History of military rule in nigeria pdf file

And because of its national orientation, it attracted rank and file membership and. Yes, i know youd want to keep this for offline use, so weve created the military rule in nigeria pdf file. Throughout the 33 years of military rule in nigeria, coup detat was the order of the day, governments were overthrown, political leaders assassinated and oppositions silenced. Nigeria and the ruins of military rule the guardian nigeria. In the 19th century, fulani leader usman dan fodio brought most of northern nigeria under the control of his empire and converted many to the religion of islam. This was the year nigeria assumed both political and military control of its territory. National integration was promoted by way of introducing national youth service corps. Practice, problems and prospects adeyinka theresa ajayi1 and. Numerous ancient african civilizations settled in the region that is today nigeria, such as the kingdom of nri, the benin empire, and the oyo empire. The military rule in nigeria clamped corruption to an extent, initiated massorientation programmes such as ofn, defri, nde, among others.

Africa nigeria the world factbook central intelligence. The role of the military 76 he states further, that the characteristics of military law includes the following. The current constitution of the federal republic of nigeria is military inspired and has a chaotic history. To all appearances, the babangida military regime in nigeria 27 august. Feb 05, 2015 the impact of military rule on nigerias nation building, 19661979 abdulrahman, ajibola a. Although the years since nigerias return to civilian rule in 1999 have seen an increased interest in its history and politics, nigeria remains one of the most underresearched african countries. Several dominant themes in nigerian history are essential for understanding contemporary nigerian politics and society. Nigerias flag consists of three equal vertical bands of green, white, and green. Military coups have been for long time identified as a common feature of african politics. History of military rule in nigeria school mattazz.

Nigerias stability has been repeatedly threatened by fighting between fundamentalist muslims and christians over the spread of islamic law sharia across the heavily muslim north. Islam reached nigeria through the borno empire between 1068 ad and hausa states around 85 ad during the. Instead, they establish military rule, led by either a single military strongman or a junta representing the of. Fifteen years of military rule had come to an end, and nigeria entered the longest period of civilian rule since independence. Since may 29, 1999, when president olusegun obasanjo, succeeded abubakar, nigeria has been ruled by a civilian regime. When the wai was extended to journalists and others not responsible for the social. Nigerias first military junta began following the 1966 nigerian coup detat which overthrew the first nigerian republic. The final and concluding part gives a prognosis of the transition programme of the present regime of general sani abacha. Onethird of nigerias 36 states is ruled by sharia law. Onethird of nigeria s 36 states is ruled by sharia law.

Apr 01, 2015 this is the fourth time the 72yearold muslim northerner has run for president since the end of military rule in nigeria in 1999. In 2003 obasanjo and his party won reelection, and speculation mounted that the nigerian leader might seek a constitutional change that would permit him to run for a third term in 2007. In the 11th century, nigeria was ruled by the kanembornu kingdom, which converted to islam. It stretched through the shortlived regime of majorgenera. Nigeria s military government has embarked on a transition programme from military rule to civilian democracy. History of military rule in nigeria pdf summary yes, i know youd want to keep this for offline use, so weve created the military rule in nigeria pdf file. Although both the 2003 and 2007 presidential elections were marred by significant irregularities and violence, nigeria is currently experiencing its longest period of civilian rule since independence.

Nigeria s achievements and failures under the military. Although military rule has become less common during the past two decades, the military still governed 19% of the worlds countries in the. According to notable nigerian historian max siollun, military coups and military rule which began as an emergency aberration became a seemingly permanent feature of nigerian politics. Military rule in nigeria first started on january 15, 1966, when a group or army officers overthrew the npcnndp government and killed many of the countrys political rulers. He even warned the ranksandfile of the military not to be found on the other side of the democracy. Nigeria s democracy will get stronger if allowed to grow and mature.

Nov 30, 2016 military rule and the republic of biafra. Between 1966 and 1999, the army held power in nigeria without interruption apart from a shortlived return to democracy from 19791983. Nigeria under umaru musa yaradua and goodluck jonathan. Military rule commenced in nigeria on january 15, 1966 when a military coup detat led by an army major, chukwuma nzeogwu, overthrew the government of prime minister abubakar tafawa balewa.

The facts on nigeria might surprise you if you know very little of its long history. As at that time, nigeria was still following the british system of government in which there is a prime minister and a ceremonial president. Criminalization of acts or omissions which ordinarily in civil life would at worst amount to near breaches of contract or moral obligation, b. It is scheduled to terminate with a handover of power to a civilian president on 1 october 1998. The coup was led by major chukwuma nzeogwu and other majors in the army. Nigeria has been one of the countries that better exemplified the role, effects and consequences that decades of dictatorship can bring to a young nation.

Nigeria s stability has been repeatedly threatened by fighting between fundamentalist muslims and christians over the spread of islamic law sharia across the heavily muslim north. Controversies surrounding the 2007 presidential election. The great expansion of the military during the civil war further entrenched the existing military hold on nigerian society carried over from the first. Nigeria became an independent country in october 1 st 1960 after about a century occupation by the british colonial masters. The history of the nigerian army and the implications for. The military rulership affects the executive, legislature, the judiciary and the civil society. Military politicians in power from january 15, 1966 until 1999 destroyed nigerias economy, ruined the currency, desecrated the civil service which was the best on the continent then and killed. It adopts descri ptive a nd case history perspe cti ve, asserti ng that the behavi ora l trend is an ou tcom e of. To them, nigeria has taught the world the difference between democracy and civil rule. The history of nigeria begins with the nok people, who lived in the area as early as 500 bc. Oct 10, 2016 nigerias first military junta began following the 1966 nigerian coup detat which overthrew prime minister alhaji sir abubakar tafawa balewa. Department of history and international studies, ekiti state. Military regimes and nation building in nigeria, 19661999. It would stay a british colony until 1960 when it became an independent country.

