NIGERIAN FEDERALISM: AN OVERVIEW OF ITS IMPERATIVES AND IMPEDIMENTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32890/jis2021.17.8Keywords:
Colonialism, federalism, independence, Nigeria, regions, statesAbstract
This article provides an overview of Nigerian federalism in relation to the imperatives and impediments of its practice, which it has been grappling with since the constitutional enactment of the system in October, 1954. This study utilized qualitative research method by way of analyzing historical archives and documents, including secondary data sources. Historical documentation method was used as the principal analysis tool in this study. The study found that federalism remains the most viable system for Nigeria based on the past and present experiences amongst the former Nigerian military regimes, politicians, British colonialists, nationalists and founding fathers of the Nigerian state. However, there has yet to be a nationally accepted arrangement to be used in operating the country’s federal system. This is based on the heterogeneous nature and character of the Nigerian state. There are, however numerous impediments to the effective and efficient practice of federalism, including prolonged military rule, manipulation of religious differences and regional diversity, revenue and resource allocation politics and conflict, including poor intergovernmental relations. Thus, the search for a viable federal arrangement and its advancement continues to be explored.
References
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Albeely, T. S., Mahmoud, A. T., & Yahaya, A. I. (2018). Ethnicity, tribalism, and racism and its major doctrines in Nigeria. Dirasa Ifriqiyya 59, 29-46.
Amune, S., (1986). Work and worship: Selected speeches of Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto. Zaria: Gaskiya Corporation.
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Awolowo O., (1966). Thoughts on the Nigerian constitution. Ibadan: Oxford University Press.
Awolowo, O. A., 1947. Path to Nigerian freedom. London: Faber and Faber.
Ayoade, J. A. A., (1973). Secession threat as a redressive mechanism in Nigerian federalism. Publius: The Journal of Federalism 3, 57–75.
Azikiwe, N., (1961). Zik: A selection of the speeches from Nnamdi Azikiwe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Babalola, D., (2019). Nigeria, a federal state and federal society: The origins. In The political economy of federalism in Nigeria (pp. 27-56). , Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.
Balewa, T. (1964). Mr. prime minister. Lagos: Government Printer.
Bello, A. (1962). My life. London: Cambridge University Press.
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Business Council of Australia. (2006). Intergovernmental relations in a federal system. Melbourne: Business Council of Australia Publications.
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th Ed.). Boston: Pearson Educational Books.
Creswell, J. W., (2009). Mapping the field of mixed methods research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 3(2). 95-108.
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Dye, T. R. & Macmanus, S. A. (2015). Politics in states and communities (15th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.
Ehrhardt, D., (2017). Indigeneship, bureaucratic discretion, and institutional change in Northern Nigeria. African affairs, 116(464), 462-483.
Elazar, D. J. (1987). Exploring federalism. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press.
Erbsen, A., (2008). Horizontal federalism. Minnesota Law Review, 93(494), 493-584.
Eric, P., (2016). The Amalgamation of Nigeria: Revisiting 1914 and the centenary celebrations. Canadian Social Science, 12(12), 66-68.
Eze, O. C., Elimian, A., & Uchenna, C. G. (2015). The politics of state creation and national integration in Nigeria. Journal of Politics. & Law, 8(1), 113-121.
Friedrich, C. (1963). Federalism: national and international. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Horowitz, D. L., (1993). Democracy in divided societies. Journal of Democracy 4(4), 18-38.
Iff, A., (2012). Peace-promoting federalism: Making sense of India and Nigeria. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 43(2), 227-250.
Jaja, J. M., & Agumagu, J. E. (2017). Ethnicity, politics and national development. Elixir Social Studies, 110, 48325-48332.
Kalu, K. N. (2008). State power, autarchy, and political conquest in Nigerian federalism. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
Kendhammer, B. (2013). The Sharia controversy in Northern Nigeria and the politics of Islamic law in new and uncertain democracies. Comparative Politics, 45(3), 291-311.
Lanre, O. A., (2017). Federalism in Nigeria–problems, prospects and the imperative of restructuring. International Journal Advances in Social Science and Humanities, IJASSH, 5(8), 40-52.
Levan, A. C., & Ukata, P. (eds.). (2018). The Oxford handbook of Nigerian politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Lijphart, A. (1980). Democracy in plural societies. A comparative exploration. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Livingstone, W.A., (1952). A note on the nature of federalism. Political Science Quarterly, 67, 81-95.
Lluch, J. (2011). Autonomism and federalism. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 42(1), 134-161.
Lugard, F. L. S., (1906). A tropical dependency: An outline of the ancient history of Western Sudan with an account of the modern settlement of Northern Nigeria. New York: Barnes and Nobles.
Makinde, J. T., Hassan, A. O., & Taiwo, A. O. (2016). Theory, principle and practice of local governance in Nigeria. The Journal of Developing Areas, 50(1), 305-318.
Mandaci, N., & TepeciklioÄŸlu, E. E. (2018). Whither Nigerian federalism? Federal arrangements as conflict management devices. Igdir University Journal of Social Sciences, (14), 399-418.
McGarry, J., & O'Leary, B. (2005). Federations as method of ethnic conflict regulation. In From power sharing to democracy. Post-conflict institutions in ethnically divided societies, (Ed.) Sid Noel. 263-296. Montreal/Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press.
Merritt, D. J., (1988). The Guarantee clause and state autonomy: Federalism for a third century. Columbia Law Review, 88(1), 1-78.
Mohamed, I. S., & Aisha, A. A. (2020). Federalism: An overview of the Nigerian perspective. Beau Bassin, Mauritius: Lambert academic Publishing.
Mohammed, I. S. & Aisha, A. A. (2018). Fulani/herdsmen-farmers conflict in Nigeria: The emerging dimensions, complications and the theatre. Beau Bassin, Mauritius: Lambert Academic Publishing.
Mohammed, I. S. (2018). Integrated profile of northern Nigeria. Beau Bassin, Mauritus: Lambert Academic Publishing.
Mohammed, I. S., & Ahmed, M. (2018). Problems of academic literature review and writing: the way forward. Sahel Analyst: Journal of Management Sciences, (16)5, 11-26.
Mohammed, I. S., Aisha, A. A., & Saidu, A. (2018). Nigerian political development. Beau Bassin, Mauritus: Lambert Academic Publishing.
Mohammed, I. S., Othman, M. F. & Osman, N. B. (2019a). Nigerian national population and housing census and sustainable development: issues at stake. Journal of Techno Social (1), 16-28 https://doi: https://doi.org/10.30880/jts.2018.11.01.003.
Mohammed, I. S., Othman, M. F. B. & Osman, N. B. (2019b). Uncovering the systematic genocide against the Hausa-Fulani and Muslims groups in Nigeria. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies, 5 (2), 247-262 https://doi: 10.26710/jbsee.v5i2.826.
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2018). Multi-indicator cluster Survey 2016-2018 survey finding report. Abuja, Nigeria: National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.
Nchi, S. & Mohammed, A. (1999). Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto: His thoughts and vision in his own words, selected speeches and letters of the great leader. Makurdi: Oracle Publishers.
Negussie, S., (2016). Fiscal federalism and decentralization in selected IGAD member countries. Addis-Ababa: The Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute (HESPI) Working Paper 04/16, 1-75.
Nwabueze, B. (1983). Federalism in Nigeria under the presidential constitution. London: Sweet & Maxwell.
Nwabueze, B. O. (1993). Ideas and facts in constitution making. Ibadan: Spectrum Books.
Oates. W. E. (2011). Fiscal federalism. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Ogunmodimu, O. (2017). The ambiguity of constitutional silence on state secession in Nigeria: Looking beyond politics of compassion and prejudice. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3014761 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3014761. Accessed 17 May 2019.
Ojo, E. O., (2014). A critique of some of the available secondary sources on Nigerian history. International Journal of History and Philosophical Research, 2(1), 35-53.
Osaghae, E. E., (1991). Ethnic minorities and federalism in Nigeria. African Affairs, 90(359), 237-258.
Othman, M. F. B., Osman, N. B. and Mohammed, I. S., (2019a). Restructuring Nigeria: the dilemma and critical issues. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies, 5 (1), 79-98 https://doi: 10.26710/jbsee.v5i1.567.
Othman, M. F., Osman, N & Mohammed, I. S. (2018). An Overview of Push/Pull Factors of Political Participation in Nigeria. Journal of International Studies Vol. 14, 81-98.
Saylor, R. (2016). Ethnic entrepreneurs and movements for new administrative units: Lessons from Nigeria. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 46(4), 568-595.
Shehu, I. M., Osman, N. & Othman, M. B. (2016). Nigerian Citizens and Fundamental Rights: Myth, Manoeuvre and Reality. Journal of International Studies, 12, 53-64.
Shehu, I. M., Othman, M. F. B., Osman, N., B., (2017a). Ethno-religious and regional rivalry in Nigeria: An old and creeping trend. Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 5(5), 14-23.
Shehu, M. I., Othman, M. F. B. & Osman, N. (2017b). Resource control and allocation in Nigerian federalism: The oil dilemma. International Journal of Management Research & Review (IJMRR), 7(3), 237-251.
Shehu, M. I., Othman, M. F. B., & Osman, N. B. (2017c). Nigeria’s ethno-regional tripod federalism: Characters and complexities. International Journal of Management Research & Review (IJMRR), 7(3), 289-303.
Tamuno, T. N. (1970). Separatist agitations in Nigeria since 1914. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 8(4), 563-584.
Trzcinski, K., (2016). How theoretically opposite models of interethnic power-sharing can complement each other and contribute to political stabilization: the case of Nigeria 1. Politeja, (42), 53-74.
Watts, R. (1966). New federations: Experiments in the Commonwealth. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Wheare, K. C. (1964). Federal government (4th ed.). London: Oxford University Press.
Adamolekun, L., (1991). Introduction: federalism in Nigeria. Publius, 21(4), 1-11.
Adedeji, A. O., & Ezeabasili, I. E. (2018). Restructuring and clamour for ‘true’ federalism in Nigeria: A comparative analysis. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 5(2), 160-168.
Aiyede, E. R., (2015). Federalism, oil politics and human security in Nigeria. UNILAG Journal of Politics, 7(1), 26-55.
Akanmidu, P. I., (2018). The British's contact with Nigeria's peoples, amalgamation and the question of minority agitation, 1914-1999. Journal of Pan African Studies, 12(1), 421-440.
Albeely, T. S., Mahmoud, A. T., & Yahaya, A. I. (2018). Ethnicity, tribalism, and racism and its major doctrines in Nigeria. Dirasa Ifriqiyya 59, 29-46.
Amune, S., (1986). Work and worship: Selected speeches of Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto. Zaria: Gaskiya Corporation.
Anyebe, A. A., (2015). Federalism as a panacea for cultural diversity in Nigeria. Global Journal of Human-Social Science Research. Global Journal of Human-Social Science: C Sociology & Culture, 15(3), 15-24.
Awolowo O., (1966). Thoughts on the Nigerian constitution. Ibadan: Oxford University Press.
Awolowo, O. A., 1947. Path to Nigerian freedom. London: Faber and Faber.
Ayoade, J. A. A., (1973). Secession threat as a redressive mechanism in Nigerian federalism. Publius: The Journal of Federalism 3, 57–75.
Azikiwe, N., (1961). Zik: A selection of the speeches from Nnamdi Azikiwe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Babalola, D., (2019). Nigeria, a federal state and federal society: The origins. In The political economy of federalism in Nigeria (pp. 27-56). , Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.
Balewa, T. (1964). Mr. prime minister. Lagos: Government Printer.
Bello, A. (1962). My life. London: Cambridge University Press.
Bourne, R. (2015). Nigeria: A new history of a turbulent century. London: Zed Books.
Business Council of Australia. (2006). Intergovernmental relations in a federal system. Melbourne: Business Council of Australia Publications.
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (4th Ed.). Boston: Pearson Educational Books.
Creswell, J. W., (2009). Mapping the field of mixed methods research. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 3(2). 95-108.
Diala, A. (2013). The dawn of constitutionalism in Nigeria. In M. K. Mbondenyi & T. Ojienda (Eds.), Constitutionalism and democratic governance in Africa: Contemporary perspectives from sub-Saharan Africa’ (135-160). Pretoria University Law Press PULP.
Dye, T. R. & Macmanus, S. A. (2015). Politics in states and communities (15th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.
Ehrhardt, D., (2017). Indigeneship, bureaucratic discretion, and institutional change in Northern Nigeria. African affairs, 116(464), 462-483.
Elazar, D. J. (1987). Exploring federalism. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press.
Erbsen, A., (2008). Horizontal federalism. Minnesota Law Review, 93(494), 493-584.
Eric, P., (2016). The Amalgamation of Nigeria: Revisiting 1914 and the centenary celebrations. Canadian Social Science, 12(12), 66-68.
Eze, O. C., Elimian, A., & Uchenna, C. G. (2015). The politics of state creation and national integration in Nigeria. Journal of Politics. & Law, 8(1), 113-121.
Friedrich, C. (1963). Federalism: national and international. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Horowitz, D. L., (1993). Democracy in divided societies. Journal of Democracy 4(4), 18-38.
Iff, A., (2012). Peace-promoting federalism: Making sense of India and Nigeria. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 43(2), 227-250.
Jaja, J. M., & Agumagu, J. E. (2017). Ethnicity, politics and national development. Elixir Social Studies, 110, 48325-48332.
Kalu, K. N. (2008). State power, autarchy, and political conquest in Nigerian federalism. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
Kendhammer, B. (2013). The Sharia controversy in Northern Nigeria and the politics of Islamic law in new and uncertain democracies. Comparative Politics, 45(3), 291-311.
Lanre, O. A., (2017). Federalism in Nigeria–problems, prospects and the imperative of restructuring. International Journal Advances in Social Science and Humanities, IJASSH, 5(8), 40-52.
Levan, A. C., & Ukata, P. (eds.). (2018). The Oxford handbook of Nigerian politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Lijphart, A. (1980). Democracy in plural societies. A comparative exploration. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Livingstone, W.A., (1952). A note on the nature of federalism. Political Science Quarterly, 67, 81-95.
Lluch, J. (2011). Autonomism and federalism. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 42(1), 134-161.
Lugard, F. L. S., (1906). A tropical dependency: An outline of the ancient history of Western Sudan with an account of the modern settlement of Northern Nigeria. New York: Barnes and Nobles.
Makinde, J. T., Hassan, A. O., & Taiwo, A. O. (2016). Theory, principle and practice of local governance in Nigeria. The Journal of Developing Areas, 50(1), 305-318.
Mandaci, N., & TepeciklioÄŸlu, E. E. (2018). Whither Nigerian federalism? Federal arrangements as conflict management devices. Igdir University Journal of Social Sciences, (14), 399-418.
McGarry, J., & O'Leary, B. (2005). Federations as method of ethnic conflict regulation. In From power sharing to democracy. Post-conflict institutions in ethnically divided societies, (Ed.) Sid Noel. 263-296. Montreal/Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press.
Merritt, D. J., (1988). The Guarantee clause and state autonomy: Federalism for a third century. Columbia Law Review, 88(1), 1-78.
Mohamed, I. S., & Aisha, A. A. (2020). Federalism: An overview of the Nigerian perspective. Beau Bassin, Mauritius: Lambert academic Publishing.
Mohammed, I. S. & Aisha, A. A. (2018). Fulani/herdsmen-farmers conflict in Nigeria: The emerging dimensions, complications and the theatre. Beau Bassin, Mauritius: Lambert Academic Publishing.
Mohammed, I. S. (2018). Integrated profile of northern Nigeria. Beau Bassin, Mauritus: Lambert Academic Publishing.
Mohammed, I. S., & Ahmed, M. (2018). Problems of academic literature review and writing: the way forward. Sahel Analyst: Journal of Management Sciences, (16)5, 11-26.
Mohammed, I. S., Aisha, A. A., & Saidu, A. (2018). Nigerian political development. Beau Bassin, Mauritus: Lambert Academic Publishing.
Mohammed, I. S., Othman, M. F. & Osman, N. B. (2019a). Nigerian national population and housing census and sustainable development: issues at stake. Journal of Techno Social (1), 16-28 https://doi: https://doi.org/10.30880/jts.2018.11.01.003.
Mohammed, I. S., Othman, M. F. B. & Osman, N. B. (2019b). Uncovering the systematic genocide against the Hausa-Fulani and Muslims groups in Nigeria. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies, 5 (2), 247-262 https://doi: 10.26710/jbsee.v5i2.826.
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2018). Multi-indicator cluster Survey 2016-2018 survey finding report. Abuja, Nigeria: National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.
Nchi, S. & Mohammed, A. (1999). Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto: His thoughts and vision in his own words, selected speeches and letters of the great leader. Makurdi: Oracle Publishers.
Negussie, S., (2016). Fiscal federalism and decentralization in selected IGAD member countries. Addis-Ababa: The Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute (HESPI) Working Paper 04/16, 1-75.
Nwabueze, B. (1983). Federalism in Nigeria under the presidential constitution. London: Sweet & Maxwell.
Nwabueze, B. O. (1993). Ideas and facts in constitution making. Ibadan: Spectrum Books.
Oates. W. E. (2011). Fiscal federalism. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Ogunmodimu, O. (2017). The ambiguity of constitutional silence on state secession in Nigeria: Looking beyond politics of compassion and prejudice. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3014761 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3014761. Accessed 17 May 2019.
Ojo, E. O., (2014). A critique of some of the available secondary sources on Nigerian history. International Journal of History and Philosophical Research, 2(1), 35-53.
Osaghae, E. E., (1991). Ethnic minorities and federalism in Nigeria. African Affairs, 90(359), 237-258.
Othman, M. F. B., Osman, N. B. and Mohammed, I. S., (2019a). Restructuring Nigeria: the dilemma and critical issues. Journal of Business and Social Review in Emerging Economies, 5 (1), 79-98 https://doi: 10.26710/jbsee.v5i1.567.
Othman, M. F., Osman, N & Mohammed, I. S. (2018). An Overview of Push/Pull Factors of Political Participation in Nigeria. Journal of International Studies Vol. 14, 81-98.
Saylor, R. (2016). Ethnic entrepreneurs and movements for new administrative units: Lessons from Nigeria. Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 46(4), 568-595.
Shehu, I. M., Osman, N. & Othman, M. B. (2016). Nigerian Citizens and Fundamental Rights: Myth, Manoeuvre and Reality. Journal of International Studies, 12, 53-64.
Shehu, I. M., Othman, M. F. B., Osman, N., B., (2017a). Ethno-religious and regional rivalry in Nigeria: An old and creeping trend. Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 5(5), 14-23.
Shehu, M. I., Othman, M. F. B. & Osman, N. (2017b). Resource control and allocation in Nigerian federalism: The oil dilemma. International Journal of Management Research & Review (IJMRR), 7(3), 237-251.
Shehu, M. I., Othman, M. F. B., & Osman, N. B. (2017c). Nigeria’s ethno-regional tripod federalism: Characters and complexities. International Journal of Management Research & Review (IJMRR), 7(3), 289-303.
Tamuno, T. N. (1970). Separatist agitations in Nigeria since 1914. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 8(4), 563-584.
Trzcinski, K., (2016). How theoretically opposite models of interethnic power-sharing can complement each other and contribute to political stabilization: the case of Nigeria 1. Politeja, (42), 53-74.
Watts, R. (1966). New federations: Experiments in the Commonwealth. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Wheare, K. C. (1964). Federal government (4th ed.). London: Oxford University Press.
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Published
30-12-2021
How to Cite
Othman, M. F., Othman, N., & Shehu, I. (2021). NIGERIAN FEDERALISM: AN OVERVIEW OF ITS IMPERATIVES AND IMPEDIMENTS. Journal of International Studies, 17, 183–209. https://doi.org/10.32890/jis2021.17.8
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