STUDENT NOTES - 1

CH. 6 NIGERIA

ESSENTIAL THEMES = NIGERIA IN A NUTSHELL

• What has shaped current policy challenges?• 1) British colonialism: geography never matched identity• 2) Religious, ethnic BOTH pair w/ education and wealth levels– Internal ethnic and/or religious associations/in-fighting: Boko

Haram, MEND, MOSOP• 3) Rentier state– Exploitation of natural resource undermines indigenous

population in Niger Delta– Over 90% of export earnings - price fluctuations, corruption

• 4) Democratic instability since independence in 1960 – 4 different attempts to democratize (all ended by coup d'état)– Controlled by military 29 out of 55 yrs.

Overview: The Big Picture• System of Government: Presidential System• Distribution of Power: Federal System • Electoral System: Single Member District Plurality• Constitution: Constitution of 1999• Legislature: Bicameral—Senate and House of Rep.• Current Head of State: President Goodluck Jonathan

• Head of Government: President Goodluck Jonathan

• Current Ruling Party: People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

• Major Political Parties: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Action Congress (AC)

Why Study Nigeria?• LDC trying to democratize– HDI rank 153– The Economist Democracy Index ranking = 120/167

(Iran 158; Mexico 51; UK 16)– History of colonialism, military rule, parliamentary

democracy & presidential democracy – they enjoy variety…or they’re trying to find what works

• Ethnic/Religious/Regional Cleavages• Constitutionalism – eluding Nigeria so far• Largest population in Africa (174 mil)• Federalism• Resource curse (oil)• Patron-Client Relations (Prebendalism)

Geography

• Located in Western Africa, it is the center of the areas regional trade, culture and military strength.

• It is bordered by four countries: Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

• Its natural resource of oil makes it a hub of activity.• Nigeria’s current day borders was an arbitrary

creation reflecting British colonial interests.

Population

• Nigeria, with 174 million people, ranks as the most populous nation in Africa.

• The northwest is dominated by the largest ethnic group, the Hausa-Fulani.

• The north are predominantly Muslim.• The Southwest is dominated by the country’s second

largest group, the Yoruba.• The Southeast is the homeland of the Igbo, Nigeria’s

third largest group.

The NorthHausa-Fulani

The WestYoruba

The EastIgbo

Big Ideas to Keep in Your Head !

• No Cross Cutting Cleavages– Ethnic, Regional, and Religious Coincide

• No National Identity! • Nigeria is only 50 years old• Country created because of colonialism• Parliamentary system failed…why?• Presidential system is working…why?

Sovereignty, Authority, and Power

• Legitimacy– Newly independent (1960)– The sole stable national institution is the military• Only truly NATIONAL institution is disciplined and

able to make decisions efficiently and effectively• Leads to legitimacy of military’s right to rule• Most leaders have been generals

– Extremely low legitimacy of government, overall – never been stable

–Massive corruption, distrust of government

Sovereignty, Authority, and Power

COLONIAL PERIOD: (1861-1960) British establish colonial enterprise based on exploitation of natural

resources Divided northern and southern regions Further reinforced ethnic/religious cleavages

FIRST REPUBLIC: (60 – 67) Parliamentary system w/ Muslim PM Military coup and Biafran War

SECOND REPUBLIC (79 – 83) Obasanjo brings democratic reform Coup by Muslim general Patterned after American system

THIRD REPUBLIC (92 – 93) Aborted/short-lived attempt at democratic elections

FOURTH REPUBLIC (1999 – present) Obasanjo democratically elected president

Influence of British Rule British moved into Nigeria with a combination of government

control, religious mission, and economic incentive Deepened ethnic and regional divisions

Indirect rule in the north (Muslim leaders) Direct rule in south

Christianity (Islam already in North from Arab traders)Western-style education Mostly in south (Christian missionaries) Independence – 1960 Westminster Model

Ethnic divisions made it difficult to identify a majority party or allow a PM to have necessary authority

Biafra (1967-70)• Igbo secessionist state• Desired freedom because they believed the North

would always dominate because of their larger numbers (Igbo are the smallest of the big-three ethnicities)

• Three year civil war resulted in over a million deaths• Yakubu Gowon, a Middle-Belt Christian came to

power to lead a Nigerian unity government to stop the secession

Sovereignty, Authority, and Power

• Elected leadership in 1960, overthrown in military coup in 1966

• 3 more coups by 1976, Olusegun Obasanjo takes power– Willfully steps down for democratically elected president

in 1979• 2 more coups by 1985, when Ibrahim Babangida

takes power– Resigned under public pressure in 1993 when he promised

to step down for civilian leadership, then voided the election

• Sani Abacha (1993-1998) rules brutally, dies of a heart attack (maybe poisoned?), replaced by Vice President Abubakar

• Obasanjo elected for 2 terms (1999-2007)• Umaru Yar’Adua elected in 2007

– All elections finished with concerns of fraud, violence, etc.

• Ibrahim Babangida• Military President,

1985 – 1993• Resigned

• Sani Abacha• Military President,

1993 – 1998• Died in office

• Olusegun Obasanjo• Military President,

1976 – 1979– Resigned for

democratic leadership

• President, 1999 – 2007– Term limited

• Umaru Yar’Adua• President, 2007 –

2010• Died and replaced

by VP

• Goodluck Jonathan• President, 2010 –

Present