Intergovernmental relations in Nigeria: Local government and the 1979 Nigerian Constitution

This paper examines the intergovernmental relations prescribed by the Nigerian Constitution of 1979. In particular it discusses the elevated constitutional status of local government, tracing the origins of this to the 1976 local government reform. The question of how to interpret the provisions of the Constitution on the restructuring of local government and whether this is solely a State responsibility or a joint State/Federal responsibility is analysed. The article argues that the States have political and administrative responsibility for local government whereas the Federal responsibility concerns the regulation of the amount of money to be distributed to local government from the Federal Account. The Lagos State High Court judgement which supports the view that States have political and administrative responsibility for local government, but nullified the State's legislation, is extensively reported and analysed. Also discussed is the Allocation of Revenue (Federation Account, etc.) Act 1981 which both reflects and supports the view that the federal relationship to local government is defined by finance. The paper also probes the intention of the Constituent Assembly by analysing its report. The paper complements that by Smith and Owojaiye in the previous number.     

Management and change in northern Nigerian local government

This paper looks at some recent changes introduced by the Federal Government of Nigeria which seek a return to civilian rule in a stable polity. A first step in this policy has been completed with the election of chairmen and councillors at the local government level. The stated purpose of this initiative is to encourage ‘grass roots democracy’, which is expected to mobilize local action for urban and rural development. It is envisaged that local politicians and local administration will work together to this end. The paper concentrates on the consequences of the policy for the management of local government in Northern Nigeria, in which the predominant need is for rural development. The resource and management issues that arise for local government from the introduction of this polity are discussed under the following headings: finance, material resources, human resources and political relationships. The measures adopted appear radical, but have not led to a situation in which local government can easily predict what resources will be available to it. The question that is addressed is how, in an uncertain environment, local governments might use the powers and resources that are within their control to facilitate rural development in the Northern States. Suggestions are made as to what a management agenda should be and how this might be achieved through appropriate management systems and improved training.     

The Nigerian Federation in the Nigerian Novel

The Nigerian federation, as a national entity having a commonhistory, was not prominent in Nigerian novels before the civilwar. To the extent that novelists wrote of the national experience,they did so through characters belonging to a single ethnicnationality group. There were novels that depicted geographicand other links among Nigerians before and after independence,but not in the sense of the peoples being a part of a singlenation. The civil war, however, had a profound effect on thenational consciousness of Nigerians. As a result, there is moreinterest in novels having themes that treat the federal republicas a nation with shared historic experiences. At the same time,there is also interest in novels that depict common, nationwideproblems, such as urban poverty and political corruption.     

The Economics of Nigerian Federalism: Selected Issues in Economic Management

Nigeria's economic difficulties are due primarily to public-sectormismanagement exacerbated by the dynamics of federalism andstate creation and by the growth in centralized federal power.Monetary policy has been inadequate, fiscal policy has rewardedstate governments but not brought their spending policies inline with their own resources and with national economic objectives,and resources have been consistently misallocated, largely becauseof the principle of "federal character." Recent efforts to deregulateand privatize the economy show promise, but the success of economicdevelopment will depend greatly on the future civilian or militarygovernance of Nigeria.     

民族地区突发事件与危机管理机制研究

近年来,我国民族地区突发事件的频发度与危害的严重性均呈上升趋势,已经明显阻碍了民族地区的经济发展乃至社会稳定。在对我国民族地区突发事件的表现形态、特征与产生原因等方面的特殊性进行深入分析的基础上,试图提出构建民族地区危机管理机制的基本思路。认为该机制的构建既需要发挥政府的主导作用,又不能单靠外援式或政府强制式推进,而应将民族传统文化与现代高科技相结合,发挥民族文化多样性优势,发掘和利用民间传统智慧,让民族地区的危机管理成为内源式的危机管理。     

宪法程序与国家权力--美国联邦宪法的启示

美国联邦宪法规定了完备的程序制度,为规范权力、保障人权奠定了坚实的基础。联邦宪法的有限政府原则见之于其繁复的权力运行程序细节中。宪法程序具有权力的正当化功能、规范化功能和形式合理化功能。作为宪政基石的法治,乃是一种以正当程序为主要内容的人们服从规则治理的事业。     

Citizenship and the Constitution

The status of “British subjects”, the relationship between the individual and the State, and the concept of “rights” and “liberties” are relevant to the current political debate about “British identity”, citizenship, “multiculturalism”, a “British Bill of Rights”, and whether there is now a need for a written constitution. This article describes the confused contemporary understanding of what is meant by “British” citizenship and analyses the parallel developments of citizenship and our constitutional arrangements. The Human Rights Act, devolution and Gordon Brown's proposed constitutional renewal are important steps in setting out the ideas and principles that bind us together as a nation. Together with a coherent definition of the rights and obligations of British citizenship, constitutional reform would achieve a stronger sense of what it means to be British today.     

On Joining the Constitution

A new independent crossbench peer takes stock of the institution he has just joined, examines the arguments for reform and ponders what might await.     

宪法的守护者:试论中国宪法法院建构

中国是成文宪法国家,宪法在中国特色社会主义法律体系中居于最高地位,拥有最高效力。但是在现实中,宪法的规范效力往往无法实现,违宪活动时有发生,这与我国缺乏有效的宪法监督机制有关。一般来说,世界上宪法监督机制无非就是司法审查制度、议会监督宪法制度、专门宪法监督机构等三种类型,为了实现宪法监督的实效,各国都选择适合本国国情需要的宪法监督机制。在中国建立何种类型的宪法监督机制一直是学界争议的难题,而在全国人民代表大会下,设立宪法法院,保障宪法实施,是符合当代中国现行体制的最佳选择。     

Ethnic Inequality and the Strength of Ethnic Identities in Sub-Saharan Africa

Ethnic inequality has been argued to have numerous pernicious effects. Among other things, scholars have argued that it breeds political violence, destabilizes democracy, and impedes economic development. While the arguments developed by these literatures implicitly assume that ethnic inequality increases the degree to which individuals identify with their ethnicity, this assumption has yet to be tested empirically at the individual-level. This paper argues and empirically demonstrates that between-ethnic group inequality does strengthen ethnic identities. However, we also find that the magnitude of its effect weakens as inequality within ethnic groups increases. That is, individuals identify most strongly with their ethnic identity when ethnicity is reinforced by economic inequality. Using the Afrobarometer, we provide the first cross-national empirical test of the effect of ethnic inequality on the strength of ethnic identities at the individual-level. Our dataset covers 21 sub-Saharan African countries and 85 ethnic groups. Results strongly support our hypothesis.