Political and administrative system of present-day

Nigeria

WEEK 2 LECTURE
• Nigeria currently operates a federal system of government
with 36 states and the federal capital territory located in
Abuja.

• There are three arms of government-namely; the Executive,

the Legislative and Judiciary arms of government.
• The Executive power is exercised by the President who is both the

Head of State and Head of Government; the Legislative arm comprises

of the two chambers of the House of Representative and Senate, which

major tasks is to check the Executive and make laws on behalf of the

Federal Republic of Nigeria. The judiciary arm of government, on the

The Legislature

• The constitution provides for a bicameral National Assembly- House

of Representatives (360) and Senate (109).

• At the State level, the constitution provides for only House of

Assembly which numbers varies depending on the population strength

of the state and they makes law on the items in the Residual list.
Judiciary

• The Nigerian legal and judicial system contains three codes of

law: customary law, Nigerian statute law (following English law),

and Shariah (Islamic law). Customary laws, administered by

native, or customary, courts, are usually presided over by

traditional rulers, who generally hear cases about family problems

• Federal law prevails whenever federal legislation conflicts
with state legislation. In addition to Nigerian statutes, English
law is used in the magistrates’ and all higher courts. Each
state has a High Court, which is presided over by a chief
judge. The Supreme Court, headed by the chief Justice of
Nigeria, is the highest court.
Pre-colonial Africa and Nigeria

• Pre-colonial Africa was inhabited by different independent

and autonomous ethic groups with unique linguistic and

cultural differences. The groups existed as independent

cultures, traditions, values, norms, political systems and

identities until 1900.

• It is common to trace the history of pre-colonial Nigeria to migrations.

These migrations were channeled through trade trades, diplomacy,

wars.

• Historical account traces the settling in any part of Nigeria pre-

colonial to about 9000BC as settlers practice extensive agriculture.

• The historical background of the Empires and Kingdoms in the pre-

colonial Nigeria are very uncertain.

• The mode of socio-political organization and economic traditions played

significant roles in the ways precolonial historical experiences

manifested in different parts of the Niger area.

• Understanding the different socio-political formations in which individuals,
families and communities lived their lives is therefore, germane to grappling
with the dynamics of intergroup relations, gender, social hierarchies,
ideologies, worldviews and economic pursuits.

• Broad consensus exists in support of such factors as food production,

migration, iron technology, trade, environment, or ecology as playing strong
roles in the processes of state formation.
• These similarities are due to intergroup relations, regional interactions

and similarities in economic and environmental conditions.

• In the big states, the control of regional markets and trade routes

boosted the economy, enabled greater political centralization and

financed ambitious projects.

Hausa States

• Hausa people practised the tropical African religion, which

involved belief in a high and distant god not actively
connected with the everyday life of men.

• The high god the Hausawa was Ubangiji, the nearer spirits
iskoki and the maintenance of relations with the latter, was
the object of ritual.
• Communion with the spirits was partly achieved by sacrificial

procedures carried out by family heads and also by ‘possessions’

spirits in possession of human beings are termed, ‘bori’.

• The bori is carried out by the Bokaye who were specially skilled in

mysteries of the spirits and playing an important political role in the

1804 Jihad

• By the second half of the 15th Century, the spread of Islam in Hausa

Land recorded an overwhelming success.

• The Jihad of Uthman Fodio, further consolidated the development of

Hausaland. This was the period when leaders or kings started

accepting the faith and championed its spread.

• After the Jihad, the Caliphate became extremely relevant as new and
large political machinery was founded. As its head was the Caliph,
which still exists.

• His duty was to select or confirm the section of Emirs to govern the
outlaying states of the Caliphate.

• The Caliph appointed Waziri, who served as his representative in the

emirates and acted on his behalf on issues of appointment.
Political organization of Hausa States

• The Hausa states from very early times, developed an efficient system

of administration. The King exercised overall control over every

department of administration.

• He was both the political and religious head of his people and had

under him, subordinate local rulers most of who were members of the
• The Madawaki was next to the King and he advised the king
on appointment and dismissal of title holders; he replied to
the King’s address on feast days, he summoned the chief
councillors to their meetings and with the councillors, he
chose the new king. Waziri (Chief Minister) performed these
functions in other Hausa states.
• Other officials include the Magaji (the Finance Minister; The

Sarkin Yari-Chief of Prisons; Sarki Dogarai-Head of the

King’s bodyguards and Sarkin Dan Yan Douka-the Chief of

the Police in Charge of Prisoners and Convicts

• Territorial administration was exercised through district and
village heads; sometimes, the district heads were appointed by the
king from his own or other important families and ‘ each of them
had a representative in the capital, to whom the district head
reported events in the district about who informed the king
accordingly.
• MANY THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION