EVOLUTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA
In Nigeria as well as many other countries, local government precede any
form of government various tribal, ethnic and family units existed as independent
group managing their own local affairs long before the British administration
was built or less an indigenous and develop as ultimately independent
government. In this process the development of alternative in institution base
on European models was irrelevant circumstances at the beginning of his
administration which made indirect rule to the test solution; there was
shortage of staff, lack of communication and little knowledge of the character
and custom of people to issue. Pre-existing machine which were found to be
organized therefore expediency bred indirect rule.
Nevertheless, the year 1941 mark a turning point of the constitutional
development of the local government, the country which has been administered
under a unitary system of government until 1947 was given a new constitution,
that is the RICHARD constitution (1981:2), further observed that in 1945
a conference of northern residents recommended the development of villages and
district council to spread the contract between a native administration and the
people this move by the fact that the resident that real influence and power of
control over the native authorities.
The implementation of the recommendation marked of a more rapid development
of the local government in the north. In south however, the number of people
(men) elected into the native authorities.
Modern local government was given a new impetus on 1947 when Greece done,
the secretary of state to colonels issued his serious dispatch to all governors
of African territories calling for rapid development of local government which
should be constructive role in political and social development.
ICAN (1997:84) states that the reform was a legislative land mark as first
attempt to accord government the responsibilities.
The 1979 constitution made provision for democratically elected local
government to which function were assigned and for which it provide a state
joint account into which federal and state were paid. From the above survey, it
is clear that British and Nigeria alike tend to seek solution to the structure
of local government based on English model.