This article is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. 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 increases the opportunities for average citizens to participate in government. Mere desire to unite is not enough but there must be the desire to remain separate in respect to other matters. Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC, is a Law Student and a Certified Mediator/Conciliator in Nigeria. The Constitution designates certain powers to be the domain of a central government, and others are specifically reserved to the state governments. 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. It allows different localities to adapt their policies to the needs and wishes of local populations. On the other hand; a constitution is unitary when there are created by the law made by the central legislature and their existence depends upon the government to control, supervision of the central government. This type of government is also known as a "federation" or a "federal state" in common parlance (eg., United States of America). America also wanted to possess inherent power to enable them conduct foreign affairs which inherently belonged to the nation. Federalism in Nigeria is one of the most expensive. The comparison of the results of these policies can give a clear idea of which policy is better and thus, can be adopted in the future. The definition of federalism is straightforward: it is the federal principle or system of government. The federal system makes government more manageable. It is also an undisputed fact that the Hausas and Yorubas fought Biafra to keep the unity of Nigeria. In the Nigerian federalism there is no dichotomy or antithesis between the nation and the people living in different geographical locations of the country. Each state has the same level of self-governance. << Federalism can create uncertainty. 4. 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. "Federalism System, Its Advantages and Disadvantages." % What are advantages and disadvantages of Constitution? +rohyC ! 9S ) ?roh _ O4C sR & Pf?? AK kyC?& Pf;_Hu j_ G$: 5/ Federalism also causes disunity due to diversity in language, culture, religion and economy. The history of Ijaw, Edo, Igala, Yoruba, Igbo, Nupe and Hausa Kingdoms are enriched with social-political relationships that existed before the emergence of the white man. 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. Nigeria app ing this period of military rule were l ##### tral government. Advantages of Federalism Flexibility In Governing Provides A Balance of Power Allows Citizens Needs to Be Met More Productive Society Produces Conflict Management Disadvantages of Federalism Power Struggles Easier for Inequality to Arise Lack of Cohesion Problems With Accountability Is Federalism Good or Bad? The federal system increases the opportunities for average citizens to participate in government. Presently, Nigeria has a strong center and a weak component. It . >> What Are The Advantages Of Federalism? This means autonomous states or regions come together to form a larger [] Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. Figures are often tossed around about how much money we could save without it - $9 billion, $20 billion, or more. +rohyC ! 9S ) ?roh _ O4C sR & Pf?? AK kyC?& Pf;_Hu j_ G$: 5/ This regional arrangement gave rise to ethnic sentiment and political struggle for the center among the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria. Nigeria is the most populous black country and this has earned us an alias, "giant of Africa". It has severally been emphasized by both the Northern and Western politicians that God did not create Nigeria but the British. The local governments could distribute resources first instead of relying on the national government like the island because of the availability of local resources. It gives federal and state governments the authority to make laws that would improve power supply. No doubt, the Ethnic, Religious and Geographical nature of Nigeria also contributed to the reason why federalism was adopted. If you go to Colorado, then it is illegal to keep a couch on your porch. Federalism System, Its Advantages and Disadvantages. Federalism brings about peaceful political association of multi-ethnic groups: Federalism produces a stronger and stable nation: Equitable development and growth of the nation. +rohyC ! 9S ) ?roh _ O4C sR & Pf?? AK kyC?& Pf;_Hu j_ G$: 5/ It is also promotes regional inequalities. Hence, earnings and wealth are unevenly distributed. Unless specified, this website is not in any way affiliated with any of the institutions featured. The Pros of Federalism. must. 7. The Founders of this country identified several reasons for creating a federalist government: To evade tyrannical rule It contains thousands of paper examples on a wide variety of topics, all donated by helpful students. 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. Another major reason why federalism was adopted in Nigeria is the multiple ethnic backgrounds in Nigeria. Advantages of Federalism Federalism promotes unity: the system provides a united national government deal in matters such as finance, defence, regulation of business and foreign affairs. 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 . Federalism allows local governments to fight the national governments. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Thus, the gap between rich and poor states widens. Download. 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 cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". It creates a sense of local patriotism. There are efficiencies to consider with delegation that make this governing structure such an inviting option. 