Characteristics of a Federation – JSS2 Civic Education Lesson Note (First Term)

A federation is a system of government in which powers are shared between the federal government and the state governments according to a written constitution. The constitution is supreme, the central legislature has two houses, and the Supreme Court settles disputes between the levels of government.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. State the characteristics of a federation.
2. List the problems of the Nigerian federation.
3. Describe the relationship between the federal, state and local governments.
4. State the differences between the federal, state and local governments.

What are the characteristics of a federation?

1. Division of powers: governmental powers are shared between the federal and state governments according to the constitution.
2. Written and rigid constitution: a federation usually has a written constitution that is rigid, meaning it is difficult to amend.
3. Bicameral legislature: there are two houses at the central level, the Senate and the House of Representatives.
4. Supremacy of the constitution: the constitution is the highest law and has final authority over any other law.
5. The federal and state governments derive their powers from the constitution.
6. Every group in the country is recognised and represented.
7. The Supreme Court: it settles disputes between the various levels of government (federal and state) and gives the final interpretation of the constitution.
8. The autonomy of every part of the country is guaranteed by the constitution.
9. The states of a federation have unequal human and material resources.

What are the problems of the Nigerian federation?

1. The revenue-sharing formula has been an object of controversy since independence.
2. The military has ruled for decades, destabilising various pillars of democracy and democratic values in the country.
3. Census figures have been falsified in parts of the federation for political reasons.
4. Contiguous boundaries among regional areas.
5. Ethnic loyalty by leaders, which is a threat to national unity.
6. Ethnically based political parties do not help in uniting the nation.
7. The domination of the majority or larger ethnic groups.
8. Lack of federal character in the sharing of resources and major political positions, such as chief judges and ministers.

What is the relationship between the federal, state and local governments?

1. The local government gets an allocation from the federal account.
2. The state government approves the annual budget of the local government and audits its accounts.
3. The state has the power to dissolve the local government executive council.
4. The federal government creates the state and local government areas. It can adjust boundaries or remove existing boundaries.
5. The state and local governments can help in implementing some federal government policies, such as the industrial and educational policies.

What are the differences between the federal, state and local governments?

The federal government has constitutional power to control the state, but the state cannot control the federal government.

Evaluation

1. State five characteristics of a federation.
2. What does the Supreme Court do in a federation?
3. Mention four problems of the Nigerian federation.
4. State two ways in which the state government relates to the local government.

Assignment

1. Write out any three differences between the federal government and the state government.
2. Explain what is meant by a written and rigid constitution.