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PAD841

Nigeria Government And Politics

This course provides an overview of Nigerian government and politics from the pre-colonial era to the present. It explores the historical background, political and constitutional development, and contending issues within the Nigerian state. Topics include military rule, revenue allocation, ethnicity, religion, democracy, public administration, and Nigeria's foreign policy. The course aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of governance in Nigeria.

About this course

Difficulty
Intermediate
Study hours
20 hours
Maths
None
Content
Theoretical, case study
Practical work
No
How it is assessed
  • Assignments
  • Tutor marked assignments
  • Final examination

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

PAD841 · UNIT 1: OVERVIEW OF NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

The first unit simply presents the general overview of the subject matter of the course. The second unit is used to discuss the historical analysis of the Nigerian state with special reference to the pre-colonial period.

What you should be able to do

  1. Appreciate the historical context and evolution of Nigerian government and politics.
  2. Analyze the key constitutional and political developments in Nigeria.
  3. Evaluate the impact of military rule and revenue allocation on Nigerian governance.
  4. Discuss the challenges of ethnicity, religion, and political instability in Nigeria.
  5. Explain the principles of democracy, decentralization, and public administration in the Nigerian context.
  6. Assess Nigeria's foreign policy objectives and relations with other nations.

What it prepares you for

Careers
  • Public Administrator
  • Policy Analyst
  • Political Scientist
  • Civil Servant
  • Diplomat
Where it is applied
  • Government and Public Sector
  • Non-Governmental Organizations
  • International Relations
  • Political Consulting
  • Research and Academia

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

  • Module 2:

    Unit 8: Military Rule in Nigeria

    Requires understanding of complex legal frameworks and historical context of military interventions.

  • Module 2:

    Unit 9: Revenue Allocation in Nigeria

    Involves understanding of economic principles and political dynamics of resource distribution.

  • Module 3:

    Unit 13: Religion and Political Instability in Nigeria

    Requires analyzing the interplay of diverse cultural and religious factors in a complex political landscape.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 44 hours in total. Yours will differ.

  1. Week 1Module 1:
    • Unit 1: Overview of Nigerian Government and Politics · 2 hours

      Read the introduction to Nigerian government and politics.. Understand the historical background and key concepts..

    • Unit 2: Historical Analysis of the Nigerian State: Pre Colonial Era · 2 hours

      Examine the pre-colonial political systems in Yoruba land.. Analyze the political administration, judicial administration, and official religion..

  2. Week 2Module 1:
    • Unit 3: Historical Analysis of the Nigerian State: Colonial Era · 2 hours

      Study the colonial era in Nigeria.. Understand the impact of indirect rule system..

    • Unit 4: Pre Independence Constitutions or Constitutional Development in Nigeria I · 2 hours

      Explore the pre-independence constitutions.. Analyze the features of the Clifford Constitution..

  3. Week 3Module 1:
    • Unit 5: Independence an Post Independence Constitutions or Constitutional Development in Nigeria II · 2 hours

      Examine the independence and post-independence constitutions.. Understand the main features and weaknesses..

    • Unit 6: Republic Constitution · 2 hours

      Study the Republican Constitution of 1963.. Analyze the historical background and main features..

  4. Week 4Module 2:
    • Unit 7: Presidential Constitution · 3 hours

      Examine the Presidential Constitution of 1979.. Understand the historical background and main features..

  5. Week 5Module 2:
    • Unit 8: Military Rule in Nigeria · 3 hours

      Study the military rule in Nigeria.. Analyze the reasons for military intervention and the structure of military government..

  6. Week 6Module 2:
    • Unit 9: Revenue Allocation in Nigeria · 3 hours

      Explore revenue allocation in Nigeria.. Understand the principles and commissions related to revenue allocation..

  7. Week 7Module 2:
    • Unit 10: Origin and Evolution of Federation or Federalism in Nigeria · 2 hours

      Examine the origin and evolution of federalism in Nigeria.. Understand the concept and features of federalism..

    • Unit 11: State Creation in Nigeria · 2 hours

      Study the state creation in Nigeria.. Analyze the historical development and reasons for continuous demand..

  8. Week 8Module 2:
    • Unit 12: Ethnicity in Nigeria · 3 hours

      Explore the issue of ethnicity in Nigeria.. Understand the concept, causes, and effects of ethnicity..

  9. Week 9Module 3:
    • Unit 13: Religion and Political Instability in Nigeria · 3 hours

      Study the relationship between religion and political instability in Nigeria.. Analyze the concepts and cases of religious crises..

  10. Week 10Module 3:
    • Unit 14: Democracy and Decentralization · 3 hours

      Examine the concepts of democracy and decentralization.. Understand the characteristics and types of decentralization..

  11. Week 11Module 3:
    • Unit 15: Public Administration and the Civil Service · 3 hours

      Study public administration and the civil service.. Analyze the structure, functions, and problems of the Nigerian civil service..

  12. Week 12Module 3:
    • Unit 16: Local Government Administration in Nigeria · 2 hours

      Explore local government administration in Nigeria.. Understand the concept, functions, and problems of local government..

    • Unit 17: Local Government Reforms in Nigeria · 2 hours

      Study local government reforms in Nigeria.. Analyze the various reforms and their features..

  13. Week 13Module 3:
    • Unit 18: Nigeria's Foreign P9olicy and Relations · 3 hours

      Examine Nigeria's foreign policy and relations.. Understand the aims, objectives, and instruments of foreign policy..

Preparing for the exam

What to do
  • Create a timeline of key constitutional developments (Units 4-7), noting the features, strengths, and weaknesses of each.
  • Develop concept maps linking Units 8-10 on military rule, revenue allocation, and federalism to understand their interdependencies.
  • Focus on case studies from Units 12-13 to analyze the impact of ethnicity and religion on political stability.
  • Practice essay questions comparing and contrasting different forms of government (e.g., presidential vs. parliamentary) from Units 5-7.
  • Review the functions and challenges of public administration and local government (Units 15-17), focusing on practical solutions.
  • Summarize Nigeria's foreign policy objectives and instruments (Unit 18), and analyze their effectiveness in achieving national interests.

Questions students ask about this course

What is PAD841 about?

This course provides an overview of Nigerian government and politics from the pre-colonial era to the present. It explores the historical background, political and constitutional development, and contending issues within the Nigerian state. Topics include military rule, revenue allocation, ethnicity, religion, democracy, public administration, and Nigeria's foreign policy. The course aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of governance in Nigeria.

How many units does PAD841 have?

PAD841, Nigeria Government And Politics, has 18 units across 1 module, over 144 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is PAD841?

PAD841 carries 2 credit units, at 800 level in Management Sciences.

Is PAD841 hard?

PAD841 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.

How long does PAD841 take to study?

About 20 hours of study, spread across its 18 units.

How is PAD841 assessed?

PAD841 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assignments and final examination.

What can I do with PAD841?

Public Administrator, Policy Analyst, Political Scientist, Civil Servant and Diplomat.

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