AP Comparative Government
National Question
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Despite being independent since 1960, Nigeria deals with a “national question” as
to the direction the government should move
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Within this issue lies regional disagreements and hostilities
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Problems are often resolved through military force and authoritarian leaders
Constitutionalism
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In 1914 Nigeria wrote their first constitution
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They have written 8 different constitutions since 1914.
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The most recent Constitution was written in 1999
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This document has been heavily amended
Because of this rapid change, the Nigerian Constitution does not hold the type of
reverence and respect as the U.S. Constitution
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The government often feels they can suspend constitutional provisions when they see fit
Legitimacy
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Because of the “national question” Nigeria has strong impulses toward
fragmentation
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This means the country gravitates toward ethnic, regional, and religious lines
The military is a national entity and has provided stability to the country despite
the fact that their contributions to the “national question” have created division
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This stability lends itself to the perspective that the military has the right to rule
The majority of Nigerian presidents have been generals or have had military experience
Legitimacy
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Due to the lack of legitimacy in government, many people do not trust political
leaders
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This has largely stemmed from their treatment as a colonial entity and later their
treatment under authoritarian military rule
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The military has not been to rule of law and largely did as they pleased
Generals Ibrahim Babangida (1985-1993) and Sani Abacha (1993-1998) alienated
citizens with their corrupt rule
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Tax money went straight into their pockets and not towards the improvement of the
country
Legitimacy
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Sharia has been a source of legitimacy in Nigeria, especially since the end of
military rule in 1999
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Sharia was carried out swiftly and harshly in the North, but since 2008 the federal
government has cracked down on Hisbah (police charged with enforcing Islamic
morality) and rarely enforce the harshest aspects of sharia
Sharia is often used to further society
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Laws that allow for women to gain Islamic education mixed with math and reading skills
There are also laws based on sharia that promote cleanliness and recycling
Political Traditions 800-1860
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Trade Connections•
The Niger River and access to the ocean allowed contact and trade with other
civilizations
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There were also trade networks across the Sahara
Early Influence of Islam•
Because of contact through trade, Islamic ideals proliferated throughout Nigeria
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Under early influences of Islam, sharia, governed politics, and authority and policymaking by
the elite were established
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In these early years of Nigeria, women were looked at as subordinate
Kinship-based politics•
Political organization rarely went beyond the village level
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Business and politics was often handled through family ties
Political Traditions 800-1860
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Complex political identities•
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There is very little clear cut distinction between centralized state and local governance
during this time period
Tribes and kingdoms quickly merged with each other in an attempt to gain more trade
power
Democratic impulses•
Prior to the colonial period of Nigerian history, rulers were expected to seek advise and
to govern in the best interest of the people
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If they did not, they were removed from their positions
Political Traditions Colonial Era (18601960)
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Authoritarian Rule•
Chiefs and other natives were left in charge during this time period and were only
accountable to the British
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The Interventionist state•
The colonialists trained chiefs to operate their governments in order to reach economic
goals
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This made the rulers less responsible to the people
It was expected that citizens should passively accept the actions of their rulers
Individualism•
This pushed Chiefs to value personal benefits of governance, rather than the good of the
whole community
Political Traditions Colonial Era (18601960)
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Christianity•
The British brought their religion with them and spread it through the south and west of
the country
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This lead to great conflict between the Islamic areas of the country
Intensification of ethnic politics•
Three main ethnic groups dominated during this time period. They included the HausaFulani, Igbo, and Yaruba
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The British government pitted this groups against each other by promising jobs and gifts to
some but not others
Ethnicity also became charged as race was a way of rallying groups against the British
Political Traditions The Era Since
Independence (1960-now)
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From 1960-1979, Nigeria used a parliamentary system of government
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Because of wide ethnic issues, a majority was hard to come by
In 1979, Nigeria switched to a presidential system with a popularly-elected
president
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A separate legislature and judiciary were also created
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These branches have had very little ability to check the power of the president
Political Traditions The Era Since
Independence (1960-now)
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In 1966, military tactics were used to seize power as rival groups sought
supremacy in the government
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Ironsi was assassinated by another general and the Biafra Civil War broke out
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Military rule prevailed and the idea of rule for personal gain continued
In order to pacify the various groups throughout Nigeria, a federal system was set
up
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Agiyi Ironsi was the first military ruler and justified his rule by announcing his intention
to end violence and stop corruption
This federal system was very unsuccessful and power was really centered in the military
rule
Nigeria also has huge oil reserves that have caused instability and military rulers
have attempted to put those reserves under their power
Political Culture
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Patron-Clientelism•
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The use of favors to achieve goals is a large part of Nigerian culture
State Control/Rich Civil Society•
While the government has always tried to dominate all aspects of a citizens life, they have
been unsuccessful
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Tension Between Modernity and Tradition•
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There are many formal and informal ethnic and religious associations, professional and labor groups,
and other NGO’s
Nigerian’s have striven to become a modern state, but their status as a colony and the history
of military dictatorship has hindered their push
Religious Conflict•
Islam began to influence the region in the 11th century
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The conflict with Christianity, which arrived much later, has cause both social and political issues
(sharia v non-sharia)
Political and Economic Change (1960Present)
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Prior to Nigerian independence, the British tried to train the people to rule
themselves
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Nigerians were part of the bureaucracy and learned government functionality
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The military dictatorships established in 1966 set a precedent that regimes would
change quickly
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In 1999 Olusegun Obasanjo was democratically elected to the presidency
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The elections of 99, 03, and 07 were extremely violent and fraudulent
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There was also little nationalism that bound the country together