The military history of nigeria since the colonial rule began precisely on the 1 st october 1966. Jan 01, 2004 the largely historical legal study focuses on four objectives to wit. This is a wellresearched period of nigerian political history and. Having firmly and solemnly resolve, to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under god, dedicated to the promotion of interafrican. Unfortunately the military struck in january 16 1966 and ruled the country for over 30 years. Numerous ancient african civilizations settled in the region that is known today as nigeria, such as the kingdom of nri, the benin empire, and the oyo empire. Of course, nigerias independence meant it had to try to unify the nation, which proved difficult due to its extreme diversity in languages, religion, culture and politics. Independence from british rule came to pass in nigeria on the 1 st of october, 1960. More than 10,000 people have died in religious clashes since military rule ended in 1999. Major general johnson aguiyiironsi was made the head of the federal military government of nigeria, but was soon overthrown and murdered in a coup in july of the same year. The nigerian military juntas of 196679 and 198399 were a pair of military dictatorships in.

The management of transition to civil rule by the military in nigeria. There were 349 drilling sites, 22 flow stations and one terminal in the early 1990s. Military governments and economic development sheffield hallam. The general elections of 2007 marked the first civiliantocivilian transfer of power in the countrys history. Measures that could be taken to prevent military intervention in nigeria.

Nevertheless, nigeria also reflects the hopes, the resources and the bright future that african nations have at their horizon. The military succeeded in the aspect of creating new states and local councils. Much of its history since has been marked with military rule. This module discusses the military era in nigeria, highlighting the major political, economic, social and cultural developments that occurred during military rule, the cause, problems, means and degree of these developments and of nigeria s integration as a sovereign nation. But the transition programme is justifiably viewed with scepticism by many nigerians and large sections of the international community. Delta of nigeria the niger delta, nigerias oil belt, is home to much of the oil and gas reserves and the oil industry. There is evidence of kano and katsina people in the northern part of the country as early as 999 ad. It is important for the constitution making process to be. Nigerian military juntas of 196679 and 198399 wikipedia. Democratization, military, nigeria, civil military relations, fourth republic introduction the military foundation of most societies would be difficult to dispute. The country was at its infantile stage and was still trying to adapt to its new state of independence.

In the aftermath of the civil war, the much expanded size of the military, around 250,000 in 1977, consumed a large part of nigerias resources under military rule for little productive return. In between the babangida and abacha regimes, there was a brief civilian interim national government ing installed by babangida and headed by chief ernest shonekan august november, 1993. Nigeria has therefore been governed for a longer period over thirty years of her independence by the military. The government during the military regime was unstable. No respect for the rule of law since the military is conducted without a constitution. History of nigeria the history of nigeria can be traced to settlers trading across the middle east and africa as early as 1100 bc. A tale, from 1966 to 1999, of coups, successful and attempted, to better comprehend a dark but important period of nigerian and african history. Eventually, there were so many riots that a military coup occurred in 1966.

General babangida, civil society and the military in nigeria n 48. Download fulltext pdf download fulltext pdf the impact of military rule on democracy in nigeria article pdf available december 2012 with 51,528 reads. Lagos, is an associate professor in the department of history and strategic studies, university of lagos, nigeria. The values and norms imbibe manifests in the practice of the current democracy. Department of history and international studies, ekiti state university, adoekiti, ekiti state, nigeria 2. However, there are quite a number of factors associated with.

Pdf the military incursion into nigeria politics in january 1966 was an epochal event in the history and evolution of the nigerian state. Military rule became dominant feature of government in nigeria only after. The impact of military coup detat on political development. Okon senior lecturer, department of religious and cultural studies, university of calabar abstract the purpose of this paper is to determine the correlation between the nineteenth century missionary enterprise and colonial occupation of africa. The country was at its infantile stage and was still trying to adapt to. Here is what you wont learn from news stories concerning. The first military coup in nigeria took place on january 15, 1966. Nigerian government and politics under military rule, 196679, edited by. The regime declared a war against indiscipline wai, which resulted in the arrest, detention, and jailing of a number of politicians. It adopts descriptive and case history perspective, asserting that the behavioral trend is an outcome of the long years of military governance. First, the spread of islam, predominantly in the north but later in southwestern nigeria as well, began a. The impact of military rule on democracy in nigeria. Pdf the impact of military rule on democracy in nigeria. Department of history and international studies, joseph ayo babalola university, ikejiarakeji p.

Buhari is a slim, fit, bespectacled, nononsense man, who always. Political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960. Prevention in war time, acts or omissions, capable of. Look at india, brazil and america in the late 19th century all of these places dont have the best democracies but theyve been strengthened over the years. The press under military rule in nigeria, 19661993. World bank, 1995 and about 10,000km of pipelines, 10 gas plants, 3 oil terminals and. Introduction the military is a peculiar organization in several respects. Military rule are noted for violating fundamental human rights. The first military intervention in nigeria occurred in january 1966 when the civilian government was overthrown in a military coup. Buhari justified his coup and subsequent actions by citing the troubles of the second republic and the declining economy. Military rule and topdown rule in general is bound for failure.