THE HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA

INTRODUCTION
The advent of the colonial administration did not introduce the local government administration, but it rather strengthened and restructures it to meet with the administrative tenets of indirect rule. Though at rudimentary level, local government administration predate the advent of colonial administration. The colonial administration quickly took note of the well established traditional institutions and the enormous powers of the traditional rulers and hence capitalized upon it to establish and rule through the indirect rule system. The colonial administration regarded the local government system as ‘a system of rule through native chiefs, who were regarded as an integral part of the machinery of government with well defined powers and functions recognized by government and by law and not dependent on the caprice of an executive officer’. Therefore, local governments during the colonial rule serve the purpose of the British colonial administration at different levels and degrees in the different regions in Nigeria.
 DEFINITION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT   
Local government refers to a political sub-division, which are created within a state for the exercise of duties and responsibilities granted by constitutional provisions or legislative enactments. Local governments are infra-sovereign geographic units found within sovereign nation or quasi-sovereign state. Like other units of governments, local   governments possess a defined area, a population, an organization, also the authority to undertake, and the power to perform public activities. Local government is the smallest unit of administration in any political system. It is the lowest level of government in a modern state structure that is legally distinct with powers to raise its own revenue and to undertake delegated responsibilities as provided for by the constitution. It is the lowest level through which representative government can be practiced. In Nigeria, there are three-tier of government, i.e. Federal, State and Local Government.  
The local government is the third-tier of government and that placed it in a position of nearness to the people at the grassroots or local communities. Its closeness to the local populace enables it to perform special functions and services, which bother on the interests and aspirations of the local communities. Blair defined local government as an organization with a resident population occupying a defined area that has a usually authorized organization and government body; a separated legal entity, the power to provide certain public or governmental services and a substantial degree of autonomy including legal or actual power to raise part of its own revenue.
Akpan sees local government as essentially a political institution, which aims at not only to train its members for citizenship but also to get various services run for the benefit of the community. Within its territory, a local government unit seeks to give opportunities to the people for the expression of their opinion concerning local affairs. It enables them to choose their representatives to take care of local affairs on their behalf. Quasi-sovereign state are those in which the supreme political authority and power is divided between the central government of the country as a whole and the federated state government of the major constituent geographical pasts. Each of them within its own sphere is supreme and independent of the other. Jackson is of the view that local government is concerned with localities and not with the country as a whole; it must for this reason be subordinate to the national government. The term further implies some jurisdiction or activity of public nature; it implies the existence of authorities empowered to exercise that jurisdiction and activity. According to US Bureau of the census, a unit of local government must exhibit three qualifications; first, it must exist as an organized entity possessing organization and some minimum powers, second, it must have governmental character as an agency of the public to whom it must be accountable and third, it must possess substantial autonomy.
Lockard also defines local government as a public organization authorized to decide and administer a large range of public policies within a relatively small territory, which is subdivided of a regional or national government. Local government is at the bottom of a pyramid of governmental institutions with the national government at the top and intermediate governmental state, regions, provinces, occupying in middle range.
Fajobi,(2010) local government can be seen as a political authority under  state for decentralizing political power and delegation of authority.
It is the administration under local committees to maintain law and order base on range of social amenities and to encourage cooperation and participation of people at the grassroots to improve there living conditions.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS A UNIT OF GOVERNMENT
Arising from the various policy changes regarding the size, structure, functions and operations of the local government system and, in particular, the decision to implement the federal executive presidential system of government, and its logic at local government level, it has become necessary to comprehensively include the local government as viable unit of government. Local Government as a unit of government placed it in a position where it perform those specific functions and duties which the other two-tiers of government would not have been able to perform with efficiency and effectiveness. The local government is the first-stop interaction of governance with the local communities and the people.
 The local government is the platform through which the people are represented in government at the lowest level of governance. As a unit of government, the local government is created to meet the peculiar needs of the people at the grassroots, this is very vital because every community has its peculiar characteristics, needs and value system, that differentiate it from another community.  
As a unit of government, it is also a channel through which local interest are aggregated and transmitted to the other two-tiers of government. The local government as a unit of government is set out to define the scope and limits of the powers, functions and responsibilities of the different arms and functionaries of government at the local level as well as their roles or relationships with the organs and functionaries of the higher tiers of government with a view to minimizing the effects and burden of governance associated with federal and state government. In the past local government was not recognised as a unit of government because there was no constitutional backing. It was perceived as an administrative convenience, which serves the purpose of an outlet for federal and state government. It is the consistent development and evolution of local government, coupled with the increasing functions performed by local government to the people at the grassroots that has transformed the local government as a viable unit of government. In the primitive era, it serves the interests and aspirations of the local people, in the colonial era, it serves the more the interest of the colonialists, under the military regimes, it serves the interest of the people as dictated by the military and under the democratic regimes it is perceived to serve the interests and aspirations of the people at the grassroots.  
