Africa in Transition

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Africa in Transition
Politics, Culture, Agriculture, Anthropology,
Education
Presented by The Office of International
Outreach Texas AM University
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Nigeria today
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Geography

• Federal Capital Abuja
• Area 923,768.64sq.km
• Population Aprox. 140mil
• National Day October 1
• System of Government Presidential
• Major Languages Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa
• Official Language - English

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Regional Division 1947
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British Post Colonial Gift The Impact
North Indirect rule South Direct rule
Indirect rule Use of existing tribal structures
and traditions as conduits for establishing rules
and regulations.  Direct rule European
officials called the shots for themselves by
establishing and administering the rules and
regulations for their colonial subjects.
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Historical Background
Oct. 1, 1960 - Britain grants independence with
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (Norther) as prime
minister. 1963 - Nigeria becomes a republic
Azikiwe (Southerner) President. 1966 -
Nigeria's first coup ends civilian rule Ironsi
(Military Head of State from the south - Ibo)
May 1967 - Following a series of massacres of
ethnic Ibos from the east of Nigeria, the eastern
region tries to secede under name of Biafra,
Jan. 1970 - Civil war ends with defeat of
secessionist Biafra. July 1975 - Gowon toppled
in coup bringing Brigadier Murtala Mohammed to
power. Feb. 1976 - Mohammed is assassinated in
an abortive coup. Oct. 1979 - Obasanjo steers
country to elections. Shehu Shagari becomes
civilian president. 1983 - Elections marred by
widespread cheating. Months later General
Muhammadu Buhari takes over from Shagari in an
almost bloodless coup. Aug. 1985 - Bloodless
coup brings General Ibrahim Babangida to
power. June 1993 - Babangida annuls presidential
election as businessman Moshood Abiola is poised
to win. Babangida steps down and names an interim
government which is overthrown in November by its
defence minister, General Sani Abacha. June 1998
- Abacha dies suddenly as he heads towards
presidential elections as the sole candidate.
General Abdulsalami Abubakar assumes power and
promises to restore civilian rule by May
1999. Feb. 1999 - Obasanjo, Yoruba (southerner)
now a civilian, wins presidential election with
63 percent of the vote.
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Current Politics
President Olusegun Obasanjo
His answer to the massive communal and religious
unrest across the country has been to use the
army to control localized disturbances.
Dan
Isaacs, BBC News
http//news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1804940.stm
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Current Politics cont-
Feb 1999 Obasanjo sworn into office after a
presidential election. Became the first
Southerner to rule Nigeria after 25yrs. Of
military rule. 2000 - Thousands of people are
killed throughout northern Nigeria as non-Muslims
opposed to the reinforcement of Islamic Sharia
law fight with Muslims who demand its
implementation. May 2003 - Obasanjo is sworn in
for a second and final four-year term after
elections which international and local observers
say were marred by widespread rigging. May 2006
- Senate votes against a proposal to amend
constitutional term limits, preventing Obasanjo
from seeking a third term. March 2007 - The
Independent National Electoral Commission
presents a list of 24 candidates for the
presidential elections due on April 21.
Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is omitted on the
grounds of an indictment for fraud which he
contests in court. April 14 Governorships and
state assemblies are set for April 14. April
21, 2007 - The presidential and National Assembly
elections
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April 2007 Presidential Election

• 3 major parties out of the 24 candidates
• -PDP Northerner
• -ANPP Northerner
• -AC Northerner
• 61mil registered voters
• Of this number
• PDP 24.6mil
• ANPP 6.6mil
• AC aprox 2.6mil
• INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission)
  declares PDP, the ruling govt party candidate as
  the winner.
• Opposition candidates are protesting and may go
  to the electoral tribunal
• Declared winner may be sworn in on May 29, 2007

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A Wealth of Resources
Greatest Oil Reserves by Country, 2006
Rank Country Proved reserves (billion barrels)
1. Saudi Arabia 264.3
2. Canada 178.8
3. Iran 132.5
4. Iraq 115.0
5. Kuwait 101.5
6. United Arab Emirates 97.8
7. Venezuela 79.7
8. Russia 60.0
9. Libya 39.1
10. Nigeria 35.9
11. United States 21.4
12. China 18.3
13. Qatar 15.2
14. Mexico 12.9
15. Algeria 11.4
16. Brazil 11.2
17. Kazakhstan 9.0
18. Norway 7.7
19. Azerbaijan 7.0
20. India 5.8
     
Top 20 countries Top 20 countries 90.2
Rest of world Rest of world 68.1
World total World total 1,292.5
Source Oil Gas Journal, Vol. 103, No. 47 (Dec.
19, 2005). From U.S. Energy Information
Administration. http//www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/intern
ational/petroleu.html .
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Where Does the Money Go?
Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer and the
fifth largest supplier of oil to the United
States. The country produces 2.4 million barrels
a day and has the capacity to produce up to 4
million barrels a day by 2010. Nigerian oil is
sought after since it is relatively effortless to
produce and has a low sulphur content, making it
easy to refine.
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Corruption

• Corruption is often at the very root of why
  governments do not work. Wolfowitz
• Inept supply of electricity in spite of so called
  massive injection of fund
• -Anti-corruption campaign how many arrests?
  Other than instituting at the request of World
  Bank for debt forgiveness, what benefit?
• -There are still instances where teachers go
  without pay for some months even when the funds
  are said to be there. What is the government
  doing about this?
• -What about pipe borne water?
• There are however other areas where the
  government made good stride. For example
• it has worked very hard in putting a clamp on the
  importation of adulterated drugs
• It negotiated with the Paris Club to reduce
  Nigerias debt to the World Bank resulting in
  excess foreign reserve.

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Consequences of Greed
Jobs Education Poverty Crime Disease Exodus of
professionals
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Hope for the Future

• The future is bright
• Another civilian administration better than
  the military
• Challenge for new administration
• 1. Power sharing
• 2. Indigeneity clause
• 3. Jobs/security

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Hope for the Future

• In 1983, Chinua Achebe wrote, "The trouble with
  Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of
  leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with
  the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong
  with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air
  or anything else.
• The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or
  inability of its leaders to rise to the
  responsibility, to the challenge of personal
  example, which are the hallmarks of true
  leadership."

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Nigeria
Presented by Paul Obiazi