March 12 – The Nigerian Nation

Agenda:• Country Briefs• Quick-write• Notes• Jigsaw

Homework:• 548-end of chapter

Take out:• Notebook• Country Briefs• Pen/Pencil

QW: What was meant by the following quotation? What does it tell us about governing Nigeria?

“Nigeria is not a nation. It is a mere geographical expression.”Yoruba Chief Obafemi Awolowo

The Nigerian Nation

• Northwest• AKA “The North”• Hausa-Fulani• Largest ethnic group• Predominantly

Muslim• Northern People’s

Congress (NPC)

• Southeast• AKA “The East”• Igbo• 2rd largest ethnic

group• Predominantly

Christian• National Convention of

Nigerian Citizens (NGNG)

Southwest AKA “The

West” Yoruba 2nd largest

ethnic group 40% Christian,

40% Muslim, 20% Yoruban

Action Group (AG)

Three other “minority” zones exist (Northeast, Middle Belt, and the Delta)

DIVERSITY leads to…

• Fragmentation• The tendency to divide along ethnic, linguistic, regional,

and/or religious lines• Lots of people are watching Nigeria (if it fell apart, it would

have major repercussions for the rest of W. Africa) • “…as Nigeria goes, so goes the rest of Africa”

• Over 250 ethnic groups call parts of Nigeria home• There are over 400 languages spoken

• Most can’t speak other languages

• HF = 29% Yor = 21% Ibo = 18% Ijaw=10%

But why do the divisions exist in an established country?

The NorthHausa-Fulani

The WestYoruba

The EastIgbo

The NorthHausa-Fulani

The WestYoruba

The EastIgbo

Nigeria - Historical Differences

North vs. South – Historical Differences

The North

• Drier• Thinly populated • More connected to world

economy• Saharan trade

• Did not welcome/ allow missionaries

• Cultural diffusion through trade to the north

The South

• Fertile Delta• More densely populated

• BUT small communities

• Very little trade along water before colonization

• Became a British protectorate• Relied on Royal Niger

Company

Precolonial Era (800-1860)• Early influence of Islam

• Contact in North• Arabic education influenced and replaced traditional customs• Sharia Law

• Kinship-based politics• Prevalent in the South• Political organization and trade by village/tribe

• Democratic impulses• Developed in South• Rulers expected to seek input of community

Nigeria Basics – Sharia States

Colonial Era (1860-1960)• Authoritarian Rule was Indirect

• South - Regional chiefs left in charge• North – Local elites placed in control• Divide and Conquer – pitted local rulers against each other to

compete for rewards • (infrastructure, social needs, bureaucratic appointments)

• Individualism• Created tendency for local rulers to seek personal benefits

• Christianity• Spread through south andwest (vs. Islam in the north)• Education only offered through missionary schools

• Intensification of Ethnic politics• Southern elitism (vs. north)

British Legacy• Once the British announced they were leaving Nigeria, all

semblance of national unity was gone…competition became intense for political power

• The Big Question:

How could Nigeria become truly independent when it had been dependent for so long?

The First Republic(1960-1966)• Westminster Model (Parliamentary)• The Northerners dominated (with Igbo allies)

• Originally sought to redress the imbalance from Colonial era

• Ethnic divisions create unrest• Majority could not maintain control• PM authority was consistently undermined

• Descended into military rule• Igbo (Biafra) attempt secession (1967-1970)• Three civil wars lead to over 1 million deaths• Military (Igbo controlled) seized power in ’66 to end fighting in the

Western region (among the Yoruba) and to stop corruption and northern abuses

LEADERSHIP TRANSISITON SINCE 1960YEARS RULER TYPE GOV TRANSITION?

1960-1966 Balewa (PM) RepublicFIRST REPUBLIC

Military coup; died

1966 Ironsi Mil. Dictatorship Military coup; died

1966-1975 Gowon Mil. Dictatorship Military coup; replaced

1975-1976 Muhammed Mil. Dictatorship Military coup; died

1976-1979 Obasanjo Mil. Dictatorship Replaced by Dem. Elect. Pres.

1979-1983 Shagari Pres. DemocSECOND REPUB

Military coup; replaced

YEARS RULER TYPE GOV TRANSITION?

1983-1985 Buhari Mil. Dictatorship Military coup; replaced

1985-1993 Babangida Mil. Dictatorship Military coup; resigned under pressure

1993 (83 Days)

Shonekan Pres. DemocTHIRD REP

Deposed

1993-1998 Abacha Mil. Dictatorship Death; Abubakar rules temporarily

1999-2007 Obasanjo Pres. DemocFOURTH REP

End 2 term limit

2007-2010 Yar’ Adua Pres. Democ Died in office

2010 - present

Jonathan Pres. Democ

4th Republic: 1999 – present • Unitary system in a federal guise – An all-powerful

government surrounded by weak and bankrupt states• Consequence of military rule Incredibly strong executive

branch• Weak legislature and judiciary

• Patronage politics that sap accountability, and undermine the rule of law• Accentuate cleavages• Rampant clientelism, corruption and authoritarian governing

structures

Public Policy: Economics• Loyalty pyramid – informal political structure of power

• Squandered Nigeria’s wealth• $30 billion in debt, 60% in poverty, oil revenues go directly to

government

• Since the last military regime (1999) there have been basic fiscal changes: • IMF/World Bank ‘Shock Treatment’• Some privatization • Scheme for alleviating poverty

• Restructuring• Diversify economy• Reduce government spending

• Financial reserves have grown slowly (finally out of debt in 2006)

But what about the people?

Group-Share• You have been assigned a reading packet that includes

news relating to a region of Nigeria• Read you assigned packet• Use SPECIFIC DETAILS from the packet to complete a

three-column chart with the following headings:• Specific Problems/Issues in Nigeria• What has been done?• What still needs to be done?

• After beginning your chart, you will collaborate with a small group to share information from the other reading packets