1. March 12 – The Nigerian Nation
Agenda:
Country Briefs
Quick-write
Notes
Jigsaw
Homework:
548-end of chapter
Take out:
Notebook
Country Briefs
Pen/Pencil

2. QW: What was meant by the following quotation
QW: What was meant by the following quotation? What does it tell us about governing Nigeria?
“Nigeria is not a nation. It is a mere geographical expression.” Yoruba Chief Obafemi Awolowo

3. The Nigerian Nation Northwest Southwest Southeast
AKA “The North”
Hausa-Fulani
Largest ethnic group
Predominantly Muslim
Northern People’s Congress (NPC)
Southwest
AKA “The West”
Yoruba
2nd largest ethnic group
40% Christian, 40% Muslim, 20% Yoruban
Action Group (AG)
Southeast
AKA “The East”
Igbo
2rd largest ethnic group
Predominantly Christian
National Convention of Nigerian Citizens (NGNG)
Three other “minority” zones exist (Northeast, Middle Belt, and the Delta)

4. DIVERSITY leads to… Fragmentation
The tendency to divide along ethnic, linguistic, regional, and/or religious lines
Lots of people are watching Nigeria (if it fell apart, it would have major repercussions for the rest of W. Africa)
“…as Nigeria goes, so goes the rest of Africa”
Over 250 ethnic groups call parts of Nigeria home
There are over 400 languages spoken
Most can’t speak other languages
HF = 29% Yor = 21% Ibo = 18% Ijaw=10%

5. But why do the divisions exist in an established country?

6. The North
Hausa-Fulani
The West
Yoruba
The East
Igbo

7. The North
Hausa-Fulani
The West
Yoruba
The East
Igbo

8. Nigeria - Historical Differences

9. North vs. South – Historical Differences
The North
The South
Drier
Thinly populated
More connected to world economy
Saharan trade
Did not welcome/ allow missionaries
Cultural diffusion through trade to the north
Fertile Delta
More densely populated
BUT small communities
Very little trade along water before colonization
Became a British protectorate
Relied on Royal Niger Company

10. Precolonial Era (800-1860) Early influence of Islam
Contact in North
Arabic education influenced and replaced traditional customs
Sharia Law
Kinship-based politics
Prevalent in the South
Political organization and trade by village/tribe
Democratic impulses
Developed in South
Rulers expected to seek input of community

11. Nigeria Basics – Sharia States

12. Colonial Era (1860-1960) Authoritarian Rule was Indirect Individualism
South - Regional chiefs left in charge
North – Local elites placed in control
Divide and Conquer – pitted local rulers against each other to compete for rewards
(infrastructure, social needs, bureaucratic appointments)
Individualism
Created tendency for local rulers to seek personal benefits
Christianity
Spread through south andwest (vs. Islam in the north)
Education only offered through missionary schools
Intensification of Ethnic politics
Southern elitism (vs. north)

13. British Legacy
Once the British announced they were leaving Nigeria, all semblance of national unity was gone…competition became intense for political power
The Big Question:
How could Nigeria become truly independent when it had been dependent for so long?

14. The First Republic (1960-1966) Westminster Model (Parliamentary)
The Northerners dominated (with Igbo allies)
Originally sought to redress the imbalance from Colonial era
Ethnic divisions create unrest
Majority could not maintain control
PM authority was consistently undermined
Descended into military rule
Igbo (Biafra) attempt secession ( )
Three civil wars lead to over 1 million deaths
Military (Igbo controlled) seized power in ’66 to end fighting in the Western region (among the Yoruba) and to stop corruption and northern abuses

15. LEADERSHIP TRANSISITON SINCE 1960
YEARS
RULER
TYPE GOV
TRANSITION?
Balewa (PM)
Republic
FIRST REPUBLIC
Military coup; died
1966
Ironsi
Mil. Dictatorship
Gowon
Military coup; replaced
Muhammed
Obasanjo
Replaced by Dem. Elect. Pres.
Shagari
Pres. Democ SECOND REPUB

16. YEARS
RULER
TYPE GOV
TRANSITION?
Buhari
Mil. Dictatorship
Military coup; replaced
Babangida
Military coup; resigned under pressure
1993 (83 Days)
Shonekan
Pres. Democ
THIRD REP
Deposed
Abacha
Death; Abubakar rules temporarily
Obasanjo
FOURTH REP
End 2 term limit
Yar’ Adua
Died in office
present
Jonathan

17. 4th Republic: 1999 – present
Unitary system in a federal guise – An all-powerful government surrounded by weak and bankrupt states
Consequence of military rule  Incredibly strong executive branch
Weak legislature and judiciary
Patronage politics that sap accountability, and undermine the rule of law
Accentuate cleavages
Rampant clientelism, corruption and authoritarian governing structures

18. Public Policy: Economics
Loyalty pyramid – informal political structure of power
Squandered Nigeria’s wealth
$30 billion in debt, 60% in poverty, oil revenues go directly to government
Since the last military regime (1999) there have been basic fiscal changes:
IMF/World Bank ‘Shock Treatment’
Some privatization
Scheme for alleviating poverty
Restructuring
Diversify economy
Reduce government spending
Financial reserves have grown slowly (finally out of debt in 2006)

19. But what about the people?

20. Group-Share
You have been assigned a reading packet that includes news relating to a region of Nigeria
Read you assigned packet
Use SPECIFIC DETAILS from the packet to complete a three-column chart with the following headings:
Specific Problems/Issues in Nigeria
What has been done?
What still needs to be done?
After beginning your chart, you will collaborate with a small group to share information from the other reading packets