Factors enhancing the choice of Federalism as System of Government

 Historical Factor

The most fundamental reason why states decide to federate is historical. This reflects the fact of common association and similarity of political institutions that had existed between the federating units that made formerly independent states to agree at a point in their history to form a common union. This was the case with the United States of America after its war of independence with Britain in 1776 and the failure of the Articles of Confederation. It is similar with the Nigerian Federation after the historical factor of the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates in 1914, British colonial rule as well as the adoption of common political institutions by the North and South during this period eventually led to the adoption of the federal system in 1954.

 Geographical Contiguity

The nearness of states to one another in geographical term is usually a major factor that can induce them to form a federation. It is inconceivable to have states widely separated by land or sea forming a federation. It can be plausibly argued that one of the reasons why Nigeria adopted a federal structure is because the various ethnic groups in the country are geographically contiguous. The fact of this proximity among the different nationalities in Nigeria, a similar feature of other federal states such as the United States, the old Soviet Union and the present Russian federation, makes communication easier a major step in deciding to form a federation. On the other hand, the absence of this factor largely accounted for the disintegration in 1971 of the union between West and East Pakistan to form Pakistan after the Partition of India by the British in 1947. Bangladesh came about due to the physical separation of West and East Pakistan by a distance of about one thousand miles.

Ethnic and Cultural Diversities

Some states may decide to federate in recognition of the fact that their peoples are so diverse in culture, language and interests and for this reason, the unitary option may provide a ready answer for such social heterogeneity. For example, the Nigerian and Indian Unions were recognition that federalism is the most effective way of allaying the fears of these groups against one another in order to forge unity in diversity. Unity in diversity is achieved in federations because peoples with different cultural backgrounds are allowed to develop along the lines that interest them.

Economic and Administrative Advantages

The need to create large internal market and to pool human and material resources together can lead to the formation of union of states. This factor, which is similar to what economists call the drive for large economic of scale, has made the United States of America today to become a continental size country. The present over 9 million sq kilometer territory of USA came about due to accretion in size, or what federalists call aggregation. Indeed Louisiana, now a state in USA was purchased from France in 1803 while President Andrew Jackson forcefully acquired East Florida from Spain. The notion ‘the bigger the better’ syndrome also fits into the  economic calculations of the former colonial masters in working out the amalgamation policy for the north and south of Nigeria, which assisted them to utilise the available few British administrators in the most economic and efficient manner. Nigeria with a territory of 923,766 square km. and a population (as at 2010) of about 150 million has huge economic potentials and offers tremendous opportunities, all consequent to its large market.

Fear of Domination

Insecurity and fear of domination by external power or possible rebellion by a disaffected element (s) within a country can also encourage the formation of a federation. According to Eme Awa, 1976) in the Nigerian case it was lack of trust among the ethnic groups that led to the forging of the Nigerian federation, a political arrangement they saw as a more effective device that can safeguard and guarantee their separate local autonomy and independence.

 Political Leadership

One of the strongest factors that tend to promote the establishment of a federal union is the quality of leadership. Awa (1976), Agarwal etal (1994) and Mbah, (2001) have at separate points observed that it is the quality of leadership which combine with other factors into a meaningful whole and at the same time gives them weight and direction necessary for a federal union. They all contend that because federalism is a complex system of government its success depends on politically competent as well as enlightened people. A federal system requires statesmen who can provide leadership not only at the formative stage such as when George Washington was at the helm in the United States, at critical and divisive point of Abraham Lincoln tenure as well as the internationalist eras of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. Earlier in the Federalist Papers, the trio of James Madison, Paul Hamilton and John Jay were instrumental in swinging the United States in the

direction of federalism both in their joint essays on federalism and at the Philadelphia Constitutional Conference. Similarly, Chief Obafemi Awolowo for example, wrote a book Thoughts on Nigerian Constitution where he, with convincing arguments, made a case for a federal system as the best constitutional option for Nigeria.

Self-Assessment Exercise 3.3

Enumerate factors that encourage a country to adopt the federal system of government.