CHAPTER ONE

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF MUSHIN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION

1.1   INTRODUCTION

The need to critically examine the Local Government Administration in Nigeria with specific reference to Mushin cannot be over-emphasized. In the first place, scholars have focused attention on general discussion of the structure of Local Government Administration without looking at the evolution of individual Local Government Administration. This examination would be discussed in phases: pre-colonial, colonial and post colonial phases.

Indeed, Local Government Administration in Nigeria has pre-colonial trait. In the first place, the traditional institution was in charge in various Emirates, kingdoms and states. The Emirs, Obas and Obi’s had retinue of chiefs with portfolios in the running of their Local Government Administration. The most striking responsibility of the pre-colonial rulers was the maintenance of law and order within their locality.1

The amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates of Nigeria into one administration in 1914 by Lord Frederick Lugard perfected the system of Indirect Rule in Nigeria as it was in India. In other words, indirect rule was a form of local administration2 and the only unique thing about it was that it governed indirectly by making use of the existing traditional structure.

The military intervention during which we have many reforms and including the 1976 Local Government reforms. The 1984/1985 reform, the 1988 civil service reforms, as well as the 1989-1991 reform have far-reaching effects on the Local Government which will be discussed in subsequent chapters.

Under the 1989-1991 reform, the Federal Government brought the local government into special focus by introducing the presidential system to the Local Government. In 1991, the president in his Budget speech to the Nation granted both financial and administrative autonomy to the local government, and the doctrine of separation of powers came into play.3 This gave rise to:

(a)      The office of the chairman and vice-chairman

(b)     Secretary to the local government

(c)      The executive and

(d)     The legislative council was constituted by the legislative council comprised the chairman, vice-chairman and supervisors.

At the third tier level of government local government level which is the focus of this research, members of a council ward elected a councilor to represent them in the local government council. All elected councilors within a local government authority meet and take decisions on behalf of all the people who live in that area.

The political head of the local government is called chairman who is elected by the members of the local government. The chairman is the head of the executive arm which comprises himself. Vice-chairman and four supervisory councilors. The legislature on the other hand comprises of councilors and headed by the clerk of the house.4

There is no way we can talk about local government without knowing the real definition of the term and we must note that there is no consensus among scholars as to the exact meaning of local government. This has led to different definitions of the concept by different scholars, authors of the concept by different scholars, authors and intellectuals. Infact, several studies, researches, projects etc have been undertaken by scholars in various aspects of local government ranging from its finance, problems and prospects, structure, staffing, administration. Development and training, and to the study of the concept of local government itself with the view of giving if the appropriate meaning it deserve. Hence there is no universally acceptable definition of local government, but attempt would be made to harmonise various definitions by different authors and scholars alike.

According to Barber, local government means authority to determine and execute matters within a restricted areas inside and smaller than the whole state. The variant, local self government is important that it emphasizes the freedom of the local unit. To a greater or lesser, extent to decide and act on its own initiative and responsibility.5

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