“Federal Character” and Management of the Federal Civil Service and the Military

Abstract

The character principle, which has been enshrined in Nigeria's Constitution since 1979, seeks to ensure that appointments to public service institutions fairly reflect the linguistic, ethnic, religious, and geographic diversity ofthe country. Application ofthe principle in the federal civil service and the military has amounted to a confused balancing ofthe merit principle and the quota system, based essentially on states of origin. This has had adverse consequences for both institutions in terms of discipline, morale, and overall effectiveness and efficiency. Faithful implementation of universal primary education and imaginative rehabilitation of secondary and tertiary education are required to ensure equal opportunitiesfor all citizens to competefor civil service positions on the basis ofmerit. With regard to the military, only rapid implementation of the constitutional provision on compulsory military training and a definitive end to military rule can help to reduce the salience of the character principle.