1. Making of the Modern Nigerian State
What are some of the key impacts that colonialism and military rule left on the development of the Nigerian state?

2. Green represents the forests and abundant natural wealth of the country; white stands for peace and unity
Surrounded by Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon
168 million people – most populous nation in Africa
Unfinished state: characterized by institutional instability and political uncertainty that may render it dysfunctional as a coherent ruling entity

3. Currency – Naira  $1 USD = 314.75 N; 1N = 0.0032 USD
Hub of regional trade, culture, and military strength
60% of country’s GDP comes from Nigeria

4. Six “Zones” “Core North” – Northwest: Hausa, majority are Muslim
Northeast: minority groups (Kanuri), majority are Muslim
“Middle Belt” – North Central: minority groups, both Muslim and Christian
Southwest: Yoruba, mix of Muslim, Christian, and Yoruba traditional beliefs
Southeast: Igbo homeland, Christian
“South-south”: southern minorities

5. Pre-Colonial Period (800-1900)
Trade across the Sahara shaped savanna areas of the north
Brought Arabic education and Islam
Kingdoms and tribes across the territory
Jihad
“struggle” against non-believers
Can refer to sociopolitical corruption or spiritual improvement
Kinship lines and communities in the southern parts
Acephalous societies
“headless” (stateless) societies that lack executive rulership and governed by committee or consensus
North
Hausa, Kanem-Bornu, Jukun kingdom, Bornu Empire
Jihad established the Sokoto Caliphate
Used Islam and language Hausa to unite the groups
Fulani Empire until British colonization
South
Tiv lacked political hierarchy but escaped most of the colonialist era
Highly centralized Yoruba empire
Igbo to the east

6. Democratic Elements of Pre-Colonial Societies
Yoruba and Igbo – principles of accountability and representation
Islamic communities – highly structured by Qur’anic principles; hierarchical with women being subordinate
Fulani Empire – confederation where emirs owed allegiance to the sultan, and his powers were limited by his duty to observe Islamic principles

7. Colonial Rule (1860-1960) British colony from 1914 to 1960.
Ruled northern and southern Nigeria as two separate colonies.
Became Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914
Indirect rule
Local traditional leaders and political structures are surrogates of the colonial governing structure
Importance of boundaries: forced different African cultures to live under one political rules; all boundaries were not made with the thought of the people living there, rather by where one European country’s land ended and another began
Extraction of African natural resources
Indirect rule
Strengthened authority of traditional chiefs and kings or appointed warrant chiefs (chosen by British to oversee certain legal matters and assist the colonial enterprise in governance and law enforcement in local areas) and weakened previous practices and local accountability and participation
Played off ethnic and social divisions to keep Nigerians from developing an organized political resistance
LEFT THE IDEA OF FORMAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS WITHIN AN AUTHORITARIAN POLITICAL CULTURE

8. Colonial Rule( )
Structured administrative units based on the Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo ethnic groups
Ethnicity as main vehicle for political identification and mobilization after independence
1954 – separation into three regions with an elected government
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons
Northern People’s Congress
Action Group
1954 – fell under majority ethnicity and respective party rule
NCNC – aka National Convention for Nigeria Citizens, had members from across the state, associated with Igbo
NPC – dominated by Hausa-Fulani elites
AG – controlled by Yoruba elites

9. 1945-1979 First Republic Civil War & Military Rule
Independence in 1960
Adopted Westminster model
Ruled by people in the north
Resources unfairly distributed
Igbo seized power in 1966
Attempt to create own country called Biafra
Military led government tried to hold Nigeria together.
Global Oil Boom ( )
General Olusegun Obasanjo
Obasanjo – elected to a civilian government in 1979; retired but emerged as civilian president in 1999
Second and Third Republics and Predatory Military Rule between 1979 and 1999

10. The Fourth Republic (1999-Present)
General Obasanjo
Retired all military officers that had political positions in previous military rule
Targeted oil sector for management
Lobbied foreign government to forgive debts
Increased minimum wage.
Boko Haram