Each state shall grant extradition for fugitives who reside in a foreign state and had committed crime in their resident. 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. New York: Pearson/PH, 2009. This was many times more the population of most African countries then. There are those who purchase goods in neighbouring state to escape sales tax in a particular state. IvyPanda. No doubt, the Ethnic, Religious and Geographical nature of Nigeria also contributed to the reason why federalism was adopted. 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. Rich states offer more opportunities and benefits to its citizens than poor states can. If you are the copyright owner of this paper and no longer wish to have your work published on IvyPanda. In Nigerian democracy, there is a federalist system of government. It was under the 1954 constitution that federal system of government was fully adopted. 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. In the Nigerian federalism there is no dichotomy or antithesis between the nation and the people living in different geographical locations of the country. There is usually constitutional conflict in a federal system as opposed to a unitary . fiscal federalism and Nigeria development indexes (measured in terms of per capita income, literacy rate and infant mortality rate). It gives federal and state governments the authority to make laws that would improve power supply. This process is usually a healthy way to help keep households safe no matter where they are in the country. The central government can concentrate more on international affairs and defense of the country while the provincial government can cater to the local needs. 1. What are the main functions of federal and state governments? Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC, is a Law Student and a Certified Mediator/Conciliator in Nigeria. The full explanation of Nigeria's federalism. Prior to independence, it is believed that the British adopted federalism because it favored their interest. Rights of the minorities are protected too. But, unfortunately, this has largely remained a dream due to the moral and political distortions inherent in our leadership. This type of government is also known as a "federation" or a "federal state" in common parlance (eg., United States of America). THE BENEFITS OF FEDERALISM THE DRAWBACKS OF FEDERALISM Summary Federalism is allocation or division of power between the state and the nation. What are the negative effects of federalism? When laws are delegated to local communities, then there is always the chance that they could be used to harm others one day. Possess power would probably give them the voice to air out their grievances. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Naturally, federal system of government has some distinctive features namely: 1. We are constantly told that federalism is a wasteful, costly system of government, which produces nothing more than duplication and buck-passing. The U.S. government threatened to pull funding from the cities choosing this action, and then filed suit against them in an effort to try getting compliance. Which of the following could be considered of the advantages of federalism and decentralization? By the time Nigeria got her independence, the various party involved had been regionally based. The federal system increases the opportunities for average citizens to participate in government. 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. In 1788, Fisher Ames of Massachusetts made a declaration to increase the powers of the national government. November 23, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/federalism-2/. It does not store any personal data. Federalism test policies and training of leaders. Possessing taxation power under the 16. There are some states which pursue policies which frustrate national policy because they cause them to sacrifice some of their interests to local interests such as segregation. Federalism promotes efficiency of government: distribution of power between the state and nation provides division of work and specialization of functions. Don't want to keep filling in name and email whenever you want to comment? so that you can track your progress. \(\overset{\underset{\mathrm{def}}{}}{=} \). 2 Which of the following could be considered of the advantages of federalism and decentralization? 1 What are the advantages of federalism in Nigeria? Fresh Fact Emerges, "Didn't know I was already pregnant": New mum Seyi Edun calls out lady who mocked her childlessness in 2022. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The military were able to create more states because military decrees do not pass the same rigorous method bills pass in a democratic government. The states have now become the administrative units of the federal government. 7. 3 Advantages Of Federalism In The Philippines. Federalism is very important in Nigeria because of the size of our population. The unity here is brought about by the desire of the component units of the federation to form union in respect of some matters. Federalism allows the government to become more responsive to individual needs. Although there are challenges to face in any type of government, most people who live in a federalist system say that they wouldnt change the structure whatsoever. Federalism increases the level of participation by individuals. It can also make the state governments selfish and concerned only about their own regions progress. 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. Citizens of various provinces may have different aspirations, ethnicity and follow different cultures. 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. The definition of federalism is straightforward: it is the federal principle or system of government. You cannot drive a horse in Indiana above a set speed limit of 10mph. This process involves filing a lawsuit to block the implementation of what the community feels is a potentially harmful requirement. 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. On the subject of policy innovation, Supreme Court Justice We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. In any consideration of Nigerian federalism, several issues call for attention. The constitution must be rigid to avoid frequent and unnecessary changes. In his judgment, Ogundare JSC agreed that the provisions to Sections 162(2) of the constitution re-stabilized the principle of derivation. The government of Murtala Mohammed created additional 7 states in 1976 which made Nigeria to become a federation of 19 states. By the time Nigeria became a republic, the system of federalism was adopted and the country was considered as a federation of three regions. 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. The powers that exist between the federal and state government also depends on the constitution. This means autonomous states or regions come together to form a larger [] National decisions can sometimes compete with state decisions. 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. America wanted to control all the economic activities of the nation and raising the national government powers would enable them achieve it. This is where the regional government steps in. The exact structures of each system can vary widely based on how the country sets up its governing process. As of 2012, the population was about 166.2 million but this has increased to 200.96 million in 2019. or this it really helped me, Your email address will not be published. Fourthly, there shall be the existence of court to interpret the constitution as it applies to cases and conflicts among the tiers of government. Some governments are trying it, while others or not. 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. His answer was that federalism a political system permitting a large . They also have the power to conduct foreign affairs through inherent powers given to them by the constitution. 