Governance: Nigeria As A Federation JSS2 Civic Education Lesson Note

 NIGERIA AS A FEDERATION

A federation or a federal system in which there is a constitutional division or three tires of government (Federal, State/regional, and local government). In a federation, the central (federal in Nigeria) represents the whole country and acts on behalf of all in common matters like defense, external affairs, currency, national revenue, and so on. A federation is a system of government in which government power that exists in the country is shared between a central government and other components of government. 

The name Nigeria was given by Miss. Floral Shaw (later Mrs. Lugard) in her essay which first appeared. In times of January 1897, Nigeria started to exist through the amalgamation of Northern and Southern protection. Nigeria is the 99th member of the United Nations organization since October 1st, 1960 became a federal republic on October 1st, 1963.

Currently, Nigeria has 36 states which include Abia, Anambra, Zamfara, Lagos, etc. There are 774 local governments. 

Other countries practicing a federal system of government include Switzerland, USA, Australia, and Canada. 

Division of functions among the three tiers of government according to the constitution are as follows:

1. The Exclusive list: power and functions in this list are reserved for the central government alone to exercise. The list includes defense, currency, foreign affairs, immigration customs, mining, police force, and so on.
2. Concurrent list: This list of functions is shared by both central and state governments. In the event of a conflict in exercising these functions. The central government’s decision supersedes or prevails over that of the state government. The list includes labour, road, insurance, higher education, research, in distance development among others. 
3. The residual list: this list of functions is exercised by the state government and local government. This includes markets, motor parts, chieftaincy affairs, minor roads, material and health centres, primary education, library.

NEEDS FOR A FEDERATION

1. Geographical size: government becomes effective as the divisions of function lessen the burden on the central government words. The burden of the central government is reduced because functions are divided. It allows for easy monitoring of state and local areas and as a result, grassroots are well cared for.
2. Economic factor: there is the need to pool resources of the religion together for a strong and vibrant economy.
3. Minority: protecting the interest the aspiration of the minority calls for the adoption of a federal.
4. National integration: the component units of Nigeria need to be united and tilled as one entity. The central government sees the development of all the state and local governments. It marks polities that will unite the country like the constitution, and NYSC for everybody, and coordinate the economic and political activities of other components. 
5. Unity in diversity: with over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, the federal government established unity schools throughout the federation bringing children from different of the country together as well as the federal character.