Nigeria has therefore been governed for a longer period over thirty years of her independence by the military. The impact of military rule on democracy in nigeria etim o. Much of the early literature focused on the reasons for military intervention in politics, but some analysts also attempted to generalize about the militarys typical strengths and weaknesses in governance, as well as the effect. Ukpere department of industrial psychology and people management, faculty of management, university of johannesburg, johannesburg, south africa. Nigeria s external relations and foreign policy under military rule 19661999 by alade w. A platform for nigerias social,political and economic history. It operates the presidential system of government with three distinct but complementary arms namely the executive, the legislature and the judiciary, each acting as a check on. To perpetuate himself in power, general abacha embarked on a brazen elimination of perceived and imagined opposition against his rule particularly the mass media and prodemocracy groups who opposed the continuation of military rule.
Millitary rule is a rule by the members of the armed forces. Oldnaija is an online platform dedicated to documenting and promoting the history of ngeria. Military rule, political regime in which the military as an organization holds a preponderance of power. This explicates the use of force rather than dialogue in the suppression of dissent in odi, and zakibiam. Jan 30, 2016 a special feature on the 50th anniversary of nigeria s first military coup, aired on television continental tvc. Colonial and postcolonial human rights violations in nigeria. Nigerian foreign policy under military rule, 19661999 2003 online. What followed was more violence between christians and muslims, including suicide bombings and demands for sharia law by islamic radicals in the boko haram group. Since then, military rule has been a recurring phenomenon in nigeria. Historical research letter issn 22243178 paper issn 22250964 online. Pdf the military incursion into nigeria politics in january 1966 was an epochal event in the history and evolution of the nigerian state. A brief history of nigeria spainexchange country guide. Between 1966 and 1999, the army held power in nigeria without interruption apart from a shortlived return to democracy from 19791983. Background to military rule the attainment of independence was a landmark not only in the history of nigeria s nationbuilding but the countrys history as a whole.
Nigeria has the highest rate of twin births per year globally. A separatist movement later formed the republic of biafra in 1967, leading to the threeyear nigerian civil war. Badamasi babangida however took over this time around and he was military president till 1993 when he stepped aside after nullifying the fairest and freest election in nigerias history. Nigerian military juntas of 196679 and 198398 wikipedia. National integration was promoted by way of introducing national youth service corps. Unfortunately the military struck in january 16 1966 and ruled the country for over 30 years. This remains instructive even today for a peaceful, just and a cohesive. Obasanjo was elected president, and his party, the peoples democratic party, won a majority of the seats in both the senate and house of representatives, amidst everpresent allegations of election irregularities. Military rule, political regime in which the military as an organization holds a. The term military rule as used here is synonymous with military regime and refers to a subtype of authoritarian regime.
Nigeria first became a republic in 1963, but succumbed to military rule three years later after a bloody coup detat. The current constitution of the federal republic of nigeria is military inspired and has a chaotic history. We provide a research and learning environment for nigerians at home and in the diaspora. In 1974, the nigerian head of state, general yakubu gowon, declared that a return to civilian rule would be postponed indefinitely. Political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960. To gain weight and conform with african standards of beauty, nigerian girls can consume food all day in fattening rooms. It adopts descriptive and case history perspective, asserting that the behavioral trend is an outcome of the long years of military.
To say that the military had undertaken very active roles in the constructive. The origin of the nigerian military law which is linked to the history of nigerian army had its roots. Military regimes and nation building in nigeria, 19661999. The nigerian case this case study attempted to examine political processes under military rule in nigeria.
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 solidarity, world peace, international cooperation and understanding. Buhari justified his coup and subsequent actions by citing the troubles of the second republic and the declining economy. The plateau area around jos was a meeting point for cultural influences from the upper niger valley where agriculture developed independently as early as 5000 bce and from egypt. Opposition to gowon s rule grew, and in 1975 obasanjo, along with murtala muhammed, led a bloodless coup that overthrew him. Mar 21, 2020 nigeria s movie production industry, nicknamed nollywood, is the secondlargest in the world by volume. Nigeria became a republic once again after a new constitution was written in 1979. Nigeria became a republic once again after a new constitution was. 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. Political transition, election, democracy, military, nigeria. The colonial and precolonial eras in nigeria this project is based on the goal of explaining an event in the relatively recent past by working progressively further into the past to uncover more and more information that seems to bear on the issues. Military politicians in power from january 15, 1966 until 1999 destroyed nigeria s economy, ruined the currency, desecrated the civil service which was the best on the continent then and killed.
Nigeria and the ruins of military rule the guardian nigeria. Criminalization of acts or omissions which ordinarily in civil life would at worst amount to near breaches of contract or moral obligation, b. History of democracy in nigeria and when did nigeria became a. Buhari justified his coup and subsequent actions by citing the troubles of the second republic and the declining. 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. After the annulment of the most peaceful elections in the history of nigeria. Military rule in nigeria westafrican constitutional. Independence from british rule came to pass in nigeria on the 1 st of october, 1960. The paper seeks to explain the rationale of the militarize dispositions of politicians in the current democracy. Colonial, military, civilian, human rights, political, rule, law, representative, government. Yes, i know youd want to keep this for offline use, so weve created the military rule in nigeria pdf file. The military rule in nigeria clamped corruption to an extent, initiated massorientation programmes such as. This was the year nigeria assumed both political and military control of its territory. Fifteen years of military rule had come to an end, and nigeria entered the longest period of civilian rule since independence.
