Abstract
Nigeria is one of those countries that operates a federal system of government
alongside with the western world. Given the territorially delineated cleavages
abounding in Nigeria and the historical legacy of division among ethnic groups,
regions, and sections, the federal imperative was so fundamental that even the
military government- characteristically Unitarian, hierarchical, and centralistattached importance to the continuation of a federal system of government.
While, the system benefit most western countries, the reverse is the case for
Nigeria considering the high level of political instability, ethnic crisis, and
ethno/religious crisis among others The reason this is not far fetch; Nigeria is
operating a federal system in an awkward manner and this has made frictions
and clashes possible which are currently posing a threat to her political
development. To this end, this project seeks to analyze the Nigerian federalism,
the effects of the system on her political and
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The distribution of resources among the various levels of government has never
been easy and smooth, hence the contention and Nigeria is no exception
(Okeke, 2004).The determination of what constitutes the federal revenue and
how it should be shared among the component federating units in Nigeria lie at
the center of most, if not all national conflicts. This is why scholars and
researchers of National Political Issues have upheld that Revenue allocation in
Nigeria has generated a lot of controversy in recent times ( Ugwu and Eme
(2012).
The practice of federalism in Nigeria has elicited several reactions and thus
generated critical debates by both scholars, politicians, journalists,
commentators and more particularly the oil producing communities of the
Niger Delta Region (Philips and Akpokighe, 2014).The issue of Nigerians
federalism and resource management particularly in the Niger delta is as old as
country itself. Since amalgamation, there had never been any national
conference in the country without these two issues gearing up.The nature of
Nigerians federalism is one that has placeda lot power and authority in the
hands of the center, thus creating a lot of imbalance and crises between the
sharing and controlling powers of the central and its other coordinating unit
(such as the states and the local government) in regards to so many issues
including resource management and control, revenue derivation, population,
development, education, local government control among others. These items of
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dispute are mostly contained in the concurrent list. The case of Niger Delta
literally comes to mind when the dispute between federalism and Resource
management is been discussed.
The Niger Delta is one of the regions in the south South which comprises of
state such as Bayelsa, Ondo, Rivers, Cross rives, AkwaIbom, delta state, among
other state. Since the discovery of oil in Olibri in 1958, the Niger delta has been
the financial backbone of the country, providing about 90 percent of the GDP of
the country’s economy. Ironically, these resources has not transformed into
any meaningful development for the region. The reason is mostly based on the
nature of Nigerians federalism, which concentrates excessive powers in the
hands of the center at the expense of states and other coordinating unit, plus
the inequitable distribution, together with the lack of controlling power of their
resources by the region, as well as the poor management of the resources by
the exploiting companies and by the controlling powers. Undoubtedly, the
recurrence and re-escalation of conflict in Niger Delta over resource control has
a significant relationship with the nature of Nigerian federalism. This is why
the entity Nigeria is often constructed to be an error of judgment or at best at
conception of the colonial master to promote their pecuniary interest.
This project therefore seeks to examine among other things, the Nigerian
federalism and its challenges of resource management, using the Niger delta
region as a case study, the various attempts made by the Nigerian government
at resolving these often emanating national dispute. Attempts will also be made
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at recommending possible solutions towards reducing disputes that often arise
from resource management and control in the region.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
True federalism is a system of government that deals with the independence of
the centre and its coordinating units. This independence includes in areas of
resources control and management, financial autonomy, among others.
Nigeria is one of the countries practicing federalism in the world. The nature of
Nigerian federalism is one that encroaches on some of the basic principles of a
true federal state which includes but not limited to ; non-dominance of the
coordinating units buy the central government, financial autonomy of states,
independence of the coordinating units to make key decisions, among others.
This has thus generated a lot of argument among scholars and has even
resulted into crises particularly in the Niger Deltal region of Nigeria that has
produced about 75% of the country’s total earning but are not benefiting from
the goodness of their resources.
This project therefore seeks to examine the sociopolitical and economic
implication of the crisis on the Nigerian state, the outcome of the crises, its
effects on the culture and way of life of a once peaceful and hospital people of
the South-South among others.
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1.3 OBJECTIVES THE STUDY
The major objective of this project is to examine the nature federalism in
Nigeria and the challenges of resource management in the Niger Delta region. It
will alsoseek to examine among other things, the following:
1. The various attempt made by different government at resolving resource
control and management dispute.
2. It seeks to explain the crying of marginalization in the Niger Delta and the
responses to the agitation.
3. To recommend possible solution aim at ensuring effective resource
management between the center in Nigeria and its cording state units.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Thestudy posits that the practice and adoption of Nigerians federalism is far
from being a true federation. It draws Nigerians attention to the gap between
mere aspirations and actual practice vis-à-vis the management of federalism in
Nigerian. This project is therefore concern with examining the contentious
issues between the federalism in Nigeria and the challenges of resource
management in the Niger Delta with a view to sensitizing policy makers and
policy analyst that the conflict over resource management in Niger Delta has
significant relationship with the nature of Nigerian federalism and thus
requires adequate attention. Also, the study may serve as a veritable
instrument of research material in the hands of subsequent researcher(s)
carrying out a study on the major and sub-themes of the study
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The recommendations in this may help in reducing the rate of insecurity and
crisis originating from the disagreement between the federal government in
Nigerian and the state over state resources
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONs
The basic questions which this research work seeks to answer are:
I. What are the challenges of the Nigerians federalism in respect to
resource management particularly, in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria?