THE EVOLUTION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION IN NIGERIA
Before the advent of British colonial administration in Nigeria, there was already in existence in various parts of the country some form of local administration with various formal political institutions (imam, 1996:23). And so, the genesis of the local government system in Nigeria dates back to the pre-colonial era and the formative period of larger- scale kingdoms and power empires in the country. The existence of provincial system which operated in Brono and oyo empires as well as the emirate system of sokoto caliphet “exhibited rudimentary conception of local government administration” (minna, 1993) cited from ( ugwu, 2000: p5).
From 1900 to 1950 the indirect rule was an instrument of local government administration in Nigeria. This was called the native Authority which made use of local chiefs to administer their kingdoms and domains because the British Colonial Administration lacked enough administrative staff, money to control verity which made use of local chiefs to administer their kingdoms and domains because the British Colonial Administration lacked enough administrative staff, money to control vast territories in West Africa which  territories in West Africa which Britain had acquired.
Local governments system has taken different forms from one period to the other in Nigeria. We have the pre-colonial experiences culminating in different traditional political system; from the Yoruba, igbo and hausa political systems. We had the indirect rule system whereby such governments were being run through the traditional rulers, the chiefs or the warrant chiefs.
NATIVE ADMINISTRATION
At the beginning of the 19th century, the British colonial administration imposed their rule on the people of Nigeria. The basis for local government in Nigeria became the indirect rule system. The idea of indirect rule was borrowed from India by lord lugard where the British colonial officer had seen the system work. It was first introduced in the north and later to the south. The essence of indirect rule was to strengthen the native court and the inauguration of local tax and treasury. (ugwu, 2000:p6).
Local Government in the Northern Region of Nigeria in Colonial Era  
In the North, the colonial administration represents a system of indirect rule administered through the traditional rulers or emirs. The colonialist explores the position of the traditional rulers or emirs for the implementation of colonial policies formulated in Britain. The emirate system in Northern Nigeria provided the needed platform for indirect rule to thrive; this is because of the well established traditional system of administration which was highly centralized. Through this system the colonial administration had no direct dealings with the people, but with the emirs and traditional chiefs who provided the needed machinery of governance. In view of this, the indirect rule system through the native authorities achieved a great success in Northern Nigeria.
 Local Government in Western Region of Nigeria in Colonial Era  
Local government in the Western Nigeria during the colonial rule also took the form of indirect rule, the Obas and chiefs also presented the needed platform for the colonial native administration. The western region introduced its local administration based on three-tier system as applied in the East; traditional rulers became members of the council. Chiefs were graded and allocated seats according to the grade and status of the chief in question. The Obas and chiefs were also responsible for the daily administration of the people but they were only administering the colonial policies, which include the collection of taxes. However, the system was partially successful as the Obas and chiefs had no absolute control over the citizens. This was further compounded by the fact that almost every part of the region had its own Oba or chief, unlike the Northern region where the emirs were larger than life. Again, the west had religious multiplicity, i.e. the Christian faith and Islam, unlike the North where Islam was basically the major religion used as a unifying factor.
 Local Government in Eastern Region of Nigeria in Colonial Era  
In the east, an attempt was also made to rule through the chiefs and traditional rulers in order to maintain the principle of indirect rule, unfortunately, this was not possible due to the absence of a central figure as a traditional ruler. In other words, there was lack of a central authority or traditional institution. In order to cover this gap, the colonial administration introduced and appointed warrant chiefs for the purpose of local administration. The introduction of the warrant chiefs into a society that was basically republican sparked off a strong resistance from the people, who were not used to direct taxation introduced alongside the warrant chiefs. The situation was also compounded by the corrupt practices engaged upon by the warrant chiefs who perceived the position and privilege as an opportunity to enrich themselves. Therefore, local administration during the local era was a failure in the Eastern region of Nigeria. In fact part of the failure was the Aba women’s riot of 1929.
 Local Government in Southern Region of Nigeria in Colonial Era  
The Southern region of Nigeria was divided and grouped under the Western region and Eastern region. In the pre-colonial era, these southern kingdoms of Benin, the Ijaws, Urhobos, Itsekiris, Ibibios, Kalabaris and the Efiks were grouped for administrative reasons under the Western and Eastern regions. The Benin kingdom, the Urhobos and Itsekiris were ground under the Western region while, the Ijaws were split between the Western and Eastern regions with the larger part under the Eastern region. The Ibibios, Efiks and Kalabaris were under the Eastern region during the colonial era. In the Eastern region local government administration were according to the dictates of the colonial masters which was the appointment of warrant officers in these riverine communities of Ijaws, Itsekiris, and Efiks. In the Benin, Urhobos and Itsekiris kingdoms, the policy of the indirect rule through the Oba and chiefs as in the central Yoruba kingdom of Western region also applied. The southern communities only follow the dictates and reacted according to the region in which they found themselves.
