Nigeria as a federation II

Civic education JSS2 Second Term

Sub-theme: Government

Week 2

Nigeria as a federation II

Performance objectives

The student should be able to:

1. Describe the characteristics of a federation.

2. State the dangers of failures of federalism in an ethnically diverse and culturally plural society.

Content

Characteristics of a federation

1. Sharing of power:  There is sharing of power between the federal and the state government; though, the federal government is more powerful than the state government.

2. A constitution: The federal system of government provides that the constitution is more powerful than any individual or organization. Also, it is usually written and rigid. Therefore, it is not easy to amend or change

3. The states have constitutionally defined power to control their own affairs: Such powers are not conflicting with the powers of the federal government which exclusively controls certain areas in the national life, such as the armed forces, foreign affairs, power and energy, mineral resources.

4. There is the duplication of the organs of government in the federal system, which is the executive, the legislative and judiciary, at both federal and state levels.