Nigeria:%20Historical%20Traditions

1
Nigeria Historical Traditions
2
Three Stages

1. Pre-colonial Era (800-1860 C.E.)
2. The Colonial Era (1860-1960)
3. Modern Nigeria (1960- Present)

3
Pre-Colonial Era(800-1860 C.E.)

• Geography Dictates how and where people live
• Savannas in the north Easy trade with the
  Berbers
• Forests of the South Hindered trade with
  Muslims- traded with Europeans (ocean)
• Cultural Diffusion occurred gradually, spread of
  Islam.

4
Pre-Colonial Era(800-1860 C.E.)

• 800 BC and AD 200 the central region was
  dominated by the NOK- discovered how to smelt
  iron-beginning of the Iron Age. Wealthy.
• AD 700-Muslim Traders arrive and military empires
  emerge- Kanem Borno, a major trading center,
  Europe/Middle East/Asia.
• 16th century- Oyo Kingdom based in the
  south-expression of Benin Culture.
• 19th century, end of Benin culture, Portuguese
  arrive.
• 1815-British dominate the West Coast (slave
  Trade).

5
The Pre-Colonial Era

• The Fulani came to the north through jihad, or
  Islamic holy war.
• 1808 the Fulani established the Sokoto Caliphate-
  encompassed the entire northwest, north, mid
  section and part of the northeast.
• Traded with Europeans.
• Succumbed to British by 1900.
• Put in place the tradition of an organized,
  central government based on religious faith.

6
Pre-Colonial Era

• South Communal living and traded with the
  Europeans.
• Christian
• 16th to 19th century Slave Trade.
• 17th Century Dutch, British, French, and Spanish
  slave traders.
• Impact on Nigeria?

7
Political Traditions from the Pre-Colonial Era

• Centralized states (north)
• Trade Connections The Niger River, access to the
  ocean. Sahara Desert to North Africa.
• Early Influence of Islam Northern trade with
  Arabic groups-spread Islam. Islamic principles-
  Sharia law, emphasized authority and policymaking
  by the elite-people and women subordinate.

8
Political Traditions from the Pre-Colonial Era

• Kinship-based politics (South) did not extend
  past village level. Extended families- leaders
  conducted business through kinship ties.
  Contrasts with the northern style of government.
• Complex Political Identities South did have
  several centralized kingdoms (Oyo/Ife) and many
  small standing states in the north.
• Democratic Impulses Yoruba and Igbo-
  longstanding tradition of accountability.
  Governed in the interest of the people. Leaders
  seen as representatives of the people.

9
Colonial Era (1860-1960)

• 1861 Great Britain annexed Lagos and conquered
  all of Nigeria (Royal Niger Company) Trading
  outlet.
• 1900 Great Britain formally controls Nigeria.
• Divides it into two parts North (Muslim
  indirect rule) and South (Direct) protectorates.
• Direct Rule trained natives from the south,
  European- style bureaucracy.
• North already structured and left intact.
• Gave power to the political elites/reinforced
  tendencies to seek personal benefit from their
  positions.
• Emphasized differences between north and south.

10
The Colonial Era

• 1939 Split into 4 parts Hausa-Fulani in
• the North, Yoruba in the West, a
• center quadrant and the Igbo in the
• East.
• 1945 limited self-government by
• regional legislatures (constitutions
• allowed greater autonomy).
• Oct. 1, 1960, full independence with a
• new constitution.

11
Influences from the Colonial Era

• Introduced western-style education system.
• Christian missionaries
• 1st University 1948.
• Created fairly literate population.
• Cleavages
• Elites become separated from the people/receive
  the benefits from an education.
• Entitled/better than the people.
• Deepening rift between north and south/schools
  located in the south.

12
Political Traditions from the Colonial Era

• Authoritarian Rule British ruled indirectly
  through leaving chiefs in charge-supported
  British interests. Chiefs accountable only to
  the British. Loosened the leaders responsibility
  to the people.
• The Interventionist State Chiefs trained to
  operate in order to reach British economic goals.
  Civil liberties ignored. Citizens passively
  accept the will of the government.

13
Political Traditions from the Colonial Era

• Individualism British taught the chiefs to
  value individualism- neglected the benefit of the
  community.
• Christianity Spread where British influence was
  the strongest.
• Intensification of ethnic politics Ethnic
  identities broadened and intensified into 3
  groups Hausa-Fulani, Igbo, and Yoruba. British
  pitted groups against each other to manage the
  colony. Gave rewards (education, jobs) to some
  groups and not others. 20th century, independence
  leaders appealed to different ethnic groups.

14
The Modern Era (1960-Present)

• Independence Period
• British prepared Nigeria for independence.
• British trained Nigerians (bureaucracy).
• Education system included the teaching of
  Democratic principles/capitalism.

15
The Modern Era (1960-Present)

• Alternates between military (8) and civilian (3)
  control. 4 Republics
• First Republic 1960- patterned under the British
  parliamentary system
• House of Representatives popularly elected in
  single member districts and corresponded to
  ethnic divisions-elected a Prime Minister and
  Cabinet.
• Senate composed of tribal chiefs.
• Similarities with US Presidential System
• Federal structure developed during colonialism
  retained.
• Written constitution/civil rights.
• Supreme Court/Judicial review.

