Introduction
Since the 1950s, when the federal system came into operation in Nigeria, local government
administration has received considerable scholarly attention (Adamolekun 1979; Gboyega 1987; Ekpo
and Ndebbo 1998; Oyediran 2001; George 2010; Bamidele 2013). Gboyega, cited in Adeola (2008),
observed four major epochs in the development of the local government system in Nigeria: (i)
colonial rule, which was based on the traditional administrative system, and existed from 1903 until
the 1950s when the native authority system became obsolete; (ii) the more liberal and participatory
approach to local governance introduced in the 1950s; (iii) the advent of military rule, which replaced
the model of grassroots participatory democracy with military centralisation and a ‘unity of
command’ scheme; and (iv) the comprehensive reform of local government administration in 1976,
which restored liberal participatory values.
The impact of these last two epochs on the structure and operational dynamics of local government in
Nigeria is still felt. Firstly, the centralisation introduced under military rule has remained a major
influence in the relationship between the federal government and local government. Secondly, the
reform of local government in 1976 has continued to shape subsequent discourse and reforms. It is
instructive to note that the 1976 reform acknowledged the local government system as government at
local level, established by law, with defined powers. We shall return to this in due course.
Local governments are created with the ultimate goal of bringing government closer to the people at
the grassroots. In Nigeria, the local government reforms aimed both to accelerate development and to
enable the local population participate and hold those in power accountable for their governance roles.
However, a true third tier has never taken off in the governance structure of Nigeria, despite the
widespread endorsement of local government as a potent system to mobilise people for local
participation in governance. Several studies have established the challenges bedevilling the Nigerian
local government system, including issues such as poor funding, paucity of human capital, corruption,
poor service delivery etc. However, little attention has been given to the deficiencies in the
constitutional framework and the reforms that have shaped the operation of local government in
Nigeria. This paper aims to review the groundswell of debate in the light of these reforms and their
constitutional provisions, and assess how local government could be made more relevant.
The paper is organised into eight sections. Section one is the introduction. Section two is the problem
statement; section three presents the objectives and methodology of the study; section four traces the
historical evolution of Nigeria’s local government system; section five explores its constitutional
foundation, and section six presents key findings from the study. Sections seven and eight conclude
the study and offer recommendations