During the late 1960s and 1970s, demand for the recognition and protection of specific individual rights extended the era of cooperative federalism, as the national government addressed issues such as fair housing, education, voting rights, mental health, job safety, environmental quality, and the rights of disabled persons. 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. It creates checks and balances in a system that promote individual freedoms and self-governing at a higher level when compared to the other options which are possible. Matters, enumerated in the exclusive list are selected for the federal authority, while matters that fall within the concurrent list are selected for the federal government, and the regions. The federal system makes government more manageable. There are efficiencies to consider with delegation that make this governing structure such an inviting option. In this article, i will comprehensively discuss the reasons for federalism in Nigeria. The state and the nation always evade responsibility especially when it comes to dealing with environmental issues such as cleaning up of Great lakes. 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. But besides these three major tribes, there are over 350 other smaller tribes with diverse languages and dialects. Two local governments can have two different approaches to bring reforms in any area of public domain, be it taxation or education. 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. One of the major reasons why countries choose federalism is because of size. By the time Nigeria became a republic, the system of federalism was adopted and the country was considered as a federation of three regions. (2019) 'Federalism System, Its Advantages and Disadvantages'. If the policy proves to be beneficial, then it can be expanded to be used nationwide. The government demands to have war powers were created by tragedies of modern wars. Knowing who is responsible for specific issues can make it difficult for any aid to make it to its intended destination. 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. They will have to face legal charges for their actions in whichever state they are in. Under this type, there exist a balkanization of formerly unitary state near disintegration and its diversities which progress to a state. Federalism creates a protection against tyranny. five reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria explained. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The federal system initially was set up to serve the 13 original colonies and was able to maintain their own powers given by the powers vested in each colonies individual constitutions. Rights of the minorities are protected too. 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 top 1% of income earners own a majority of the wealth increases experienced since 2009. However, where there is a conflict of authority between the federal government and regional government, the federal authority supersedes. "Federalism System, Its Advantages and Disadvantages." Another important factor that necessitated federalism in Nigeria was the political culture of the country. Real federalism has never existed in Nigeria (Ajasin, 1992; Odisu, 2015). 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. Thus, it is often said that only rich countries can afford it. IvyPanda. Federalism can be defined as a system of government in which political powers of the state are shared between the central government and other component units. For example, pollution from a province which is promoting industrialization in a big way can affect another region which depends solely on agriculture and cause crop damage. New York: Harper & Row, 1984. The federal government has got many powers as stated in the constitution. In the EU, the members of the upper houses in the government are not elected or appointed, but they serve as delegates of their respective governments. There are other political systems the country could have adopted but because of some reasons which I am going to share with you today, federalism seemed to be the best idea. Prior to independence, it is believed that the British adopted federalism because it favored their interest. Unless specified, this website is not in any way affiliated with any of the institutions featured. 23 November. Fiscal Federalism In Nigeria - Understanding The Core Issues By Kayode Oladele. This is also one of the reasons for federal system of government in Nigeria. States also engage in economic competition which causes economic warfare amongst them. As at the time of independence, the population of Nigeria was estimated at 45.21 million. Local governments receive the right to begin solving some of their own problems. You can learn more about how we use cookies by visiting our privacy policy page. It does not store any personal data. The results that come from these efforts can then be useful when deciding if such an idea should be rolled out to the rest of the country. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. house of representatives and the Senate). By and large, it is the nature of the relationship of the federal and state governments that determines whether a state is federal or unitary. America wanted to control all the economic activities of the nation and raising the national government powers would enable them achieve it. 2.4 It Provides A Structure That Diffuses The Governmental Power. There is no doubt that geographical factored are one of the influential reasons for federalism in Nigeria. The Founders of this country identified several reasons for creating a federalist government: To evade tyrannical rule Federalism increases the level of participation by individuals. Federalism provides a way for different groups of people in different parts of the country to live together. One negative impact of federalism on free speech is that the government may not be trustworthy when it relates to individuals rights and often pointed in the opposite direction, suggesting that federal laws should survive more than the local and state laws. Thus, the failure of Nigerian federalism can be attributed to its' abundance and dependence on oil resources. May 7, 2015. Federalism was basically introduced to bring about peace and unity in the different regions of the country. IvyPanda. Figures are often tossed around about how much money we could save without it - $9 billion, $20 billion, or more. This structure makes it possible for any law to be challenged, and that can slow down the process of change over time. Natural resources, industries, employment opportunities differ from region to region. This was due to several reasons such as: Dye, Thomas. In Nigerian democracy, there is a federalist system of government. Nigeria as a result was divided into three provinces. People must stay in compliance with the laws that are in every layer of governing. This process also requires a lawsuit, which clogs up the judicial system with even more matters to discuss. Justice Udo Udoma is of the view that regionalism was introduced by the colonialists in order to divide and rule, and weaken true national unity in Nigeria. In a Unitary system, the minority states cannot govern the entire region which is controlled by majority. Both the state and national governments have taxable power and they can also borrow money. Federalism encourages a system of cooperation. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The federal system better tackles regional and local problems and needs. advantages of federalism 1.people feel more involved 2.separation of power to help create checks and balance that are in play rather than let all one body hold all the power Six particular advantages merit some discussion here: 8. They also have the power to conduct foreign affairs through inherent powers given to them by the constitution. 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. Here are just a few of the craziest laws you can find in the U.S. right now. Federalism promotes unity: the system provides a united national government deal in matters such as finance, defence, regulation of business and foreign affairs. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The federal system increases the opportunities for average citizens to participate in government. What is federalism? And even now we can see the population of Nigeria compared to other countries in Africa. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz https://ivypanda.com/essays/federalism-2/, IvyPanda. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. To avert this domination, states unite to form a strong, virile and stable union capable of withstanding external attacks. Federalism is a compromise meant to eliminate the disadvantages of both systems. Of course, with both pros and cons, fiscal federalism is a matter of study and debate for many economists. Federalism can encourage the passing of ridiculous laws. The political parties involved in the first republic were more formed on a regional basis. The states' territories were formed around ethnic groups with common interest and close ties, culture, and dialects. In many countries of the world, federalism has emerged as a means of accommodating the growing desire of people to preserve or revive the intimacy of small societies and the growing necessity for larger combinations to mobilize the utilization of common resources. In a unitary constitution which opposes federal principles, everything belongs to the central government; the federating unit does not exist, let alone agitating for resource control. Importance of federalism. So majority if not all of them were in favor of a federalist system of governance. Other forms of government do not offer such an opportunity. The constitution emphasized areas of authority between the central government and the regions. Each state has the same level of self-governance. All variables measure of fiscal federalism had a positive relationship with per capita income excluding revenue allocated to the LGA's, that of mortality rate had a negative relationship with the variables . We use cookies and similar technologies to ensure our website works properly, personalize your browsing experience, analyze how you use our website, and deliver relevant ads to you. This process is one of the primary reasons why democratic countries choose this form over the other governing options which are available. Central Versus Provincial What were the reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria? Federal systems emerge in two broad ways both of which have epochal . 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 . November 23, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/federalism-2/. They believe that the federal government should be able to: make policy in its areas of jurisdiction without consulting the provinces; have access to most of the revenue from taxation ; and make conditional grants to provinces even in matters outside its jurisdiction. Also read: Highest paying law firms in Nigeria. We're sorry, but in order to log in and use all the features of this website, you will need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The Nigerian federalism is a creation of the British. The origin of federalism in Nigeria can be traced to the colonial era. Several positive and negative attributes of federalism have manifested themselves in the U.S. political system. The powers that exist between the federal and state government also depends on the constitution. or this it really helped me, Your email address will not be published. >> This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 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. Why indirect rule succeeded in Northern Nigeria, SEE REASONS HERE. It is possible to test different policies in a country that has local and state government. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The local governments can decide to fight the existence of some specific national laws by going through the justice system of the country. This particular corroborated federalism in Nigeria. That will help you to understand more about a rigid and written constitution. Federalism is allocation or division of power between the state and the nation. Federalism encourages innovation in governing. Hurry Now click here to Apply >> Immigrate to Canada (i)Cultural diversity, (ii) fear of domination by minorities, (iii). Nigeria app ing this period of military rule were l ##### tral government. This type of government is also known as a "federation" or a "federal state" in common parlance (eg., United States of America). w !1AQaq"2B #3Rbr Many of them are similar, but there are also several which are not. The contradictions generated by this rigional arrangement threatened Nigeria unity. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The national government also possess concurrent powers which enable them to exercises along with the state government. 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