16
The Modern Era (1960-Present)The First Republic

• Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (north)- Elected first PM
  (head of govt). Remained part of the British
  Commonwealth. Queen was head of state
• This system lasts 3 years. Constitution amended
  to form a Republic, with a President replacing
  the monarch. Still part of the British
  Commonwealth.
• 1964 election (tainted, fraud, violence)
  polarized parties by ethnic identity.
• North-Hausa-Fulani the Northern Peoples Congress.
• East-Igbos- The National Convention of Nigerian
  Citizens.
• West-Yoruba- Action Group.
• National political movements cannot emerge
  and challenge the ethnic/religious/regional
  tendencies that were first formally
  institutionalized during colonial rule.

17
The Modern Era (1960-Present)

• 1966- Coup detat. Balewa assassinated.
• Major General Johnson Aguyi-Ironsi
  (Christian/Igbo) invoked emergency
  powers/suspends the constitution.
• Formed the Federal Military Government (FMG).
• No Federal system.
• Assassinated in 1967 and a Christian from the
  North- Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon named leader of the
  FMG.
• Reintroduced the federal system.
• Ethnic polarization continues during his rule and
  civil war erupts from 1967-70.

18
The Modern Era (1960-Present)

• The Igbos unhappy Gowon does not distribute oil
  reserves from the eastern region.
• Civil war left 1 million dead.
• Gowon attempts to reunify Nigeria.
• Corruption runs rampant during oil boom years of
  early 1970s.
• High inflation, corruption, limit his
  effectiveness.
• 1975 Replaced by Murtala Muhammed, a Muslim
  from the north. Tries to end corruption and is
  assassinated by Gowon supporters.
• Replaced by Olusegun Obasanjo, a Christian from
  the north- Laid the ground work for the 2nd
  Republic.

19
The Modern Era (1960-Present) The Second
Republic 1976

• 19 state federal republic (harder for ethnic
  groups to align).
• New constitution patterned after the American
  system-separation of powers/presidential
  system/checks and balances.
• Designed to end the impact of ethnicity on
  politics.
• 1979-democratic elections Shehu Shagari (Muslim
  from north). 3 parties representing the 3 main
  ethnic groups received the most votes. Ethnic
  politics lives. (Dictator Obasanjo stepped down).
• Shagari re-elected in a violent election in 1983.
  
• Huge drop in the price of oil. End of the 2nd
  Republic.

20
The Modern Era (1960-Present) The Third Republic

• 1983- Coup detat by Major General Muhammed
  Buhari (north) a former commissioner of oil.
• Replaced the federal government with a Supreme
  Military Council.
• Declining oil revenues eroded his support.
• 1985- Coup detat by Major General Ibrahim
  Babangida (middle belt) remains in power until
  1993.
• Rules under the Armed Forces Ruling Council-
  ethnically balanced administration.
• Eventual return of civilian control- new
  constitution.
• 30 states instead of 19.
• Two political parties National Republic
  Convention and Social Democratic Party.
• Election did not work, Babangida resigned before
  new elections could occur.

21
The Modern Era (1960-Present) The Fourth Republic

• Caretaker Government- Ernest Shonekan (Christian
  from Yoruba) resigned after 4 months.
• Power fell to General Sani Abacha who removed all
  plans of rescheduling a new election.
• 1994- Abiola declares himself president, was put
  in jail and died in 1998 still awaiting trial.
• Abacha remains in power until his sudden death in
  1998. (Corrupt leader who killed nine prominent
  human rights activists in 1995).
• General Abdulsalami Abubaker presided over
  democratic elections in 1999. Olusegun Obasanjo
  (now a civilian) won and in power until 2006.

22
Political Traditions from the Modern Era

• Parliamentary-style government replaced by a
  presidential system 1960-1979- Parliamentary
  style government. Ethnic divisions made this
  system impossible. Switched to presidential
  system in 1979 but legislative and judicial
  branch have not always checked the executive.
• Intensification of Conflict Hausa-Fulani
  dominated parliamentary government (size). Caused
  rivalries and ultimately military rule by 1966.

23
Political Traditions from the Colonial Era

• Military Rule Originated to end violence and
  political corruption. Led to the Biafran Civil
  War (1967-1970). Created more violence and
  ethnic-based conflict.
• Federalism Attempt at ending violence and
  keeping Nigeria together. Did not work under
  military regimes.
• Economic Dependence on Oil Leads to corruption.
  Economy tied to price of oil.

24
Political Traditions extend to Political Culture

• Patron-clientelism or Prebendalism Shared with
  China and Mexico. Exchanging political or
  economic favors among patrons and clients
  (corruption). The patron (political leader)
  builds loyalty among his clients (or lesser
  elites) by granting them favors denied to others.
  (Nigerian leaders may grant portions of oil
  revenues in exchange for political support)

25
Political Traditions extend to Political Culture

• State Control/Rich Civil Society The sectors of
  a country that lie outside government control.
  Formal and informal religious, and ethnic
  associations, professional and labor groups, and
  other NGOs, have long shaped society.
  (Prebendalism)
• Tension between modernity and tradition Values
  established in the pre-colonial era conflict with
  those established in the colonial era.

26
Political Traditions extend to Political Culture

• Religious Conflict
• Islam at first coexisted with other religions.
• Supplanted other religions.
• Christianity arrived later spread rapidly.
• Differences between religions fuel political
  conflict
• Role of Sharia?