About this Course

The central issue and intellectual concern of this course has to do with the practical and analytical issues related to the chequered nature of the evolution and patterns of relationships among the three levels of government in Nigeria. The nature of their evolution and their intergovernmental roles from the colonial era to the present period. It also focuses on how the changing forms and substances of administration in Nigeria has affected the role relationships of higher tiers of government with local government as well as; how the national-state-relations have helped the predominance of certain negative orientations in a cooperative federalism. One of them is the tendency to view local government as mere creature of higher tiers of government. Another significant orientation is the image of national government as Father Christmas of the material bases for the existence of the lower tiers.

In view of the above, the inalienable feature of any discussion on the analytical and practical issues in the patterns of relationships of national-state-local governments must reflect or focus on the analysis of the functions of and patterns of the relationships among the three tiers under the exclusive and concurrent lists in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the practical implications of the politics of intergovernmental relations in the latter found autonomy for the local government system.

We can hardly be complete without the theoretical insight on the functional framework of intergovernmental relations especially, the constitutionally guaranteed areas of operational jurisdiction for local government, if it can only do little in enhancing their real power in such areas. More importantly we shall examine critically how the lower tiers exercise of power comes in conflict with that of state or national tier, and how it becomes the weaker link to be easily intimidated.

What you'll learn:

• Intergovernmental relations.
• Definition and nature of local government.
• Types of local government in different parts of the world.
• Practical and Analytical Issues in national-state-local governments relationships at various periods in Nigeria.
• Problematic/Conflictual Areas of national-state-local relations