PLS 405: Ethnicity, Nationalism, and DemocracyPLS 405: Ethnicity, Nationalism, and Democracy

ENDEND

Somalia and Nigeria: Being a Failed State

Somalia: Location Map

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Somalia: Today

• Somaliland declared itself sovereign 1991

• Puntland declared itself autonomous 1998

• Galmudug declared itself autonomous 2006

• Maakhir declared itself autonomous 2007

• Civil War continues

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Somalia: The Failed State

• The Dirty War• Security Council resolutions• Results:

– Somalia descent into anarchy – No effective government– No legal code– No functioning economy – Terrorism

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Somalia: The Bottom Line

• The violence of the counter-terrorist operations, militant Islamic groups, warlords and criminal networks has made Somalia too dangerous even for its own government to remain

Nigeria: Location Map

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Nigeria: Geography

• West Africa• Oil-rich delta region

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Nigeria: Population

• Population:– 133 million– Most populous in Africa– Over 250 ethnic groups

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Nigeria: Religion

• Divided geographically– Islam

50%– Christianity

40%– Animism

10%

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Nigeria: Language

• Official Language:– English

• Unofficial Languages:– 510 unofficial languages– Three language families

• Niger-Congo• Afro-Asiatic• Nilo-Saharan

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Nigeria: Government

• Federal republic• Presidential

– President: Umaru Yar'Adua

– Vice-Pres: Goodluck Jonathan

– Senate Pres: David Mark– House Speaker: Patricia Etteh– Chief Justice: Idris Kutigi

• Capital: Abuja

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Nigeria: History

• 1861: British administration commences in Nigeria

• Prior to British control, external influence on Nigeria came from:– Western Sudanese Kingdoms of

• Ghana• Mali• Songhai• Maghreb• Tripolitania• Egypt

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Nigeria: History

• While Islam was taking hold of Northern Nigeria, Portugal’s slave trade was dominant in the southern regions

• From the 15th through the early 19th centuries, southern Nigeria was controlled by European slave traders

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Nigeria: History

• With the end of slavery, traders began moving inland and trade of Nigerian products grew rapidly

• Britain gives Royal Niger Company control of Nigeria

• In 1900:– British Government takes control

from RNC– Protectorates of Northern and

Southern Nigeria created

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Nigeria: History

• In 1940 Nigeria is split into four regions:– Colony of Lagos– Northern Region– Western Region– Southern Region

• Richardson’s Constitution:– Political parties formed on regional

and ethnic bases– BUT:

• Full-scale regionalism leads to possibility of three separate countries

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Nigeria: History

• Regional gaps widened in 1950s– Federalism becomes foundation of

government

• Independence gained in 1960• Federation of Nigeria with three

regions:– Northern

• Hausa (Muslim)– Western

• Yoruba (Muslim/Christian)– Southern

• Igbo (Christian)

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Nigeria: History

• Coup of 1966– Ideology: To strengthen and unify

government of Nigeria– Reality: Slaughter of Northern and

Western politicians and senior military officers

• 1967: – Southern Nigeria declares

independence as Biafra– July 6 - Nigerian Civil (Biafran) War

begins– Civil war ends in 1970

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Nigeria: Current

• Political Realities– Since Nigeria gained its

independence in 1960, corrupt political leaders have stolen or misused over $400 billion

• Quick Historical Analysis:– Though some societal

improvements have been made, poverty, malnutrition, disease, violence, tribalism, and political corruption still dominate daily life

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Nigeria: Current

• Quick Political Analysis:– Until a strong, unified central

government can control tribalist violence and improve societal conditions, Nigerian people will continue to be victimized by corruption and poverty

NIGERIA: CurrentNIGERIA: Current

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Failed States

• What are the immediate effects of being a failed state?

• What are the long-term effects of being a failed state?

• What are the effects of a failed state on its neighbors?

• What are the effects of a failed state on the state system?