II. Why the crying of marginalization in Niger Delta?
III. What are the various responses of the Nigerian government to crying and
yearning of
the Niger Delta for resource management and control?
IV. What are the contentious issues between Nigerian federalism and
resource management particularly in the Niger Delta?
1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION
The study basically focused on the contradictions in Nigeria’s federalism
and the challenges of resource-management in Niger Delta. It looks into the
problem confronting Nigerian federal government as regards resource
management and in the Niger Delta. The response to the agitation so far,
will also be examined.The geographical scope of the study is South Western
States of Ekiti, Ondo State and Lagos State. This is because it is assessable
for research and also has reasonable concentration of people from the NigerDelta region.
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1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Financialconstrains confronting the researcher will not allow him to make the
research work a comprehensive one. Also, the researcher has a limited time,
since he has to combine this research with other academic and non academic
works. This has made him to limit the time allocated for this project so that
other activities do not suffer.
1.8 ORGANIZATION OF STUDY
This research has been divided into five chapters.
CHAPTER:1
The first chapter covers the introduction which contains the background of
the study, statement of problems, objectives of the study, significance of the
study, scope and limitations of the study as well as definitions of major
term.
CHAPTER:2
The second chapter covers the reviews of relevant literatures and theoretical
framework with the aim of providing fundamental and historical
background to the study under discourse.
CHAPTER:3
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The third chapter contains the research method of data collection for this
study, the sampling techniques, Research Instruments, Research
population, among other things.
CHAPTER:4
The fourth chapter deals with the analysis of all collected data’s.
CHAPTER:5
The fifth chapter which is the final stage deals with the summary,
conclusion and the recommendation.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
1.9.1 Federalism
As rightly noted by Oyedele (1999), federalism is not a very ambiguous concept.
However, the fact that the literature is repelete with many definitions, which
vary according to the perceptions of different scholars, makes it compelling to
operationalize the concept. This is necessary in order to avoid
misrepresentation of the intention of this research work.Federalism is an
arrangement whereby powers within a multi-national country are shared
between a federal or central authority, and a number of regionalized
governments in such a way that each unit including this centralauthority
exists as a government separately and independently from the others,
operating directly on persons and property within its territorial area, with a will
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of its own and its own apparatus for the conduct of affairs and with an
authority in some matters exclusive of all others. In a federation, each
government enjoys autonomy, a separate existence and independence of the
control of any other government.
Each government exists, not as an appendage of another government (e.g. the
federal or central government) but as an autonomous entity in the sense of
beingable to exercise its own will on the conduct of its affairs free from
direction by any government. Thus, the Central government on the one hand
and the State governments on the other hand are autonomous in their
respective spheres (Sagay 2005)But in Nigeria, the independent but coordinate
relations between the centre and component parts have logically become
subordinate, through the gradual erosion of autonomy and devolutions of
powers has eventually led to over centralization of power at the centre (Nwosu,
1998).
1.9.2 Resource Control
As rightly used in this research work, it connote a compelling desire to
regain ownership, control, used and management of resources for the primary
benefit of the first owner (the communities and people) on whose land the
resources originate. It refers to the exclusive right to the ownership and control
of resources, both natural and created within its territory. It involves the region
having a direct and decisive a role in the exploration for, and disposal of
including sales of the harvested resources.
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1.9.3 Resource Management
Resource management as used in this work is a major concern of federal
government. While resource control has to do with regional agitation, resource
management exclusive belongs to the federal government. Put simply, it is a
situation whereby the nation’s resources were harmonized together for the
development of whole country. This preposition arose from the fact that the
central government is the only good manager of resources and distribution of
such resources to the benefit of all. However, regional government can only
agitate for resources control, they cannot be better manager. Hence, the crisis
between Nigeria federal government and the Niger Delta.
1.9.4 Niger Delta Militant
This is refers to the widespread of groups against the backdrop of acute
discontent with Nigeria’s political and economic processes in the region. This
was occasioned by the prevailing political climate and economic crisis
characterized by unemployment, acute inflation and impoverishment of the
masses resulting from mismanagement of economic resources in their region.
Put simply, our main focus hers is militant in Niger Delta whose
activities is characterized by hostage taking, kidnap for ransom etc. this is
however not to say that the Niger Delta is the only region where ethnic
militants operates.
1.9.5 Niger Delta
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Nigeria is a country of many ethnic groups with unique cultures and
characteristics. The Niger Delta area covers Imo, Abia, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta,
Edo, Ondo, Cross River and AkwaIbom States. These states are the oil
producing states. The actors in the present day, Niger Delta conflict are the
ethnic communities that extract oil. Each has it claim of complaints against the
other. There is conflict and crisis in the Niger Delta.