Nigeria can be said to be operating the federal system of government, whereas in actual practice, the country is tending towards a unitary system. 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. 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. 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. It enabled scholars to research an old subject without. 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.
Federalism, the constitution and resource control by itse sagay in the beginning, there was no nigeria. 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. My first proposition is that a major weakness in the practice of democracy and federalism in nigeria arises is that our political institutions. Problems facing nigerias federalism a number of factors make the system so problematic in practice, and few of them will be discussed below. This practice of federalism seems an enduring phenomenon which remains destructive to the very essence of the nigerian nation. Pdf federalism, the politics of oil and human security. Federalism, the constitution and resource control by. 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.
It purports to cope with the twin objectives of maintaining unity, and. Dickson abstract the objective of this paper is to investigate the effects of fiscal federalism on economic welfare in nigeria between 1970 and 2009 using an econometric approach. Federalism and ethnic conflict in nigeria united states. 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, 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. These actions were what led to the development of federalism in nigeria today. Federalism is the bedrock of democratic edifice for a country of nigerias size and bewildering diversities. Federalism was basically introduced to bring about peace and unity in the different regions of the country. The concept federalism in political science, like many other concepts in the social sciences, is without a universally accepted definition. Federalism and ethnic conflict in nigeria suberu, rotimi, diamond, larry on.
Obi states creation and the political economy of nigerian federalism rotimi t. Sep 08, 2018 in this article, we identify the challenges of fiscal federalism in nigeria. The richards constitution of 1946 provided the ground work for. Download as pdf abstract this article argues that the nigerian federation epitomises an incomplete federal arrangement. 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. Federalism is a system of government whereby power is constitutionally shared between the central government and other component units e. X have an impact on the nature of federalism in nigeria.
Other causes of nigerias development take their branches from it. Conceptual issues fiscal federalism is a byproduct of federalism. 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. The ordinary least square ols technique is adopted. He explores the evolution of nigerian federalism through its various constitutional experiments and administrative redesigns, including those in.
Overtime, federalism has become an attractive and acceptable political arrangement designed to govern multiethnic, multireligious and multicultural societies such as nigeria. Stateregion and local government, but in 1954 there were only the central and regional government in nigeria. Federal fiscal policy, the creation of states, ethnicity, religion, the local government system, the military. Challenges of fiscal federalism in nigeria and solutions. Given the territorially delineated cleavages abounding in nigeria and the historical legacy of divisions among ethnic groups, regions, and sections, the federal imperative was so fundamental that even military governmentscharacteristically unitarian, hierarchical, and centralistattached importance to the continuation of a federal system of government. Research paper federalism, democracy and the national. The greatest problem of federalism in nigeria today is the general problems of the true nature of the federal relationship as manifested in the intense rivalry and confrontation between the federal and state governments. It linked the literature on geographical determinants of conflicts. 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. Ethnic minorities and federalism in nigeria african. Federalism in nigeria is a product of the colonial administration. Causes for, and effects of federalism causes for federalism. Pdf federalism as a political ideology and system of.
Several views abound as regard the emergence of nigerias. Learn more about the history and characteristics of federalism in this article. 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. Both countries have become federal republics as a result of some events in their history. Federalism, nigerian federal constitution and the practice of. Its distinctive feature, exemplified in the founding example of modern federalism by the united states under the constitution of 1787, is a. This will enable us to locate the pitfalls in nigeria s federal experiment. This is because federalism is presented as a panacea in organizing distinct political identities under a state. Osaghae teathes political science at ibadan university, nigeria, and is currently visiting professor at the babangida school, university of liberia. Aug 28, 2018 problems of federalism in nigeria and solutions. 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.
Origin and evolution of federalism in nigeria nigerian. Click the download now button to get the complete project work instantly. After independence, this regional rivalry became the basis for triggering the conflicts between economic and ethnic areas present in nigerias federal system and. Federalism is a system of government in which entities such as states and local governments share power with the national government. There were ijaws, igbos, urhobos, itsekiris, yorubas. Pdf federalism, military legacies and the restructuring. 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. The federal system adopted in 1954 comprised a national government and three. Finally, the study shall be concluded with alternatives for remediationpolicy options.
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. In fact, the problem is sufciently complex that no mere denition will sufce. Problems of federalism in nigeria and solutions information. 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. 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. Federalism in the kingdom of belgium is an evolving system. Buchan fiscal residuum theory was used to explain and analyze issues that relate to federalism, fiscal federalism and the challenges therein.
The impact of oil on nigerias revenue allocation system cyril i. His federalism and federation was a new and different approach to the subject. I think nigeria falls into the latter category or group. The impact of oil on nigeria s revenue allocation system cyril i. To start with, nigeria s federalism fundamentally violated b. The evolution, development and practice of federalism in. Belgian federalism is a twin system which reflects both the linguistic communities of the country, french ca. See below for the abstract, table of contents, list of figures, list of tables, list of appendices, list of abbreviations and chapter one. The structure of nigerian federalism was born out of convenience rather than accident. 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. 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. 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.
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. This paper looks into the origin and practice of federalism in nigeria. 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. 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. 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. Federalism in nigeria has evolved against the background of about one. Structure of nigerian federalism nigerian infopedia.
Hausa language, widely spoken in northern nigeria, seeks a replacement of western systems with those prescribed by islam. Unity in diversity and nigerias federalism the guardian. Unfortunately, the essence of federalism in nigeria as not being fulfilled. In order to discuss federalism at a theoretical level at least, it is necessary to dene it. Thus, in this article, we shall be dealing with the problems of nigeria federalism. Suberu the executive under the nigerian constitutions, 19601995 j. He is coeditor of federal character and federalism in nigeria heinemann, 1989, and author of the federal solution in nigeria forthcoming.
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 is actually the core reason for federalism in nigeria. 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. In achieving this, the paper adopted both descriptive and analytical methods by. The evolution, development and practice of federalism in nigeria.
Federalism is a system of government in which powers are divided between the centre and the regions states. In nigeria, there are different and distinct ethnic groups brought together by colonization. Federalism and nationbuilding in nigeria longdom publishing sl. Federalism, nigerian federal constitution and the practice. Fiscal federalism and challenges of development in nigeria. Federalism and political restructuring in nigeria in.
Lets compare and contrast nigerian and american federalism to know why. Compare and contrast nigerian and american federalism legit. Reasons for the adoption of federalism in nigeria legit. Ethnic minorities and federalism in nigeria african affairs. Federalism is a political structure that allows states to unite under a central government to maintain a measure of independence and interdependence. Before we start discussing federalism in nigeria, it is pertinent to know what federalism really is. Nigeria, with over two hundred and fifty 250 ethnic groups inherited a federal system from britain in 1960 and successive. Argentina, belgium, brazil, canada, germany, india, malaysia, nigeria, pakistan, spain, south africa and the united states. Here the paper identifies two broad schools of analyses, the internalist and the externalist that give birth to a midpoint analysis.
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