeria's Federalism: Issues, Perspectives and the Way Forward, Giving Peace a Chance in Nigeria: The Case for a Preventive Diplomacy, Framing of Neo-Biafra Agitations in Selected Nigerian Newspapers, CRISES OF FEDERALISM IN NIGERIA AND THE FUTURE OF THE MIDDLE BELT REGION, Social Media and Hate Speech: Analysis of Comments on Biafra Agitations, Nigeria. /Length 14727 Geographical nearness of the component states to each other and the state network of roads and transportation. This is also one of the reasons for federal system of government in Nigeria. And this is one of the factors responsible for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention ISSN (Online): 2319 7722, ISSN (Print): 2319 7714 www.ijhssi.org Volume 2 Issue 8 August. Federalism And Intergovernmental Relations In Nigeria. The Emergence of Nigeria as a political entity under colonial rule was not an easy affair. The chief architect of this theory is Riker. Also it is more useful to expansiate on them. This book was released on 2022-09-16 with total page 197 pages. However, where there is a conflict of authority between the federal government and regional government, the federal authority supersedes. Pillars of democracy: 7 Essential pillars of democracy. 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 .