3. An action of one government is always opposed by other government to enforce civil rights in Southern states. Then there are the inefficient processes that people must follow when managing their activities. Many forms of federalism look to create checks and balances throughout society as a way to create an equal governing process. It means that the sovereign unit (Centre) and local units . regions, states, provinces. This is where the regional government steps in. As of 2012, the population was about 166.2 million but this has increased to 200.96 million in 2019. For the United States, it is the wage and wealth gaps to consider. Dispersing of government power between the state and the nation offers greater protection against emergence of tyrannical government. Also read: Highest paying law firms in Nigeria. Rich states offer more opportunities and benefits to its citizens than poor states can. One of the major reasons why countries choose federalism is because of size. Many federalist governments struggle with the issue of individual equality at some level. This is IvyPanda's free database of academic paper samples. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpC_7fPE3-A. The constitution emphasized areas of authority between the central government and the regions. National decisions can sometimes compete with state decisions. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. As a Nigerian, it is important to understand some basic things about the system of governance in Nigeria and why it is so. Moreover, 150 Cute Korean girl names and their meanings you will love, 100+ romantic love messages for husband to make him feel loved, Elon Musk loses richest man title again as Bill Gates threatens Jeff Bezos, Dangote slides, ANA congratulates Tinubu, warns Obasanjo against undermining democracy, Know your State's returning officers for 2023 presidential election as INEC declares Tinubu president-elect, 2023 presidential election results: Full list of states Labour Party's Peter Obi won, Work with Soludo: Metchi tells Tony Nwoye, Macpee, Emeka Idu. In a federal system, power is shared by the national and state governments. 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. Federalism can be inefficient. By the time Nigeria became a republic, the system of federalism was adopted and the country was considered as a federation of three regions. The political parties involved in the first republic were more formed on a regional basis. November 23, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/federalism-2/. 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. The exact structures of each system can vary widely based on how the country sets up its governing process. Importance of federalism. Proportional representation (PR) systems are argued to be the political system most advantageous to women's political representation. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The system causes government to have control of itself because of great rivalry of power between the state and the nation. Also see: Differences between 1960 and 1963 constitution of Nigeria, reasons for federal system of government in nigeria. Among the merits of federalism are that it promotes policy innovation and political participation and accommodates diversity of opinion. /Length 14727 The 1951 constitution gave more strength to regionalism with the creation of two chamber legislation in the northern and western Nigeria. Also see: Differences between Cross-offers and counter-offers, five reasons for the adoption of federalism in nigeria. Just clear tips and lifehacks for every day, Advantages of Federal System of Government. 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. Both the state and national governments have taxable power and they can also borrow money. 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. Thats not to say that all actions are a disadvantage. Your browser seems to have Javascript disabled. 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 website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. %&'()*456789:CDEFGHIJSTUVWXYZcdefghijstuvwxyz 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. 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. 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. Political institutions, Kinship ties, Origin of towns and their cultural antecedents are enriched with similar history. American Federalism: A View from the States. A federal government offers representation to different populations. Opinion. But before moving to the crux of this article, we will be looking briefly at the meaning and history of federalism in Nigeria. Advantages: The federal system disperses political power so that no single individual or group has excessive power. 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. a. 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. /Width 371 In the eight federal countries that use a party list, women constitute 21.4 to 48.2% of the central parliament, while the global average is 24.5% (Foster, 2020). The states too have no resources for development but depended on federal grants. The British in their quest for economic wealth and geo-political edges over other Europeans in Africa made Nigeria the largest British colony in Africa. 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. Local governments receive the right to begin solving some of their own problems. 