3. s" Since gaining independence, the countries Nigeria looked up to using this system of government, and the zeal of the founding fathers to replicate such development at home, made them adopt federalism. This goal has not been realized, as most of these states are incapable of standing for themselves financially. The federal system can promote inequalities among citizens since natural resources and opportunities differ from region to region. The local governments can decide to fight the existence of some specific national laws by going through the justice system of the country. 2. The Nigerian federalism is a creation of the British. It needs proper review so that the country can move forward as a nation. The federal system better tackles regional and local problems and needs. Copyright 2023 - IvyPanda is operated by, Continuing to use IvyPanda you agree to our, Federalism System, Its Advantages and Disadvantages, Anti-Anti Immigration: Principles to Make Migration Work, Australian Education System from 1788 to 1948, The Peopling Process of Australia Since 1788 With Influence of Racism, Methods of Dealing with Problems of Federalism, National and State Powers in American Federalism, Reasons for increase in the Powers of the Nation since 1788, Federalism and Government Styles in the United States, Federal versus State Regulation of Insurance Industry in United States. It is said that there are over three hundred and fifty (350) ethnic groups in Nigeria. This is also one of the reasons as to why national powers were increased. Federalism can be inefficient. It creates a sense of local patriotism. Then Nigeria was organised into a federation that had three regions. 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. %PDF-1.5 The governmental powers are shared between the federal government and the thirty-six state governments. Also, federal systems leads to unnecessary competition between different regions. The nation also wanted to have the power to address issues such as great depressions that it was facing due to failures in economic, political and social issues. 1. Different states also have different laws making it hard to enforce law on visitors who had moved in the state. In 1963 Midwestern region was created and Nigeria became a nation of four regions. 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. Read Also:Importance of the Nigeria Foreign Policy. Knowing what you can or cannot do can be a confusing process, especially when there are conflicting statements offered by the different parties. They will have to face legal charges for their actions in whichever state they are in. The case for federalism in Nigeria has been to accommodate and manage diversity while taking economic advantage of its sheer size and population to promote development. Rich states offer more opportunities and benefits to its citizens than poor states can. Read Also:Importance of Indigenization in Nigeria. It . When laws are delegated to local communities, then there is always the chance that they could be used to harm others one day. This form of government will also make it challenging for a single branch of government to obtain complete control over the structure. What are the five advantages of federalism? Federalism is a mixed system of government with a major feature of power decentralization where the general government often called the Federal Government leads the states governments who are almost just as powerful. THE BENEFITS OF FEDERALISM. That will help you to understand more about a rigid and written constitution. must. Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and regional authorities. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. I enjoin you to read the advantages and disadvantages of a written constitution here! Importance of Federalism in Nigeria. Federalism can be structured to benefit only the rich. READ ALSO: History of democracy in Nigeria from 1960. Roxy Horner biography: who is Jack Whitehalls girlfriend? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Description. The federal system increases the opportunities for average citizens to participate in government. Fourthly, there shall be the existence of court to interpret the constitution as it applies to cases and conflicts among the tiers of government. national: matters that affect the country as a whole (national security, promoting national economic prosperity) state: matters that lie within their region (education, healthcare, public safety, and other public services) All names, acronyms, logos and trademarks displayed on this website are those of their respective owners. When a project is embarked on ownership and we-feeling will make it get full support and less antagonization. Common national, racial, religious, cultural linguistic or social ties have often contributed to the unification of political unit. Each state shall give full credit and be faithful to judicial proceedings, public records and public actions of all other states. 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. Federalism allows national governments to fight the local ones. While formulating policies, local needs, tastes and opinions are given due consideration by the state governments. The Evolution of Nigerian Federalism Nigeria is, one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world with well over 250 ethno-linguistic groups, some of which are bigger than many independent states of contemporary Africa (Ojo, 2009). But nigeria today became the proudable and bearable country, The constitution must be rigid to avoid frequent and unnecessary changes. So, what are the reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria? 3. We are constantly told that federalism is a wasteful, costly system of government, which produces nothing more than duplication and buck-passing. Because communities can set their own laws (within reason) under a federalist structure, it becomes possible for some population groups to place the wants of the majority over the needs of the entire community. Too many elected representatives with overlapping roles may also lead to corruption. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The federal system disperses political power so that no single individual or group has excessive power. There was just the Northern Protectorate and the Southern Protectorate. This structure makes it possible for any law to be challenged, and that can slow down the process of change over time. Federalism was implemented in Nigeria as way back as 1946 during the British colonial era. 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. Need a custom Assessment sample written from scratch by 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. Also see: Differences between Cross-offers and counter-offers, five reasons for the adoption of federalism in nigeria. Do you know the reasons for federalism in Nigeria? Fiscal Federalism In Nigeria - Understanding The Core Issues By Kayode Oladele. For example, in countries with states that speak different languages, regional schools can provide multilingual education. These structures can be challenging to change when there are some many obstacles that are put in the way thanks to the checks and balances of this system. 2.2 It Increases The Level Of Participation By Individuals. In the same way, the political culture of the United States is civic, republican and participatory. 2.5 It Encourages Innovation In Governing. What are the negative effects of federalism? Federalism provides a structure that diffuses governmental power . If you answer to the above questions is no, then you lucky to be here. All these strengthen political bonds and gave Rice to unity in diversity. In this article, i will comprehensively discuss the reasons for federalism in Nigeria. As of 2012, the population was about 166.2 million but this has increased to 200.96 million in 2019. Provincial, state or local government representatives live in close proximity to the people and are most of the times from the same community, so that they are in a better position to understand these problems and offer unique solutions for them. 