Federalism in Nigeria's New Democratic Polity

In the aftermath of military rule, Nigeria's new civilian, democraticfederal system is highly centralized while also being fragmentedsubnationally. There is much pressure to reconstitute the federalsystem, devolve powers, provide for a more equitable distributionof natural-resource revenues and other revenues, and use statesto advance ethno-religious identities. Although federalism islikely to survive in Nigeria, political leaders need to developa culture of intergovernmental consultation and cooperationin order to solve the federation's problems more peacefullyand expeditiously.     

The Shadow of Sharia Over Nigerian Federalism

The sentencing under Sharia law in Nigeria's northern stateof Katsina in 2002 of a 31-year-old woman, Amina Lawal, to bestoned to death for adultery highlighted the rising religiousconflict and violence that has occurred since the resumptionof civilian democratic governance in 1999. Although the practiceof Sharia in personal and civil matters had been accommodatedby the British and by Nigeria's various constitutions, whatwas new in 1999 was the extension of Sharia from civil to criminalmatters, thus producing such punishments as decapitation, amputation,and stoning to death, threatening the well-being of non-Muslims,endangering fundamental rights protected by Nigeria's federalConstitution, and posing significant challenges to elected officialsand federal courts. The extension of Sharia to criminal lawin 12 northern states also has increased intercommunal and intergovernmentalconflict, threatening the fabric of Nigerian federalism.     

Federalism and National Leadership in Nigeria

National leaders in Nigeria, most of whom have come from themilitary, have exhibited various leadership styles. These stylesboth affect and are affected by Nigeria's federal system ofgovernment. Successful leaders appear to exercise a reconciliationstyle coupled with a mobilizational capacity to institute change.Efforts to impose a unitary system on Nigeria have failed, butseveral leaders have strengthened the power of the federal government,in part through the seemingly paradoxical strategy of creatingmore states. The return to civilian government, however, willrequire a new basis of legitimacy for national leadership rootedin constitutionalism and a democratic party system.     

Nigerian Federalism Under Civilian and Military Regimes

Nigerian experiences with military and civilian rule suggestthat military rule is not entirely incompatible with federalism.The heterogeneous and centrifugal forces that operate in a multinationalpolity like Nigeria make the use of federal principles a reasonableoption for military rulers. To some extent, federal principleshave become entrenched in Nigeria. Too great a violation ofthose principles by a military regime can spark communal conflictand destabilize the regime. The major differences in the operationof civilian and military federalism are to be found in the styleand structures of administration.