After World War II, successive Nigerian constitutions brought increasing degrees of internal self-rule. Emirate governance gradually lost direct administrative authority to other institutions. The personnel of the native authorities were eclipsed by officials of the secular state. At the same time, the constitution of legislative and executive bodies in regional capitals and at the federal capital of Nigeria created a whole new dynamic to political competition. Support for politicians was grounded in local ties, leading to competition for federal financing for local development. Geographical competition became ethnic conflict, which led ultimately to a bitter civil war. At the same time, the state tightened its control over the economy, export revenue, and investment. The new system fundamentally altered the position of the political elite, solidifying its role as a gatekeeper between Nigerian producers and the international economy. The result was to intensify the politics of corruption.