The constitution emphasized areas of authority between the central government and the regions. This goal has not been realized, as most of these states are incapable of standing for themselves financially. This is intended to improve supply of power. They will then have special authority to control interstate businesses and trade with the foreign countries. There is no doubt that geographical factored are one of the influential reasons for federalism in Nigeria. The federal government in America has special authority to control interstate businesses and trade with the foreign countries. What Countries Use Federalism? Most of the democratic countries in the world today use this method of governing, including Australia, Canada, India, and the United States. The fact that Nigeria is regarded as Africa's only "federal" state commands the interest not only of political scientists but also of policymakers and all those Many Nigerian ethnic groups began to agitate for their own states. Federalism was implemented in Nigeria as way back as 1946 during the British colonial era. 6. 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. 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. (2019) 'Federalism System, Its Advantages and Disadvantages'. Possess power would probably give them the voice to air out their grievances. The central government can sometimes overlook these differences and adopt policies which cater to the majority. What are the five advantages of federalism? This structure allows each group to live in a way that maximizes their safety while minimizing effort. It has severally been emphasized by both the Northern and Western politicians that God did not create Nigeria but the British. 1. 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. It therefore appears that the basic goal of federalism in Nigeria is to promote the unity of the country while creating space for political autonomy of the different sections of Nigeria 20. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. In the same way, the political culture of the United States is civic, republican and participatory. It is also promotes regional inequalities. Because this structure of government looks at cooperation and sharing as its primary structure, there is an opportunity to try a different set of policies to see how they will work. If the policy proves to be beneficial, then it can be expanded to be used nationwide. Natural resources, industries, employment opportunities differ from region to region. John Paden, George Mason University: Federalism in Nigeria. What are the main functions of federal and state governments? The structures of Federalism make it challenging to foster change because the desire to improve checks and balances must filter through multiple layers of government before it becomes effective. What are advantages and disadvantages of Constitution? Written constitution are mostly rigid, with cumbersome amendment procedure, which leads to the problem of how to easily amend it to make it suit changing needs and time. 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. Your email address will not be published. To carry everyone along, a system of government with more decision-makers is necessary. New York: Harper & Row, 1984. What are strengths and weaknesses of federalism? It came about following the necessity for administrative convenience and managerial expenses. Federalism in India. Rights of the minorities are protected too. The federal system makes government more manageable. Endogenous (De)centralization The key intuition of fiscal federalism theory is that the benefits of decentralization are positively correlated with the geographic ##### 483. I love this article,very educating and interesting There is a general opinion that Nigeria was formed because of the interest of the British and they had to govern the country under a federation system. But besides these three major tribes, there are over 350 other smaller tribes with diverse languages and dialects. Rather there has been more challenges than benefits of this federal system. regions, states, provinces. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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). Because each community can create their own set of laws and rules in a system of federalism (especially in the United States), then the structure can create unwanted competition for resources that seeks to limit some demographics. States also engage in economic competition which causes economic warfare amongst them. It also offers opportunity to test the courage of selected leaders and to prove whether they are responsible. Possessing taxation power under the 16. Then Nigeria was organised into a federation that had three regions. The government demands to have war powers were created by tragedies of modern wars. One of the major reasons why countries choose federalism is because of size. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Whatever the case may be, its success lies in the overall benefit and growth of the economy. This form of government will also make it challenging for a single branch of government to obtain complete control over the structure. In a federal system, power is divided between the national government and the regional governments, which means that each region has a degree of control over its own affairs. Too many elected representatives with overlapping roles may also lead to corruption. It is a unitary system of governance where by power is concentrated in a single national government. Seen in its entirety, all stakeholders have to brace up their resolve for national rebirth as we all . The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. Thus, it is often said that only rich countries can afford it. Federalism can encourage the passing of ridiculous laws. 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. a. Federalism provides a structure that diffuses governmental power. \(\overset{\underset{\mathrm{def}}{}}{=} \). +rohyC ! 9S ) ?roh _ O4C sR & Pf?? AK kyC?& Pf;_Hu j_ G$: 5/ Moreover, This is to ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging. The Benefits of Federalism Among the merits of federalism are that it promotes policy innovation and political participation and accommodates diversity of opinion. Nigeria app ing this period of military rule were l ##### tral government. And this is one of the factors responsible for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria. All these strengthen political bonds and gave Rice to unity in diversity. 