CHAPTER
ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
Local
administration in Nigeria has been in existence for a long period, even before
the colonial master set their feet on the soil of Nigeria (Awofeso, 2004:14).
Put differently, it is not debatable that the history of local government
system in Nigeria is older than the advent of the east while colonial masters,
colonialism however, helped to widen the course of history of Nigeria
administration system as it contributed significantly to the evolution of modern
local government in the country ( Fatile, 2011) there was traditional local
administration. Prior to colonization, there were in existence in most Africa
enclaves, local administrative machineries founded upon traditional
institutions (Agbakoba and Ogbonna, 2004). According to them in the area known
as Nigeria today, the existing tribes that makeup the geographical areas had
already had one form of local administration or the other. In the Northern part
of the country, the Hausa/Fulani practiced a highly centralized form of
government with the Emir at the head as both the political and religious
leader. The Emir, however delegated his power to District heads (the magajis)
to oversee the districts that made up the emirates (Cla and Tonwe 2003) noted
that the Hausa emirates had developed a well organized fiscal system a definite
code of land tenure, a regular scheme of local administered rule through
appointed judiciary which administered the Islamic laws.
Beginning
from the early 1950, various models have been used in the government of local
communities in our country. Among the models which have at one time been
adopted for all or some part of the country includes the Lugardian native
authority system. The American council manager model and divisional administrative
system. These various systems were however abolished following the 1976
nationwide local government by General Muritala Mohammed (The head of state).
One tier all purpose local government system across the country.
Essentially,
the essence at political participation in Nigeria is therefore to give the
broad mass of Nigerian people the opportunity to get involved in duties and
privileges of the democratic process and thereby establishing a new political
order capable of ensuring following:
A Justice
B Creates orientation
awareness and political mobilization
C Opportunity for the
people to participate in the decision making process
and
and
D A new social and on
equitable distribution of national resources and opportunities.
All these require that people select and control their political authority
created at the local community level to serve the needs and interests of the
Local people. It is designed to bring government nearer to the
people government in the process of government, thus Oyediran view local
government as “government in which popular participation, both in choice of
decision makes and in the decision making process is conducted by local bodies
which while recognizing the supremacy of the central government is able and
willing to accept responsibility for its decision”. Local government posses
characteristics which put it in an appropriate position to serve as a means for
social mobilization.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
Statistical
evidence established the fact that about 70 percent of the Nigeria population
live in rural areas. These rural areas are under the control of various local
government administrations across the country. According to the 1999
constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, these are 774 local government
areas in the country. Since local government is the closest level of government
to the people at the grassroots level, it is expected that local government
administration will increase the level of political participation of the
grassroots level.
The evolution
of these tiers of government has engendered political participation with both
positives and negative consequence. Some scholars view political
participation as an outgrowth of the evolution of local government in Nigeria,
others view it as a consequence of government actions or policies on the trends
of the political system.
Others view
political participation as an outgrowth of military involvement and civil
life. These over the nature of local government with regards to the
character of political participation. The impact of the local government
on grassroots’ democracy has not been facilitated and given greater emphasis;
the local government according to John Stuart Mill is justified as an integral part
of democracy.
This paper is
therefore, an attempt to access the roles played by local government in the
democratization process aimed at re-adjusting the organizational structure and
institutions and then making the ordinary man at local governments to
participation more in political processes. It is also an attempt to
access the collective role expected of the people at the local government in
the democratic government as a means of achieving this adjustment.
1.3 OBJECTIVES
OF THE STUDY
The main objective
of this project is to critically examine the correlation between local
government administration and political participation in Nigeria’s grassroots,
using Saki west local government area of Oyo state as a case study. The
specific objective are the following:
1.
To
examine the level of political participation among the people of Saki West
Local Government Area of Oyo State.
2.
To
identify the reasons or purpose for which people participation in politics in
Saki West Local Government of Oyo State.
3.
