Nigeria : A Political Review
Nigeria is named after the Niger River. A British journalist in the 1890s named Flora Shaw suggested the name because of the river was a major presence in region and the name was accepted as the official name of the territories in the Niger Region. Nigeria has a vast geographic size, with many ecological, economic, and cultural variations. Today, The Federal Republic of Nigeria has a varied ethnic population of over 130 billion people. It is one of the most populated countries in Africa. Nigeria contains over 250 ethnic groups and many are divided into further subgroups. The official language of Nigeria is English but there are ethno linguistic categories that can be distinguished by sub regions of Nigeria these languages are: Hausa and Fulani in north, Yoruba in southwest, and Igbo in southeast and also Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, and Ijaw. These ethnic groups play an important role in the social and political structure of the country as traditional customs and ethnic allegiances have divided the country since its beginning.
Nigeria was colonized by the British in 1860. The colonial rule increased the extraction of Nigeria’s natural resources. The British ruled through a policy know as an Indirect rule and allowed the traditional structures to become subordinates to the British governor. The British played off the social and ethnic divisions to prevent the Nigerians from developing organized political resistance. This strengthened the collective identities of the multiple ethnic groups by creating political competition amongst them. Primarily the three largest ethnic groups : The Hausa-Fulani, the Igbo and the Yoruba. So when the British decided that they wanted to leave Nigeria, the prior facade of unity that the leaders of the ethnic groups had been destroyed and political rivalry became fiercer than ever. The British decided to divide Nigeria into a federation of 3 regions in 1954, each region was to have its own elected government. The Northern region was under the control of the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) which became dominated by Hausa-Fulani leaders , the Western region was under the control of the Action Group (AG) which became dominated by the Yoruba leaders and the Igbo of the South-eastern region became closely affiliated with the NCNC (National Convention of Nigerian Citizens).
The Essay on Discuss Disparities Related to Ethnic and Cultural Groups
Babies who weight 5. 5 pounds (2500grams) or less at birth are low babies with low birth weight. Babies weighing 3. 3 pounds (1500 grams) or less are Very low birth weight babies. There is a significant medical and social cost for low birth weight infants and preterm births. Low birth weight is a major predictor of infant mortality. Ethnic and cultural group’s disparities related to low birth ...
In 1960, Nigeria was granted their independence to an elected parliamentary government. The Nigerians adopted a British Westminster model in which the Chief executive; the Prime Minister was chosen from the majority party. The NPC dominated because of their greater population. In 1965 rivalries increased when the NPC was the absolute majority in the federal parliament and didn’t need its former ‘partner’, the NCNC. Both respective leaders soon separately approached the military to ensure that if it came to conflicts, they could count on its loyalty.
1966 was the start of the military rule, a group of largely Igbo officers ruled. Aguiyi Ironsi became head of state because he was the highest ranking officer, rather than a coup plotter. But in 1966 there was a coup and he was killed. Yakubu Gowon became the new head of state. After the coup, many of the Igbo’s felt persecuted and fled to their home region, the east. By 1967, the Igbo population of the east tried to break away and form its own independent nation called Biafra. General Gowon created a military-led government of national unity in the rest of Nigeria and by having a bloody 3 year war, General Gowon defeated Biafra in 1970. After the bloodshed, Gowon opted to postpone return to civilian rule, which he had said would happen in 1976. Soon after he was overthrown by Murtala Muhammad, who restarted the reactivation of the civilian ruling program. In 1976, Murtala Muhammad was assassinated and Oleusegun Obasanjo his second in command took power. Obasanjo peacefully ceded power to the civilian elected government in 1979.
The Essay on Presidential Power President Powers Congress
Powers of the Presidency The President of the United States is probably the most powerful and influential person in the whole world. Alone, he has full control over the Executive Branch and has a lot of roles that he is the leader of. With this in mind, I think that the power given to the President is still balance along with the Legislative and Judicial Branch. Of course, each branch can not have ...
Shehu Shagari was elected president in 1979 but after 4 years of rampant corruption, infighting, weak leadership, declining public services, chronic economic mismanagement and increasing political violence, the military led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari took power. But when Major Buhari refused to pledge a rapid return of democratic ruling and didn’t succeed in reviving Nigeria’s failing economy he was replaced by General Ibrahim Babangida. Babangida proceeded by canceling the next presidential election which sparked angry reactions from the Nigerian population. Babangida was forced to resign, but he was able to hand pick his successor Ernest Shonekan. Shonekan’s government was not seen as legitimate by the public and in November 1993, he too was replaced by General Sani Abacha. Abacha died in 1998 and General Abdulsalami Abubakar took power. However soon after he established a new transition program and relayed the power to an elected civilian government led by the former head of state Olusegun Obasanjo.
Obasanjo was initially unpopular within the Yoroba people, but within weeks he stunned the country by retiring all the military officers that held positions of political power, seeing that they would be the most likely plotters of future coups. President Obasanjo began to address the multiple problems with the economy, he lobbied to get foreign governments to forgive the colossal debts. But President Obasanjo had many political debts in his party, he already had too many corrupt politicians, veteran and recent politicians grew increasingly bold with lining their pockets with public money. In the 2007 general elections, Umaru Yaradua was elected president and Goodluck Jonathan elected Vice President. However, in 2009 Yaradua became ill and was flown out of the country, and he stayed 50 days without communicating to anyone including is vice president, rumors were rife that he had died. In 2010 Goodluck Jonathan seized power. People have doubts to whether he will finish Yaradua’s term as president because of lack of ethnic support which makes it easier for military overthrow or regional uprisings.
The Essay on Sociology Of Power Kingship Crucial To Political
Kingship crucial to political workings of all kingdoms dynastic ism very important as were strong kinship tires in binding together monarchies also problematic Charlemagne forbade sons to kill, blind, mutilate nephews, of force them to be tonsured Kings and aristocrats marriage alliances conduits property, power, peace weavers, foci of interest groups, kin by marriage could offer political ...
In conclusion, Since Nigeria was colonized by the British 1860, and then subsequently given its freedom in 1960. Nigeria has had 4 republics and 14 heads of states or presidents. The 3 main ethnicities Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa-Fulani have dominated the political frontlines. And after Umaru Yaradua’s apparent disappearance, President Goodluck Jonathan has taken control. After Nigeria’s history of violence and corruption can President Goodluck pull them out of the rut ?
