Bureaucracy and National Integration in Nigeria: An Appraisal of the Federal Character Policy

ABSTRACT

This study was prompted by the recurrent Jnter-ethnic crises that have become a common feature of our national life. It was observed that the better part of the forty years of political independence in Nigeria has witnessed a disturbing trend of ethnic nationalism that has continued to threaten her corporate existence. This development, notwithstanding the interpretation that many observers may have given it, simply underscores the inability of the Nigerian political system to accommodate the over 250 disparate ethnic nationalities that were brought together by the colonial masters about 100 years ago. Over the years, this concrete problem of social existence arising from assertive and bitter competition among these ethnic nationalities appeared to have engaged the attention of successive governments of Nigeria. The principle of federal character is identified in this study as o.ne of the attempts by the government to address this problem and to foster national integration. This principle otherwise known as the trick of ethnic balancing is a constitutional devise that is adopted to ensure a dispassionate and fair socialization of responsibility of the Nigerian project so that every ethnic nationality will have its men on seat to move the country forward. This approach is treated in this study as essentially a management strategy to achieve the goal of social cohesion. The theoretical framework adopted is the management school of national integration in pluralistic societies. The theory is predicated on the assumption that the achievement of national integration. lies in sound management of the economy, good governance, democratization, economic fairness and social justice. The study contains some descriptive and analytical approaches. The former involves a careful study of official records and document relating to the study area. In the latter, 73 completed questionnaires out of a total of 100 administered were received. 68 unitsof the sampled population we.-� successfully interviewed. The central bureaucracy which is a constellation of multifarious national institutions is hypothetically linked to national integration as having some form of positive relationship. Thus, representative bureaucracy which the principle of federal character is meant to pursue, is considered also to promote national integration. At the end of the study, it has been made clear that an integrated political community and a stable federation are partly the consequence of a successful federal character regime. The study recommends among others that, to promote national integration and ensure a just social order in Nigeria, the sharing of governmental responsibilities and benefits among the federating units must be guided at all time by the federal character formulae.