GST 123: Nigerian People and Culture

History of Nigerian People

Colonial contact with Nigeria began with peaceful trade, followed by the trans-Atlantic slave trade from 1500-1900, resulting in over 11 million Africans, mostly Nigerians, being forcibly transported to Europe.
By 1861, Lagos became a Colony under the control of Lt. John Glover, who formed the Hausa Constabulary, the origin of the Nigerian Military.
Sir George Taubman Goldie became the leader of the Royal Niger Company in 1862, just as the slave trade was ending.
Between 1884/1885, Otto Van Bismark organized the partitioning of Africa, and Britain undertook the systematic military conquest of Nigeria using the Gun/Boat Diplomacy.
By 1900, Nigeria had become a British Protectorate, and Lord Frederick Lugard arrived in Nigeria from Hong Kong in 1912 to become its 1st Governor General after the 1914 amalgamation into one colony.

Early Nationalism

Miss Flora Shaw, a British Journalist, gave the name Nigeria to the country, which was previously known as the Niger Area; Land of Mighty Rivers or Land of Great Waters.
Amalgamation of Lagos Colony and Southern Protectorate took place in 1906, while the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Protectorates occurred in 1914.
Administratively, Nigeria remained divided, with Western education and development of a modern economy proceeding more rapidly in the South than in the North, leading to the emergence of ethnicity in all aspects of life.
Hugh Clifford's constitution of 1922 introduced the elective principle, leading to the formation of the 1st Political Party, the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) in 1923, under the leadership of Herbert Macaulay, referred to as the father of Nigerian Nationalism.

Road to Independence

The policy of divide and rule continued with Bernard Bourdillon's constitution of 1939, while the Richards constitution of 1946 introduced regionalism, and the Federal Legislative Council of 1947 brought leaders of the North and South together for the first time, leading to severe distrust and suspicion.
The Macpherson constitution of 1951 operated the Unitary System of Government, while the Lyttleton constitution of 1954 transformed Nigeria from a Unitary to a Federal system, sharing power between Federal and Regional Governments.
There was disagreement between the North and South over self-government in 1956, following the motion introduced by Chief Anthony Enahoro in 1953, representing the Action Group in the Federal House of Representatives.

Post-Independence Era

Nigeria gained independence from Great Britain in 1960 and adopted the Westminster (parliamentary) system of government, with a "Flag" independence, lacking functional sovereignty.
Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe emerged as Governor-General, and Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister, while Nigeria became a Republic in 1963, and Azikiwe became its first President (Ceremonial Head of State).
The Western Region witnessed a serious political crisis in 1962 between Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola, leading to the declaration of a State of Emergency.
Nigeria's 1st Military Coup took place on January 15, 1966, led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, bringing Gen. Aguiyi-Ironsi to power as Military Head of State.
The 2nd Military Coup took place on July 29, 1966, bringing Gen. Yakubu Gowon to power, and on May 27, 1967, Gen. Gowon divided Nigeria into 12 states.
The Independent Republic of Biafra was declared on May 29, 1967, after the failure of the Aburi Accord in Ghana and the OAU conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to settle the disagreement between Gowon and Odumegwu Ojukwu.
The Nigerian Civil War broke out on July 1, 1967, initially described as a Police Action by the Federal Government, and lasted for 30 months, from July 1, 1967, to January 15, 1970.

Military Rule and Return to Democracy

Gen. Gowon was overthrown in a bloodless coup in 1975 by Gen. Murtala Muhammed, while attending an OAU conference in Kampala, Uganda.
Gen. Murtala Muhammed was assassinated after six months in office in a bloody coup masterminded by Col. Yaka Suka Dimka, paving the way for Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo as Military Head of State.
Gen. Obasanjo handed over power to Alhaji Shehu Shagari after the 1979 elections, with Dr. Alex Ekwueme as Vice President.
Shagari's government was overthrown in a bloodless coup on December 31, 1983, by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, with Gen. Tunde Idiagbon as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters.
Gen. Ibrahim Babangida took over from Gen. Buhari and introduced the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1986, based on the advice of the World Bank.
The Presidential elections of June 12, 1993, were annulled by Gen. Babangida on June 23, 1993, and an Interim Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan, was installed on August 27, 1993.
Gen. Sani Abacha took over power on November 17, 1993, and ruled until his death on June 8, 1998.
Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar took over power after Gen. Abacha's death and handed over power to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who became the civilian head of state from May 1999 to May 2007.
Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was sworn in as Nigeria's 13th President on May 29, 2007, and died on May 5, 2010.
Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became President of Nigeria on May 5, 2010, and handed over power to Rtd. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, 2015, who is currently Nigeria's Head of State.

History of Nigerian People

Colonial contact with Nigeria began with peaceful trade, followed by the trans-Atlantic slave trade from 1500-1900, resulting in over 11 million Africans, mostly Nigerians, being forcibly transported to Europe.
By 1861, Lagos became a Colony under the control of Lt. John Glover, who formed the Hausa Constabulary, the origin of the Nigerian Military.
Sir George Taubman Goldie became the leader of the Royal Niger Company in 1862, just as the slave trade was ending.
Between 1884/1885, Otto Van Bismark organized the partitioning of Africa, and Britain undertook the systematic military conquest of Nigeria using the Gun/Boat Diplomacy.
By 1900, