Go to AfricaBib home

Go to AfricaBib home AfricaBib Go to database home

bibliographic database
Line
Previous page New search

The free AfricaBib App for Android is available here

Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Re-Inventing Federalism in Post-Transition Nigeria: Problems and Prospects
Author:Agbu, Osita
Year:2004
Periodical:Africa Development: A Quarterly Journal of CODESRIA (ISSN 0850-3907)
Volume:29
Issue:2
Pages:26-52
Language:English
Notes:biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:Nigeria
West Africa
Subjects:federalism
decentralization
Politics and Government
Ethnic and Race Relations
Management, Public Administration
Federal government
public administration
democracy
Political leadership
Political development
External link:https://www.jstor.org/stable/24484528
Abstract:This paper examines the question of Nigeria's federal practice. It argues that there is a need to re-examine federalism in the country with a view to restructuring the system so that it reflects the ethnological and political realities in the field. It proposes the deconcentration or decentralization of the powers of the central government, which increased astronomically during military rule to the disadvantage of the components units - the states. A critical examination of the theoretical basis of the notion of federalism is followed by a historical overview of the origin of Nigeria's federalism, alongside a discussion of its current predicaments. Subsequently, the persisting problems in Nigeria's federalism - like the monopoly of State power, revenue allocation, state creation, the citizenship question - are revisited with a view to evaluating the situation in the post-transition democratic environment. Finally, the paper makes a case for the constitutional division of the country into geopolitical zones, the rotation of power amongst these zones, and the decentralization of power away from the centre to the states and local governments. Bibliogr., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract]
Views

Cover