NIGERIA

Part 1

Africas most populous state recently independent history of tradition-based kingdoms colonialism military dictatorship strong democracy movements coupled with tendency to totalitarian military rule vast resources, but tremendous poverty religious, regional and ethnic tension: challenge to formation of national identity legitimacy

 The Sources of Public Authority and Political Power the national question:
how should the country be governed? should it be a single nation?

constitutionalism : the acceptance of a constitution as a guiding set of principles

9 constitutions since 1914

legitimacy:
relative newness of country history of
ethnic and religious division and conflict economic exploitation by elites use of military force

strong tendency toward fragmentation rule of law vs. personalized authority of the strongman

 in North, sharia has served as a source of legitimacy, but religious law has not transformed society

2007 election widely seen as fraudulent frustration and cynicism in electorate international criticism added challenges to legitimacy

Political traditions 3 eras: pre-colonial, colonial and independence pre-colonial: 800-1860

trade connections early influence of Islam kinship-based politics complex political identities democratic impulses

 the colonial era: 1860 1960

indirect authoritarian rule interventionist state individualism/personalization Christianity intensification of ethnic politics

 post-independence: 1960 to present

parliamentary-style government replace by a presidential system intensification of ethnic conflict military rule personalized rule/corruption federalism economic dependence on oil

Political Culture
historic traditions -> complex modern political culture ethnic diversity and conflict, corruption, politically active military democratic tradition, responsive leadership patron-clientelism (prebendalism)
prebendalism: the corrupt use of high-level government position to gain personal wealth

patron (political leader) builds loyalty among clients (lesser elites) by granting favors denied to others

state control vs. a rich civil society

the sectors of society that lie outside of government control

political culture, cont. tension between modernity and tradition religious conflict geography: 6 population zones NW: Hausa-Fulani, Muslim NE: Kanuri and other smaller groups, Muslim Middle Belt: many small groups, religious mix SW: Yoruba, 40% Muslim, 40% Christian, 20% other SE: Igbo, Christian (RC and Protestant) S: Niger River delta, many small groups

Political and Economic Change

the Pre-Colonial era:
geography and political, social and economic development northern savannah vs. forested south -> cultural diffusion

North:
1808, Fulani established Muslim state (Sokoto Caliphate) succumbed to British colonial rule, but established tradition of centralized, faith-based government

South:
contact with Europeans Christianity slave trade

Political and Economic Change, cont.

the Colonial Era:

1860: the British imposed indirect rule Nigerians (south) trained to fill Euro-style bureaucracy left northern government structures intact exacerbated regional division encouraged elitism/prebendalism introduction of Western-style education increased both literacy and cleavages

Political and Economic Change, cont.

Modern Nigeria: independence 1960 1966: parliamentary government replaced by military dictatorship, cycle of coups detat
military leaders: a history of extraconstitutional and nondemocratic rule

elections plagued by fraud and violence the national question would Nigeria survive as a country? heightened ethnic competition and conflict postindependence institutionalization of corruption among political elites

Leadership Transitions, 1960 - present

dates
60 66 (First
Republic)

ruler
Tafawa Balewa (PM) (Muslim Hausa-Fulani) Johnson Aguyi-Ironsi (Christian Igbo) Yakubu Gowon (Christian, middle belt) Murtala Muhammed (Muslim, Hausa-Fulani) Olusegun Obasanjo (Christian Yoruba)

type of govt
Republic

transition
Coup; Balewa assassinatied Coup; Ironsi assassinated Coup; Gowon replaced Coup; Muhammed assassinated Democratic election

1966 66- 75

Military Dictatorship Military Dictatorship Military Dictatorship Military Dictatorship

75 76

76 79

Leadership Transitions, 1960 - present

dates ruler type of govt transition

79 83

Shehu Shagari (Muslim HausaFulani)

Muhammed Buhari (Muslim HausaFulani) Ibrahim Babangida (Muslim middle belt) Sani Abacha (Muslim, North) Olesegun Obasanjo (civilian) Umru YarAdua

Presidential democracy
Military dictatorship Military dictatorship Military dictatorship Presidential democracy Presidential democracy

coup; Shagari replaced

coup; Buhari replaced coup; Babangida resigned Abacha died term limited

83 85

85 93 93 98 99 07 07 - present

Citizens, Society and the State

Challenges of democratization:
poverty unequal income distribution health literacy

Comparative literacy rates

China (2000 census) Iran (02 est.) Mexico (03 est.) Nigeria (02 census) Russia (02 census) UK (03 est.) Males: 95.1% Males: 83.5% Males: 92.4% Males: 75.7% Males: 99.7% Males: 99% Females: 86.5% Females: 70.4% Females: 89.6% Females: 60.6% Females: 99.2% Females: 99%

cleavages
one of the worlds most fragmented societies lack of cross-cutting cleavages sub-national cleavage -> violent conflict identity-based civil war conflicts have undermined legitimacy and governance sources of cleavage:
ethnicity religion region urban/rural social class