Introduction to local government studies

NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA




FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES




COURSE CODE: PAD 444




COURSE TITLE: NIGERIAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT




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,MODULE 1

ORIGIN, REFORMS AND SYSTEMS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Unit 1: Historical Development of local government

Unit 2: Local government Reforms

Unit 3: Meaning, Reasons and Characteristics of Local government

Unit 4: Local government Systems



UNIT 1

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL

GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA

Contents

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Objectives
3.0 Main Contents

3.1. Historical development

3.2 Native Administration

3.3 Growth of Local government

4.0 Conclusion

5.0 Summary

6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment

7.0 References/Suggestions for Further Reading




1.0 INTRODUCTION
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,Local government system exists in every country with variations in its
structures and functions. Some countries operate single-tier system,
where one local government exercises all the powers and performs all
the functions, single-tier structural framework, where two or more
local government share responsibilities for providing a range of
services to the citizens in a defined area. In this lecture, we shall
examine the origin, meaning and characteristics of local government in
Nigeria.

2.0 OBJECTIVES: Upon completing this lecture unit, students would
be able to:

 Explain the origin of local government in Nigeria;

 Describe the meaning and;

 Describe the characteristics of local government

3.0 MAIN CONTENTS

3.1 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Nigeria has experimented with different systems of local government
since the amalgamation of the northern and southern parts of the
country in 1914. The genesis of local government administration in
Nigeria dates back to pre-colonial period. There werethe existence of
emirate systems of Sokoto and Borno caliphates: Ibadan, Egba, Ekiti
and Oyo empires. In these kingdoms, Emirs, Obas and Chiefs held
sway over the governance of their respective domains. Moreover, in
these areas, there were smaller districts, villages and wards that were
subject to the kingdom and emirate government. These smaller or
subordinate levels of government could be seen or described as local
government. Then was the emergence ofindirect rule system of British
colonialist.
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, The system of indirect rule system later degenerated into direct rule
because “the traditional rulers became mere local agents of colonial
officers. The Emirs in the North, the Obas in the West and Warrant
chiefs in the East became sole native authorities in their
domains”(Ugwu, 2000:8).

Consequently, there was a reform in 1930s which regularized the
position of the Emirs as the Sole Native Authorities and consolidated
emirate hegemony in the Northern heartlands. Similar developments
occurred in the West and to some extent in the East. The pattern of
from one district to another.

3.2 NATIVE ADMINISTRATION

The structural arrangement of Native Administration in the Northern
Region and other parts of Nigeria, had the head of administration as
the Governor General. The Governor General was responsible for
directing the overall policies of the territory, including matters relating
to the Native Administration.

The Lieutenant Governors were in charge of Southern and Northern
Administration with headquarters at Lagos and Kaduna. Among other
things they were in charge of producing the annual budget of their
areas which are incorporated into the Central budget(Ugwu,2000).

The Provincial administration was extended to every part of the
country. Prior to this period, it operated only in the North. The
number of provinces in the South increased from three to nine. They
included: Abeokuta, Benin, Oyo, Warri, Calabar, Ogoja, Ondo, Onitsha
and Owerri. Each province was under the leadership of a Resident,
was was responsible for the overall performance of the public services
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