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. For example, when typhoon Katrina hit Greater New Orleans, USA, in 2005, there was delay in the rescue work as there was confusion between the state governments and the federal government on who is responsible for which disaster management work. Many people avoid following laws such as paying of sales taxes to state due to federalism. The military were able to create more states because military decrees do not pass the same rigorous method bills pass in a democratic government. America wanted to control all the economic activities of the nation and raising the national government powers would enable them achieve it. Evidently, Nigerias political culture was federalism friendly and that gave rise to easy adoption of federalism. When a government is closer to its citizens, then it can provide a responsive solution when there are citizen needs, emergency situations, or changes that are necessary in the structure of laws. In the words of Richards, regionalism was introduced to strengthen unity in diversity. 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. 5. Federalism encourages innovation in governing. "Federalism System, Its Advantages and Disadvantages." On the subject of policy innovation, Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis observed in 1932 that "a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and . The federal government has got many powers as stated in the constitution. Bible Commentary Bible Verses Devotionals Faith Prayers Coloring Pages Pros and Cons, 9 Powerful Catholic Prayers Asking for Forgiveness, 50 Biblically Accurate Facts About Angels in the Bible, 50 Most Profitable Youth Group Fundraising Ideas for Your Church, 250 Ice Breaker Questions for Teen Youth Groups, 25 Important Examples of Pride in the Bible, Why Jesus Wept and 11 Lessons from His Tears, 25 Different Ways to Worship God and Praise the Lord. The Founders of this country identified several reasons for creating a federalist government: To evade tyrannical rule 1. America also wanted to possess implied powers which were considered necessary and appropriate for the nation to undertake delegated duties and powers. You are not allowed to sell the hair of a dog or cat in Delaware. The United States, Canada, India, France and Australia adopted federalism because of the desire for security by the various ethnic units. 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 was meant to re-establish proper rule and national governance. Federalism as a system of government which is meant to help to advance good governance and development of a multi-ethnic and big country like Nigeria. The fact that a written constitution is difficult to amend is both an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time. Federalism is a mixed form of government where there is a general government always known as the central or federal government and regional governments which could be provincial or states governments. 2.1 It Is An Effective Process. 7. What is causing the plague in Thebes and how can it be fixed? The top 1% of income earners own a majority of the wealth increases experienced since 2009. stream Most of the democratic countries in the world today use this method of governing, including Australia, Canada, India, and the United States. This has been the This process involves filing a lawsuit to block the implementation of what the community feels is a potentially harmful requirement. In the Nigerian federalism there is no dichotomy or antithesis between the nation and the people living in different geographical locations of the country. We do hope that you find this article helpful. So, our federalist form of government has several advantages, such as protecting us from tyranny, dispersing power, increasing citizen participation, and increasing effectiveness, and disadvantages, such as supposedly protecting slavery and segregation, increasing inequalities between states, states blocking national The government of Murtala Mohammed created additional 7 states in 1976 which made Nigeria to become a federation of 19 states. Several positive and negative attributes of federalism have manifested themselves in the U.S. political system. Instead of mandating that everyone follows the same set of laws, this system allows each community to create a foundation that works the best for their needs. Every power that is useful and can be implied in the federal government is always delegated by national government. /Height 235 They also have implied powers which are necessary in delegation of power in the nation. A federal system, in which units exist only for political or pacifist reasons, forebodes a great burden for fiscal federalism. There are efficiencies to consider with delegation that make this governing structure such an inviting option. 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. The Constitution designates certain powers to be the domain of a central government, and others are specifically reserved to the state governments. Federalism is a compromise meant to eliminate the disadvantages of both systems. The history of Ijaw, Edo, Igala, Yoruba, Igbo, Nupe and Hausa Kingdoms are enriched with social-political relationships that existed before the emergence of the white man. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. This is why there is a clamoring for restructuring and true federalism in Nigeria. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This helped to solve the problem of marginalization in the leadership. As at the time of independence, the population of Nigeria was estimated at 45.21 million. If the policy proves to be beneficial, then it can be expanded to be used nationwide. Download. Federalism often protects the will of the majority at any cost. Here, both the majority and minority are represented in the government. Endogenous (De)centralization The key intuition of fiscal federalism theory is that the benefits of decentralization are positively correlated with the geographic Federalism avoids single supreme national governance where there is only one authority. These include: 1. 3 Advantages Of Federalism In The Philippines. Unfortunately, since the formation of Nigeria and adoption of this system of governance in the country has not seen much effect of federalism. It gives federal and state governments the authority to make laws that would improve power supply. Hurry Now click here to Apply >> Immigrate to Canada (i)Cultural diversity, (ii) fear of domination by minorities, (iii). 1 What are the advantages of federalism in Nigeria? By the time Nigeria got her independence, the various party involved had been regionally based. This is also one of the reasons for federal system of government in Nigeria. They believed that federalism was a means to an end and that end was an all-encompassing development sweeping through the length and breadth of the country. ##### 483. Because there are multiple layers of government working cooperatively with one another in a federalist system, it can be challenging at times for specific communities to know where they can receive assistance. The national government is also entitled to forming treaties and conducting foreign policies. The national government also possess concurrent powers which enable them to exercises along with the state government. It has severally been emphasized by both the Northern and Western politicians that God did not create Nigeria but the British. Some choose to use a central system of government that regulates the entire country. 10 Best Nursery/Primary Schools in Akwa Ibom State, Top 5 Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State. "Federalism System, Its Advantages and Disadvantages." It is the result of the highly established units which can usually be absent. in or register, The following were the major reasons for the introduction of federalism in Nigeria: Relocate to Canada Today! 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