Nigerias fourth republicdemocratic or civil rule enyi john egbe, phd. The impact of military rule on democracy in nigeria. The military rulership affects the executive, legislature, the judiciary and the civil society. The nigerias fourth republic democracy is rule by the minority through alienation. History of nigeria including historic regions, fulani and sokoto, british explorers, ss alburkah, trade and antislavery, british colonial rule, independence and secession, from oil wealth to disaster. Colonial, military, civilian, human rights, political, rule. It is important for the constitution making process to be. Military rule in nigeria a brief knowledge steemit.
It adopts descriptive and case history perspective, asserting that the behavioral trend is an outcome of the long years of military governance. Army command and general staff college in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree master of military art and science general studies by fredrick c. Nigerian government and politics under military rule, 196679. Library of congress federal research division country profile. The bedrock for military coups and leadership in nigeria and many other countries slowly corroded as a result of the pressure mounted on political belief that people of different social classes, religions, races, etc should live together in a society like nigeria. The first military coup in nigeria took place on january 15, 1966. Consequently, to say that the military has had a chequered history in nigerias national economic transformation and development is to state an obvious fact, albeit both negative and positive roles. Military rule in nigeria there have been a number of recorder military coups, which led to military rule, in nigeria since the country gained its independence from the british empire. The problem, however, was that although military officers accepted this rationale, military rule usually became selfsustaining. It stretched through the shortlived regime of majorgenera. The military rulership affects the executive, legislature, the judiciary and the civil. The coup was led by major chukwuma nzeogwu and other majors in the army.
Fawole this book is an effort to condense the totality of nigeria s external relations and foreign policy, activities, accomplishments and shortcomings, during the thirty years of military rule 1966 to 1999 into a single volume. Military rule in nigeria the history, causes and impacts. The six year mistakes of the first republic politicians invited the military to interfere in governance after more than a total of six decades of colonial misrule rodney, 1974. Oct 10, 2016 nigerias first military junta began following the 1966 nigerian coup detat which overthrew prime minister alhaji sir abubakar tafawa balewa. Nigeria gained independence on the first of october, 1960. In the north, appeals to islamic legitimacy upheld the rule of the emirs, so that nationalist sentiments there were decidedly antiwestern. The history of the nigerian army and the implications for the future of nigeria a thesis presented to the faculty of the u. Nigerias external relations and foreign policy under. Nigeria mad by babangida was not to accept the new election results and favoring only the military rule in nigeria.
The paper finds out that nigeria has not improved beyond what existed in the military era. According to ker 2004, nigeria was the butt of many jokes at international forah as a country. Introduction the meaning or content of the concept of the rule of law vary from place to place, and from earlier times. Oldnaija goes beyond the lines to unearth historical events in nigeria and document nigerian cultures for. The values and norms imbibe manifests in the practice of the current democracy. The impact of military rule on nigerias nation building. After nigeria gained independence in the year 1960, the country experienced its first military coup in the year 1966. Journal of nigeria studies volume 1, number 2, fall 2012 political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960. The military history of nigeria since the colonial rule began precisely on the 1 st october 1966. The purpose of this paper is to compare the colonial and post colonial human rights violations in nigeria and shed light on the worsening human rights situation after independence as compared to the colonial period.
The nigerian military juntas of 196679 and 198398 were a pair of military dictatorships in nigeria that. Their perception of the military government is crucial. Written by waidi adebayo january 15, 2016 january 15, 2017. The rule of law is better than the rule of any individual. He however did not last long as he was ousted out of office via another military coup. The nigeria s fourth republic democracy is rule by the minority through alienation. It was then possible to restore the democratic model for a couple of years in 1978. In 1851, the british forces seized lagos, which was later annexed officially in 1861. First, its place in the literature on the military in. Nigeria became an independent country in october 1 st 1960 after about a century occupation by the british colonial masters. History of military rule in nigeria school mattazz. From the onset of independent government in nigeria in 1960 to the end of 1990, the military had ruled for twentyone years. Rule of law, nigeria, military, democratic governance, constitution i.
Nigerias first military junta began following the 1966 nigerian coup detat which overthrew prime minister alhaji sir abubakar tafawa. For most of human history, attaching military to rule would have been. The country was at its infantile stage and was still trying to adapt to its new state of independence. American countries with little prior history of military rule also increased academic interest in the phenomenon. The history of military rule in nigeria, obasanjo, sani abacha, babangida. Pdf the impact of military rule on democracy in nigeria. Introduction the military is a peculiar organization in several respects. The military rule in nigeria clamped corruption to an extent, initiated massorientation programmes such as ofn, defri, nde, among others. This explicates the use of force rather than dialogue in the suppression of dissent in odi. Nigerias first military junta began following the 1966 nigerian coup detat which overthrew prime minister alhaji sir abubakar tafawa balewa. The mass media and the struggle for democracy in africa.
Prevention in war time, acts or omissions, capable of. Nov 30, 2016 what followed was more violence between christians and muslims, including suicide bombings and demands for sharia law by islamic radicals in the boko haram group. Nigeria and the ruins of military rule the guardian. 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. The nigerian military juntas of 196679 and 198398 were a pair of military dictatorships in nigeria that were led by the nigerian armed forces, having a chairman or president in charge. Military interventions in the nigerian politics international journal. Nigeria has a long history, with its roots in early civilisations of distinguished artistry. The role of the military 76 he states further, that the characteristics of military law includes the following. The military government was headed by muhammadu buhari. The military succeeded in the aspect of creating new states and local councils. Much of the early literature focused on the reasons for military intervention in politics, but some analysts also attempted to generalize about the military s typical strengths and weaknesses in governance, as well as the effect. However, despite these events marring the history of nigeria, the country has since managed to remain under civilian rule rather than returning to military rule. In 1963, nigeria became a republic but fell under military rule in 1966 as a result of a coup detat.
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