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 . And even now we can see the population of Nigeria compared to other countries in Africa. Hawaii made it against the law to place a coin in your ear. Another major reason why federalism was adopted in Nigeria is the multiple ethnic backgrounds in Nigeria. Among the merits of federalism are that it promotes policy innovation and political participation and accommodates diversity of opinion. Kayode Oladele. This is where the regional government steps in. History of federal system of government in nigeria. The states too have no resources for development but depended on federal grants. This advantage is one of the reasons why aid for Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria took longer to receive than states in the continental 48. In a Unitary system, the minority states cannot govern the entire region which is controlled by majority. (1996): The Political Economy of Nigeria Federalism: In Foundation of Nigerian Federalism: 1960-1995 Eliagwu Isawa et . But before moving to the crux of this article, we will be looking briefly at the meaning and history of federalism in Nigeria. 3 What are advantages and disadvantages of Constitution? Adobe d C Nigeria is quite a big country with an area of 923,768 km2. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The main task of the fiscal federalism is to raise and spend money. The full explanation of Nigeria's federalism. READ ALSO: Reasons for political apathy in Nigeria, Get the hottest stories from the largest news site in Nigeria. Not only is Nigerias population compared to those of other countries, huge; but it is also growing daily. 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. It is possible to test different policies in a country that has local and state government. All names, acronyms, logos and trademarks displayed on this website are those of their respective owners. Present Nigeria was formed by the amalgamation of two regions which many see as a big influence in why federalism was later adopted by the British and later on by Nigerian leaders as at the time of independence. (2019, November 23). 2. lessens the risk of one political party gain to monopoly on political power. The local governments can decide to fight the existence of some specific national laws by going through the justice system of the country. In 1788, Fisher Ames of Massachusetts made a declaration to increase the powers of the national government. Importance of Federalism in Nigeria are listed and explicated herein. This content downloaded from 202.43.93 on Sat, 07 Sep 2019 03:19:32 UTC . It was under the 1954 constitution that federal system of government was fully adopted. Also read: Highest paying law firms in Nigeria. THE BENEFITS OF FEDERALISM THE DRAWBACKS OF FEDERALISM Summary What is federalism? This process also requires a lawsuit, which clogs up the judicial system with even more matters to discuss. The Attorney General sought to know whether the 13% sharing formula of the oil producing states should include revenue from oil producing states should include revenue from oil production activities off shore. The USA and Canada were formed with the above interest at heart. Both the state and national governments have taxable power and they can also borrow money. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. It has been suggested that the creation of more states and local government have helped in the distribution of national cake. Both scenarios pose a threat to the countries integrity. Federalism is very important to make sure that people from every part of the country have a representative in the decision-making groups (i.e. must. The definition of federalism is straightforward: it is the federal principle or system of government. Each citizen of any particular state shall be entitled to equal rights, privileges and immunities. 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. Read Also:Importance of the Nigeria Foreign Policy. November 23, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/federalism-2/. Military administration does not apply the principle of federation. Another advantage of federalism is that because our federal system creates two levels of government with the capacity to take action, failure to attain a desired policy goal at one level can be offset by successfully securing the support of elected representatives at another level. Each state will receive 22% to 28% funds annually to spend in development. Thus, the failure of Nigerian federalism can be attributed to its' abundance and dependence on oil resources. This resulted in the loss of many lives. In a federal system, power is shared by the national and state governments. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. A recent example in the United States of this advantage is the requirement to drug test working adults who receive welfare benefits. This is so because where federal principles apply, the various ethnic groups that cannot or dont form majority to produce large part may have the opportunity of governing themselves within their federating unit controlled by them. Some choose to use a central system of government that regulates the entire country. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! Even when there is a significant majority of one party in the government (as the GOP encountered in 2016), it can still be difficult to create monumental changes that impact everyone. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". As at the time of independence, the population of Nigeria was estimated at 45.21 million. 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. IvyPanda. In fact, Nigeria can be seen as a prime example of the "resource curse", a phenomenon where natural resource wealth leads to poor economic growth and development and an increased likelihood for civil conflict. 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. This was many times more the population of most African countries then. These include: 1. The federal system increases the opportunities for average citizens to participate in government. Also see: Reasons why lawyers wear wigs to court, Origin and nature of federalism in Nigeria. Federalism does not get good press in Australia. This normally causes disintegration and internal conflicts among different states (Dye, 114). Elazar, Daniel. This process can create positive or negative results. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. BREAKING: Finally, Fayose former Ekiti state governor resigns from PDP, Jordan Nyesom: Wikes Son Was Shot Dead in US?