THE COLLAPSE OF THE NATIVE AUTHORITY SYSTEM 1950-1966

It was obvious by the late 1940 that the native authority system of local administration in Nigeria had lost national appeal. Educated Nigerian and some members of the traditional ruling elite started pushing for more participatory system of local administration. According to Gboyega (1987), the native authorities gave way to representative local authorities, first in the eastern region in 1950 and then in the western region in 1952 as a result of inadequacies of response to demand for wider participation and development. As he put it, “perhaps more crucial, if not the more elements of these demands was for the provision of public social infrastructural”.
Furthermore, the educated elite including the late chief Abafemi Awolowo, constituted a think-tank for the Nigerian people resistance to a non representative and non participatory system which the native authority system represented in the East and West of Nigeria. They saw this as an unacceptable modification of the monarchical system of government of the pre-colonial era. Chief Awolowo’s counterpart in the Eastern region also stepped up their efforts by preparing a memorandum for study by the unofficial members of the Eastern House of Assembly. These efforts articulated certain defect in the Native Authority system.
GROWTH OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The Native Administration system continued to thrive in the North until the emergence of modern local system from 1952-1965, and the era of caretaker committees and sole Administrator systems. However, since 1970 the number of local government rose from 299 to 301 in 1979, to 781 in 1981, when the state government were given authority to create local government. After the overthrown of the civilian government in 1984, the numbers were again reduced to 301 and later they increased to 449 in 1987; 589 in 1991 and 774 in 1996( Otobo 2002, 302).
Today, we have a uniform system of local administration which is nearer to the people of the locality. Local council or government is the third-tier or government and it is now semi autonomous from the state government.
IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN PRESENT DAY NIGERIA.
CHANGE OF STRUCTURE: Local government has changed its structure in Nigeria today because it seems to be more organized today because of several reforms which went on.
CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE: Local government is also seen as been closer to the massive. This tries to foster development in the local government areas they try to foster a close relationship between the governments in other for speedy development.






CONCLUSION
In conclusion the evolution and the role in which local government plays in the development of the nations today have not really done much because of its not having that full autonomy and right, local government is meant to be closer to the people but because of government putting it hand in it, local government seems to be under develop. We recommend that the local government should be given a chance to express its integrity not only that they should allow the chairman and counselors to run it to the federal level. The local government chairman and the counselor’s serves as the mouth pieces of the people in the society and also at the federal level as earlier mentioned.


REFERENCE
Ajayi, Kunle (ed.). (2000). Theory and Practice of Local Government. Ado-Ekiti: University of Ado-Ekiti.
Akpan, N.U. “Epitaph to Indirect Rule”, in O. Oyediran, (1988). Essays on Local Government and Administration in Nigeria. Lagos: Project Publications Ltd.  
Anifowose, Remi and Enemuo Francis (eds.). (1999). Elements of Politics. Lagos: Malthouse Press Ltd.
Adamolekun, L. et al (eds.). (1988). Local Government in West Africa Since Independence. Lagos: University of Lagos Press.
Agagu, A.A, “The Concept of local Government” in kolawole, D (ed.). Reading in Political Science. Ibadan: Dekaal Publishers
Anifowose, Remi and Enemuo Francis (eds.). (1999). Elements of Politics, Lagos: Malthouse Press Ltd.
Blair, G.S. (1997). Government at the Grassroots. L. A. California: Palisade Publishers
Emezi, C. (1984) “Nigerian Local Government in historical Perspective” in Nigerian Journal of Public Administration and Local Government. Vol.2, No.2.
Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Constitution. Lagos: Federal Government Press.  
Imam, I.B.(1996) Local government in Nigeria ; Evolving a third tier of government. Ibadan, Heinemanu Educational Book (Nigeria) plc.
Jackson, W.E. (1960). The Structure of Local Government in England and Wales cited in Vishnoo Bhagwan and Vidya Bhushan (2005). Public Administration, 17th edition New Delhi India: S. Chand and Company Ltd.
Kirk-Green, A.H.M. (1965). The Principle of Native Administration in Nigeria in Oyediran, Oyeleye. (1988)  
Lockard, Duane (1968). “An Article on Local Government” in International Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences, Vol. IX cited in Vishnoo Bhagwan and Vidya Bhushan (2005).
Maddox, W. and Robert, F. Fuquay (1965) State and Local Government cited in Vishnoo Bhagwan and Vidya Bhushan (2005).
Nanda, T.R. (1993).  Political Science.  New Delhi, India: Anmol  Publications.  
Oyediran, Oyeleye (1988). Essays on Local Government and Administration in Nigeria. Lagos: Project P
Vishnoo Bhagwan and Vidya Bhushan (2005). Public Administration (17th ed.). New Delhi India: