Welcome to NIGERIA

1
Welcome to NIGERIA
2
Nigeria has no business with poverty. With our
human and material resources, we shall strive
to eradicate poverty from our country.
-President Olusegun Obasanjo
3
Images of Nigeria
4
Background

• Nigeria was under British control until 1960
• Nigerias political format was unstable for a
  number of years. There was a 16 year military
  rule until 1999 when Nigeria adopted Democracy
  and a new constitution.
• Today ethnic and religious tensions are a major
  problem within the country

5
Major Facts

• Nigeria is a nation about twice as large as
  California that lies on the Mid-western coast of
  Africa
• Its major industry is petroleum production
• The life expectancy is about 47 years, and 5.4
  of the population has aids

6
Economy in brief..

• Nigeria is considered an oil producing nation.
  However, its economy not thriving. More than 70
  percent of its citizens are earning less than a
  dollar a day.
• Nigerias economy collapsed in the late 1970s
  which led to further conflict amongst ethnic and
  religious groups.
• Today, poverty is still a major problem in
  Nigeria
• In 2003 Nigeria privatized its four major oil
  refineries. This was a move that helped its GDP
• Nigeria is recently attempting to relieve
  national debt.

7
Government in Brief..

• Type of Government Federal Republic, composed of
  36 states.
• President Olusegun Obasanjo, in office since
  1999
• Election system President serves a four-year
  term and cannot serve more than two terms
• Legislative branch 109 seats in senate, 3 from
  each state
• Judicial Branch Consists of supreme and federal
  court. Legal system is bases on English common
  law and Islamic Shariah law

8
Now lets take a look at the media!

• If for any reason the links to the articles and
  speeches do not work click here to obtain them

9
Analysis of Current media

• The first piece of media I want to present is a
  very important speech from the president of
  Nigeria about their economic hopes for
  improvement.

10
President Olusegun Obasanjos Speech

• Speech seen at http//www.nigeriafirst.org/objspe
  eches/2004/needs_launch.html
• Titled- On the Occasion of the Formal Launching
  of the Nationwide Stakeholder Consultations on
  the NEEDS
• This was a very important speech delivered on
  March 15, 2004
• It addressed the impotents of NEEDS which is
  Nigerias poverty reduction and economic growth
  strategy.
• Obesanjo gave an the quote- This will be the
  first time in Nigeria that the generality of
  Nigerians will be involved in planning their
  future.

11
My Summary of the Speech

• In Summary, Obasanjos speech promised further
  development of their NEEDS program.
• He promised that the NEEDS program would reflect
  the people.
• He stated that if must be a plan by Nigerians. In
  other words he is adding representative
  Democratized value.
• The plan will call for 6 workshops throughout
  Nigeria where input and feedback can be given by
  businesses, organizations, and individuals so
  that all Nigerian citizens can have an active
  role in the NEEDS program.

12
Summary Continued...

• He also went on to say that NEEDS is a plan to
  improve the economy in Nigeria to make it a
  player in world economy.
• He further defined NEEDS as a nationwide
  participation program that coordinates the
  framework for agriculture, infrastructure and
  public finance.
• He concludes the speech by saying that NEEDS is a
  reformable plan that is going to involve Federal,
  State, and local governments.
• Obasanjo asks everyone to participate in NEEDS to
  make it successful for Nigeria.

13
My analysis of the speech

• From this speech it is clear to see that Obasanjo
  and his administration have concern for their
  people and their economy. The Nigerian government
  is making positive steps with their NEEDS
  campaign. They are involving the Nigerian people
  who have been neglected of participation in their
  own future at the government level for many many
  years. I can see the NEEDS campaign gaining much
  support. It would be interesting to do a
  follow-up on how it turned out in the year 2007.

14
Second Piece of Media..

• Article No Agreement Among Governors, seen at
  http//www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id40247
• Again, since Nigerias government hasnt ever
  been very secure, their policies are often under
  tension as I found in this next piece of media
• This is from a Nigerian newspaper. The article is
  about how President Obasanjo is trying to get an
  amendment passed to extend presidential terms in
  office.

15
Third Term in Office?

• This article is interesting because its issue
  seems to be a very hot debate that is going on as
  we speak.
• In Summary, the Article talks about how Obasanjo
  is trying to pass an amendmet which will allow
  him a third term in office.
• The governers have been to meetings to discuss
  the issue but they cannot seem to decide.

16
Third Term Continued..

• Wilmot, an important figurehead in Nigeria, is
  trying to persuade Obasanjo that a third term is
  not good.
• He compares the situation to President Yoweri
  Museveni of Uganda. He said that Museveni used to
  do good things for Uganda, now everyone hates him
  because he was in office for too long.
• The article concludes with the governors saying
  that their constituents want Obasanjo in office
  for a third term.

17
My Analysis

• My analysis This is a very contiversial topic
  for Nigeria at the moment. People who know
  governent are agueing that a third term might not
  be the best thing for Nigeria. On the other hand,
  The Nigerian people love what Obasanjo is doing
  for their country and want to keep him in office
  in fear that someone not as good would come into
  office as the next president. This type of
  unsettleling thought is reflective of the history
  of Nigeria as a nation with an unstable
  government.

18
Third piece of media..

• This next piece of media is also from a Nigerian
  newspaper
• The article is about the debate of whether to
  adopt a new constitution or continue making
  amendments
• This article titled Expert Makes Case for New
  Constitution, can be seen at http//www.thisdayo
  nline.com/nview.php?id40235

19
New Constitution in Nigeria up for debate..

• In Summary, this article discusses all the
  amendments that are going on and suggests that an
  entirely new constitution be written.
• A legal advisor made the suggestion on the fact
  that 3/4ths of the constitution is already
  proposed for amendment.
• He also argued that constitutions fail when they
  do not represent the needs of their people. He is
  afraid of misrepresentation and that is why he is
  suggesting action.
• He suggests that a whole new constitution be
  written because so much is going to be amended.
• He also explained that the guidelines for writing
  a new constitution are already in the current
  constitution itself.
• The article concludes with the statement that the
  new constitution should be one that is made by
  the people.

20
My Analysis..

• The legal practitioner makes some good points in
  discussing his argument. The constitution of
  Nigeria is under continuous amendment. This means
  that the constitution was not written well to
  begin with. The matter of writing a new
  constitution would be a way of doing things over
  the right way as opposed to correcting old
  mistakes. When three quarters of the constitution
  is proposed for amendment then that is saying a
  lot about the constitution. In my opinion I agree
  that it would be a good idea to write a brand new
  constitution by the people.

21
All information was gathered from the websites
below

• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Nigeria
• http//www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/
  ni.html
• http//www.usaid.gov/locations/sub-saharan_africa/
  countries/nigeria/
• http//www.nigeriafirst.org/objspeeches/2004/needs
  _launch.html
• http//www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id40247
• http//www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id40235
• http//en.thinkexist.com/quotes/olusegun_obasanjo/
  

22
Images

• http//www.caboose.org.uk/media/Nigeria/FRCN/22Sep
  05/Newsroom2_w.jpg
• http//www.rafiki-foundation.org/images/nigeria_02
  .jpg
• http//www.motherlandnigeria.com/pictures/lagos_li
  fe.jpg
• http//www.burningman.com/art_of_burningman/photos
  /nigeria.jpg
• http//www.mgbala-agwa.org/images/misc/Photo_Libra
  ryProject_costruction3.jpg

23
Go back to my webpage

• http//www.personal.psu.edu/users/j/a/jac5126/nige
  ria.htm