Read Also:Importance of Indigenization in Nigeria. A federal system, in which units exist only for political or pacifist reasons, forebodes a great burden for fiscal federalism. Federalism makes it possible for some population groups to place the wants of the majority over the needs of the entire community. Politics in America, eighth edition/alternate edition. Federalism was basically introduced to bring about peace and unity in the different regions of the country. It should be noted that the Federal Military Government had earlier by fiat taken proceeds from offshore prospecting and drilling activities directly under federal eminent domain. Differences between 1960 and 1963 constitution of Nigeria. Too many elected representatives with overlapping roles may also lead to corruption. 3. (2019, November 23). Finally, in a model of cooperative federalism with indepen-dent spheres of government, all orders of government enjoy autonomous and equal status and coordinate their policies horizontally and vertically. Among the merits of federalism are that it promotes policy innovation and political participation and accommodates diversity of opinion. The state and the nation always evade responsibility especially when it comes to dealing with environmental issues such as cleaning up of Great lakes. 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. 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. Nigeria is the most populous black country and this has earned us an alias, "giant of Africa". You cannot drive a horse in Indiana above a set speed limit of 10mph. Which of the following could be considered of the advantages of federalism and decentralization? Each state will receive 22% to 28% funds annually to spend in development. What Are The Advantages Of Federalism? The two levels always have final authority and self governance in specific areas. 2.3 It Creates Protection Against Tyranny. Another important factor that necessitated federalism in Nigeria was the political culture of the country. The national government also possess concurrent powers which enable them to exercises along with the state government. The states were later increased to 30 states. Federal systems emerge in two broad ways both of which have epochal . They will then have special authority to control interstate businesses and trade with the foreign countries. It was under the 1954 constitution that federal system of government was fully adopted. The Founders of this country identified several reasons for creating a federalist government: To evade tyrannical rule 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. Nigeria are typically inclined to the derivation principle, which is the process of distributing centrally generated revenue to constituent units with regards to the contribution made by a group to the country's more 12substantial income. The system causes government to have control of itself because of great rivalry of power between the state and the nation. Nigeria is quite a big country with an area of 923,768 km2. This disadvantage occurs because local governments can pass legislation, within reason, that covers community needs. Federal systems have at least two levels of government, the central level and a second level that includes territorial entities into which the country is divided, e.g. Some choose to use a central system of government that regulates the entire country. Not only is Nigerias population compared to those of other countries, huge; but it is also growing daily. 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. November 23, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/federalism-2/. 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. 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. This seemed to be the default option given its heterogeneous nature. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Brazil is the only federation practising this form of federalism. As at the time of independence, the population of Nigeria was estimated at 45.21 million. 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. Federalism encourages innovation in governing. Federalism increases the level of participation by individuals. Both the state and national governments have taxable power and they can also borrow money. Also see: Historical constitutional development in Nigeria explained. Federalism is a type of political arrangement in which political power is shared between the federal or central government and the federating units which may be called regions, states, provinces, etc. 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. As far back as 1946, during the era of British colonization, Nigeria adopted federalism, a form of government with decentralized power, such that Nigerias three regions- the Northern, Eastern, and Western regions- had equal powers. People feel close to their communities. Your privacy is extremely important to us. Two local governments can have two different approaches to bring reforms in any area of public domain, be it taxation or education. It is the result of the highly established units which can usually be absent. Here, the Attorney General of the Federation Instituted the case to test the true position so that the federal government would be guided on the varying issues of derivation formula. Importance of Federalism in Nigeria. 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. Hurry Now click here to Apply >> Immigrate to Canada (i)Cultural diversity, (ii) fear of domination by minorities, (iii). Because the U.S. provides some of the power to the states, it creates efficiencies in the governing system because delegation is possible. "Federalism System, Its Advantages and Disadvantages." This is IvyPanda's free database of academic paper samples. +rohyC ! 9S ) ?roh _ O4C sR & Pf?? AK kyC?& Pf;_Hu j_ G$: 5/ Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. In the words of Richards, regionalism was introduced to strengthen unity in diversity. 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. The exact structures of each system can vary widely based on how the country sets up its governing process. Another cogent reason for federalism in Nigeria is the fear of marginalization. a. Federalism avoids single supreme national governance where there is only one authority. It came about following the necessity for administrative convenience and managerial expenses. Thats not to say that all actions are a disadvantage. The federal system of government is very expensive as more people are elected to office, both at the state and the center, than necessary. What were the reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria? 10 Best Nursery/Primary Schools in Akwa Ibom State, Top 5 Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State. 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 1951 constitution gave more strength to regionalism with the creation of two chamber legislation in the northern and western Nigeria. What are strengths and weaknesses of federalism? The fear of ethnic groups overlapping regional boundaries and the loyalties of castes cutting of some extent across provincial political boundaries also encourage some groups to support wider federal unions. so that you can track your progress. When we have a chance to embrace diversity as a culture, then it is an opportunity to draw upon each of our strengths to create something amazing. Even the European Union is an example of federalism. The contradictions generated by this rigional arrangement threatened Nigeria unity. This is a lesson from the tutorial, Structure and Systems of Government and you are encouraged to log Parliamentary and Unitary system of government were in operation in Nigeria between 1914 and 1946. Nigeria therefore falls into the latter because of the wide diversities. This means autonomous states or regions come together to form a larger [] Although three major tribes (Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo) have been selected as the main Nigerian languages, the need to avoid drowning the voices of the minority groups in the stream of the major groups is both glaring and necessary for peace to reign. Required fields are marked *. We do hope that you find this article helpful. The local governments can decide to fight the existence of some specific national laws by going through the justice system of the country. Federalism is a compromise meant to eliminate the disadvantages of both systems. By way of conclusion, it is imperative to know that the reason why Nigeria is still practicing federalism today is because the system seems to be suitable for our political value and culture. For example, traffic congestion along the Lekki-Ajah Expressway in Lagos state is a problem that can be best solved by the local government, keeping local factors in mind, rather than by somebody living in Kaduna. Rich states offer more opportunities and benefits to its citizens than poor states can. Between 1960 and 1996, the three regions have been divided into smaller entities which are now known as states and their boundaries were reorganised. Federalism can create oppositional competition. This was one of the major reasons for the creation of the newer and smaller states after the independence. This is because most people after they have committed a crime in a particular state, they escape and move to other states. The structure of this government can create inefficiencies in the system because the national government might not like the way the local officials choose to oversee their communities. Fourthly, there shall be the existence of court to interpret the constitution as it applies to cases and conflicts among the tiers of government. student. There are several pros and cons of federalism to consider when looking at it as a political system. regions, states, provinces. Some governments are trying it, while others or not. Moreover, ! w !1AQaq"2B #3Rbr Nigeria became a federation of three regions in 1954 while today it is a federation of thirty-six states. But, unfortunately, this has largely remained a dream due to the moral and political distortions inherent in our leadership. 2019. Federalism is allocation or division of power between the state and the nation. 3 Advantages Of Federalism In The Philippines. 4. The United States, Canada, India, France and Australia adopted federalism because of the desire for security by the various ethnic units. As of 2012, the population was about 166.2 million but this has increased to 200.96 million in 2019. They are better suited to deal with the true things that need to be changed. This is why federalism is such a great advantage. Prior to independence, it is believed that the British adopted federalism because it favored their interest. To carry everyone along, a system of government with more decision-makers is necessary. To carry everyone along, a system of the newer and smaller states after the independence approaches bring. 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