To
ascertain the means through which the people of Saki West Local Government of
Oyo State participate in politics.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
i. What
is the level of political participation of the people of Saki West Local
Government of Oyo State?
ii. What
are the obstacles to political participation by which people of Saki West Local
Government of Oyo State?
iii. What
are the means through which the people of Saki West Local Government of Oyo
State Participate in Politics?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
With the
world contending towards democratic process, if therefore becomes very
imperative to give greater concern to local government in Nigeria as a mere
pragmatic means achieving a viable political
order. Following from this premise, the research study
is designed to serve as an exposure to the mass of Nigeria on the
imperative of local government democracy. It is expected that this study
will go a big way in making local government participation in politics heritage
of the rural common folk. The research work is going to be a compendium
of useful information to both students and any person who might have a
need for it.
1.6 SCOPE
OF THE STUDY.
In spite of
the fact that the scope of this research study embraces the entity called Nigeria
local government, the limitation of this study which has to do with the period
or time to be covered on the process is from 1776 to 1993, that is to say
that it begins with General Muritala Mohammed’s’ administration.
1.7 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
In an attempt
to avoid any form of ambiguity in the course of this writing, it therefore
becomes very important to define some of the salient concept used in the
research study
Local Government:
By local
Government is generally meant a system of territorial Units with defined
boundaries a legal identity and institutional structure, power and duties laid
down in general and special status and a degree of financial and others
autonomy.
PARTICIPATION:
Participation
is the ability and opportunity of a group of people to be involved in
governance. Participation can be defined as an act of involvement.
I can also be defined as an act of membership or belonging and taking
part in the act of leaderships. The need exists for the citizenry to participate
in governance, contribute to the essence of governance, that is to help in the
regulation of individuals conducts in the society and provide for security and
he good thing of life for the people.
The participation is the people are therefore a sinequa non-for the pursuit of
good government. By an act of participation, one tries to seek and
influence or support government and politics. The participation can
either be direct or indirect by observing and making contributions to the act
of governance. It is through this participation method that government
can hope to realize its objectives of being responsive to the wishes of the
people.
POLITICAL
PARTICIPATION
According to Verba et
al (1995), political participation affords citizens in a democracy an opportunity
to communicate information to government officials about their concerns and
preferences and to put pressure on them (government) to respond.
The general level of participation in a
society is the extent to which the people as a whole are active in politics. In
this study, political participation is operationalized and ca
n be seen to mean formally and
officially registering and attending party meetings of a political party of one‘s choosing either because of ideological, tribal/ethnic, religious, material, or any
other reason, taking part in political discussion as friends, peer group,
vested interest, for support or opposition, giving contributions in the form of
cash and or kind to political parties, writing
petitions, letters to public officials or newspaper editors to support
or oppose a decision or action on the part of government or an issue of concern
to the society, contesting for elective office by eligible citizens and voting by eligible and interested citizens,
and finally, individual and collective
input and influence in planning, decision making and development
1.8 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Saki
West is a local government area in Oyo State with headquarters at Saki town.
Saki west local government area is in the northern senatorial district of Oyo
State otherwise known as Oyo North Senatorial Zone alongside Saki east, Atisbo,
Irepo, Olorunsogo, Kajola, Iwajowa, Ogbomosho North, Ogbomosho South, Iseyin,
Orelope, Ori ire and Itesiwaju local government area. Saki west local
government area also form a federal constituency alongside Saki west and Atisbo
local government areas.
Saki
west local government area covers an area of 2,014km2. The local
government area is bounded to the North by Kwara state to the east by Saki East
local government area to the South by Atisbo local government area and to the
west by the Republic of Benin. Saki west is a local government area in Oyo
State, Nigeria. It has a resettlement center fo 2nd mechanized
division of Nigerian Army. The Oke-ogun polytechnic and a Technical college.
Saki nigeria is also one of the largest city in Oyo State and also a population
of 278,002 at the 2006 census.
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