2. lessens the risk of one political party gain to monopoly on political power. 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. IvyPanda. Nigeria as a result was divided into three provinces. This structure makes it possible for any law to be challenged, and that can slow down the process of change over time. Federalism does not get good press in Australia. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. This process can create positive or negative results. Evidently, Nigerias political culture was federalism friendly and that gave rise to easy adoption of federalism. Although there is always a level of national pride, local patriotism is usually the first level of loyalty that an individual will experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpC_7fPE3-A. Others do not. << There is no doubt that geographical factored are one of the influential reasons for federalism in Nigeria. % In this article, i will comprehensively discuss the reasons for federalism in Nigeria. Other forms of government do not offer such an opportunity. Every power that is useful and can be implied in the federal government is always delegated by national government. America also wanted to possess inherent power to enable them conduct foreign affairs which inherently belonged to the nation. However, that is not so in a federal government system. Nigeria's federalism as well as the federal character principle application to the extent that there is today a growing concern that the situation produces some ripple Among the merits of federalism are that it promotes policy innovation and political participation and accommodates diversity of opinion. Nigeria did not choose federal system of government because it is the best or most practiced system of government in the world. Many Nigerian ethnic groups began to agitate for their own states. Increasing Citizen Participation - By not centralizing all power into the hands of a 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 allows national governments to fight the local ones. Thats not to say that all actions are a disadvantage. Endogenous (De)centralization The key intuition of fiscal federalism theory is that the benefits of decentralization are positively correlated with the geographic Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Thus, federalism seemed to be the only option left for Nigeria because it allows for popular participation in government. This has been the Federalism is a compromise meant to eliminate the disadvantages of both systems. 19 more states were created in 1976 in order to score more political advantage by the Murtala-Obasanjo regime against those that favor General Yakubu Gowon. The political parties involved in the first republic were more formed on a regional basis. The top 1% of income earners own a majority of the wealth increases experienced since 2009. Another important factor that necessitated federalism in Nigeria was the political culture of the country. It was believed that federal system of government would take care of the interest of the minority and human rights that had been the fear of the minority under colonial rule. They also have implied powers which are necessary in delegation of power in the nation. 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 Pros of Federalism. Pillars of democracy: 7 Essential pillars of democracy. Both scenarios pose a threat to the countries integrity. Different states also have different laws making it hard to enforce law on visitors who had moved in the state. John Paden, George Mason University: Federalism in Nigeria. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". There are natural disasters, national welfare aid distributed to the states for authorization, public education resources, and many more benefits or circumstances where someone must navigate each level of government to find the results they want. In summary, we use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. We do hope that you find this article helpful. 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 federal system makes government more manageable. Many forms of federalism look to create checks and balances throughout society as a way to create an equal governing process. We may share your site usage data with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners for these reasons. Federalism provides a structure that diffuses governmental power. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Opinion. "Federalism System, Its Advantages and Disadvantages." It allows for popular participation in politics at every level of government. The desire to have war powers was also one of the reasons why national government power was increased since 1788. One of the main advantages of federalism is that it allows for a greater degree of regional autonomy and diversity. There can be a rebellion by a regional government against the national government too. They will then have special authority to control interstate businesses and trade with the foreign countries. Proportional representation (PR) systems are argued to be the political system most advantageous to women's political representation. Unfortunately, since the formation of Nigeria and adoption of this system of governance in the country has not seen much effect of federalism. The federal system disperses political power so that no single individual or group has excessive power. 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 policies, and racing to the bottom in terms of how they treat their citizens. Read Also:Importance of Indigenization in Nigeria. Kayode Oladele. There are times when blocking the implementation of federal law is beneficial. What are the five advantages of federalism? Needs/Reasons For The Adoption Of Federalism In Nigeria 5. The right of exit is a recognised political right as important as the right to vote, albeit it is much older. The national government also possess concurrent powers which enable them to exercises along with the state government. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. Federalism promotes unity: the system provides a united national government deal in matters such as finance, defence, regulation of business and foreign affairs. READ ALSO: Reasons for political apathy in Nigeria, Get the hottest stories from the largest news site in Nigeria. Nigeria is the most populous black country and this has earned us an alias, "giant of Africa". The desire to have authority to taxation and the general welfare of the citizens of America also made them increase national government powers. IvyPanda. For the United States, it is the wage and wealth gaps to consider. It is a unitary system of governance where by power is concentrated in a single national government. 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. (2019, November 23). Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. *$( %2%(,-/0/#484.7*./. C five reasons for the adoption of federalism in Nigeria explained. Federalism is a system of government where there are a decentralization power and autonomy of governance to the regional or federated states that share sovereignty with the Federal Government. Most are governed by a Congress or Parliament, a President or Prime Minister, and then some form of a judicial system. As a Nigerian, it is important to understand some basic things about the system of governance in Nigeria and why it is so. For the United States, there are local, country, and state governing authorities which all have a unique set of laws and regulations for people to follow. Respect of some matters degree of regional autonomy and diversity but, unfortunately, has. Essential advantages of federalism in nigeria of democracy, its advantages and disadvantages. gaps to.... 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