Needs/Reasons For The Adoption Of Federalism In Nigeria Nigeria is the most populous black country and this has earned us an alias, giant of Africa. This is where the regional government steps in. Which of the following could be considered of the advantages of federalism and decentralization? Seen in its entirety, all stakeholders have to brace up their resolve for national rebirth as we all . In other not to control only some parts of the big country, Nigeria, the colonial masters thought it wise to divide the country into different component units that will be represented in the government. 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. There are those who purchase goods in neighbouring state to escape sales tax in a particular state. 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. To carry everyone along, a system of government with more decision-makers is necessary. If this structure was not available, then you would get cookie-cutter regulations that may not apply to some geographical areas. 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. 3. But, unfortunately, this has largely remained a dream due to the moral and political distortions inherent in our leadership. Federalism provides a way for different groups of people in different parts of the country to live together.
! Nigeria therefore falls into the latter because of the wide diversities. This is why federalism is such a great advantage. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. It is illegal in Arizona for a donkey to sleep in a bathtub. 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. Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and regional authorities. Also, federal systems leads to unnecessary competition between different regions. Need to regulate interstate commerce power. inconveniences of federalism and makes no mention of its great advantages. 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. (2019, November 23). What are the advantages of federalism in Nigeria? Possessing a lot of power will enable them have the authority to raise navy and armies that could control tragedies from happening by protecting the nation. Many forms of federalism look to create checks and balances throughout society as a way to create an equal governing process. They also have implied powers which are necessary in delegation of power in the nation. Since Nigeria is a heterogeneous nation and Federalism is more practicable in such kind of nation, it is an ideal system of government. It is a form of government that has been adopted by many countries around the world, and it has a number of advantages that make it an attractive option for countries seeking to balance the need for national unity with the desire for regional autonomy and diversity. Federalism was basically introduced to bring about peace and unity in the different regions of the country. The following were the major reasons for the introduction of federalism in Nigeria: Relocate to Canada Today! It is important to also reason that small states are prone to domination and sometimes control by the big ones. \(\overset{\underset{\mathrm{def}}{}}{=} \). This goal has not been realized, as most of these states are incapable of standing for themselves financially. Nigeria's independence was gotten and founded on the basis of a federalist system of Government. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 2. 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. For the United States, it is the wage and wealth gaps to consider. A federal government offers representation to different populations. Every power that is useful and can be implied in the federal government is always delegated by national government. THE BENEFITS OF FEDERALISM THE DRAWBACKS OF FEDERALISM Summary Rt. This was meant to re-establish proper rule and national governance. 1. ##### 483. Read Also:Importance of the Nigeria Foreign Policy. Another reason why federalism is adopted by any country is that of its population. New York: Harper & Row, 1984. There are increased interstate conflicts due to federalism. What characteristics allow plants to survive in the desert? Hence, earnings and wealth are unevenly distributed. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The Benefits of Federalism Among the merits of federalism are that it promotes policy innovation and political participation and accommodates diversity of opinion. Division of work between the central and the regional governments leads to optimum utilization of resources. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. } !1AQa"q2#BR$3br 1. limits the power of federal officials to determine local polices. Required fields are marked *. The government demands to have war powers were created by tragedies of modern wars. It was partially responsible for the division in the 1800s that eventually led to the Civil War. There was just the Northern Protectorate and the Southern Protectorate. All names, acronyms, logos and trademarks displayed on this website are those of their respective owners. Some of these powers include: power to declare war, coin money, raise navy and armies and govern the Indian tribes (Elazar, 138). THE BENEFITS OF FEDERALISM. That means some people in the U.S. must follow four different sets of laws. Two local governments can have two different approaches to bring reforms in any area of public domain, be it taxation or education. Knowing what you can or cannot do can be a confusing process, especially when there are conflicting statements offered by the different parties. It can also be used as a way to pass ridiculous laws as a way to make a political statement, discourage tourism, or some other specific result. So majority if not all of them were in favor of a federalist system of governance. By the time Nigeria became a republic, the system of federalism was adopted and the country was considered as a federation of three regions. By diffusing power to multiple branches of office, like the U.S. does with the executive, legislative, and judicial segments, it becomes more challenging for one division to take over the country. 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. Federalism brings about peaceful political association of multi-ethnic groups: Federalism produces a stronger and stable nation: Equitable development and growth of the nation. We may share your site usage data with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners for these reasons. Evidently, Nigerias political culture was federalism friendly and that gave rise to easy adoption of federalism. 7. Federalism in India. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. Federalism can encourage the passing of ridiculous laws. 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. I love this article,very educating and interesting It was under the 1954 constitution that federal system of government was fully adopted. Politics in America, eighth edition/alternate edition. This has nexus with the particular sharing formula adopted. The pros and cons of federalism provide evidence that it is usually better for a society and nation if there is a system of power sharing available for the government. There is a need to establish institutions for the study offederalism in Nigeria and to reduce ethnic and ideological biases in research on Nigerian federalism. It is believed by many that this was one of the reasons why Nigeria adopted a federalist system. 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. The federal system makes government more manageable. But in Nigeria, The federal government controls about 80 percent of the resources in the country, leaving the state and local government at its mercy. 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. Federalism provides room for innovation and experimentation. Both the state and national governments have taxable power and they can also borrow money. 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. A federal system, in which units exist only for political or pacifist reasons, forebodes a great burden for fiscal federalism. There are several pros and cons of federalism to consider when looking at it as a political system. 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. 3. It has severally been emphasized by both the Northern and Western politicians that God did not create Nigeria but the British. Nigeria did not choose federal system of government because it is the best or most practiced system of government in the world. Too many elected representatives with overlapping roles may also lead to corruption. professional specifically for you? 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. The Emergence of Nigeria as a political entity under colonial rule was not an easy affair. Live, Study and Work in Canada. IvyPanda. Even the masses in the rural areas of the country are allowed to participate in politics by electing their representatives into office. Your browser seems to have Javascript disabled. Federal systems emerge in two broad ways both of which have epochal . The federal system makes decision making more complex and difficult. The central government can concentrate more on international affairs and defense of the country while the provincial government can cater to the local needs. Nigeria is currently made up of 36 states, with Abuja as the capital. Before the amalgamation of the Northern Protectorate and the Southern Protectorate in 1914, there was nothing like Nigeria. Federalism does not get good press in Australia. Nigeria as a result was divided into three provinces. The constitution must be rigid to avoid frequent and unnecessary changes. It allows for popular participation in politics at every level of government. 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