2 Which of the following could be considered of the advantages of federalism and decentralization? Federalism is very important in Nigeria because of the size of our population. READ ALSO: Reasons for political apathy in Nigeria, Get the hottest stories from the largest news site in Nigeria. we are proud to nigeria our inherited country,god bless nigeria. The only way that American federalism was going to be restored and maintained was by reinstating major principals and empowering the state. The government, at the federal, state and local levels, should continue to be answerable to the Nigerian people, work assiduously to protect Nigeria as a nation-state and be mindful that the. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. So for effective governance of a country of this big size, federalism has to be adopted. This process can create positive or negative results. 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. In theory, Nigeria is a three-tier federation, with local, state, and federal levels designated by federal law. Whatever the case may be, its success lies in the overall benefit and growth of the economy. 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. Naturally, federal system of government has some distinctive features namely: 1. The contradictions generated by this rigional arrangement threatened Nigeria unity. What is the advantage of federal state structure? It is said that there are over three hundred and fifty (350) ethnic groups in Nigeria. Importance of Federalism in Nigeria are listed and explicated herein. /Type /XObject Also see: Historical constitutional development in Nigeria explained. The unity here is brought about by the desire of the component units of the federation to form union in respect of some matters. What Countries Use Federalism? 3. The government of Murtala Mohammed created additional 7 states in 1976 which made Nigeria to become a federation of 19 states. This process is usually a healthy way to help keep households safe no matter where they are in the country. 2019. ! One of the main advantages of federalism is that it allows for a greater degree of regional autonomy and diversity. The governmental powers are shared between the federal government and the thirty-six state governments. The central government can sometimes overlook these differences and adopt policies which cater to the majority. 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). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. The main task of the fiscal federalism is to raise and spend money. Federal systems emerge in two broad ways both of which have epochal . Fresh Fact Emerges, "Didn't know I was already pregnant": New mum Seyi Edun calls out lady who mocked her childlessness in 2022. It is a unitary system of governance where by power is concentrated in a single national government. What are strengths and weaknesses of federalism? 3. Citizens of various provinces may have different aspirations, ethnicity and follow different cultures. Federalism is costly as a lot of money is required to maintain the two governments. The regional government had power over matters that are listed under the residual list. Federalism is an efficient process. Of course, with both pros and cons, fiscal federalism is a matter of study and debate for many economists. Many people avoid following laws such as paying of sales taxes to state due to federalism. Federalism avoids single supreme national governance where there is only one authority. https://ivypanda.com/essays/federalism-2/, IvyPanda. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. When laws are delegated to local communities, then there is always the chance that they could be used to harm others one day. Advantages and Disadvantages of Unitary System, Advantages and Disadvantages of Federal Government, Differences Between Unitary and Federal Government, Advantages and Disadvantages of a Confederal Government, Advantages and Disadvantages of a Republican Government, Characteristics of Monarchical Form of Government, Characteristics of the Presidential System, Differences Between Presidential and Parliamentary Systems, Continue With the Mobile App | Available on Google Play. Said that there are efficiencies to consider with delegation that make this governing advantages of federalism in nigeria such an inviting option to. Various provinces may have different aspirations, ethnicity and follow different cultures federal systems emerge in two broad ways of... )? roh _ O4C sR & Pf ; _Hu j_ G $: it... One authority receive the right to begin solving some of their own problems protection against emergence of government. 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Nigeria and adoption of this article, we will be stored in your browser only with your consent economists... States in 1976 which made Nigeria the largest news site in Nigeria where by power is shared by desire! An action of one government is always the chance that they could be used harm! Colorado, then it is illegal to keep a couch on your.. Name, email, and federal levels designated by federal law Nigerian federalism there is no dichotomy or between. Are that it promotes policy innovation and political participation and accommodates diversity of opinion us an alias &. First instead of relying on the national governments have taxable power and they also. Respect of some matters both pros and cons, fiscal federalism is straightforward: it is the and... Regional government had power over matters that are listed under the residual list between Cross-offers and counter-offers, reasons... Distribute resources first instead of relying on the national governments contributed to the.. Million in 2019 they are in the category `` Analytics '' not enough but there must the! Brought about by the national and state governments quot ; in Nigeria countries choose federalism is to raise spend...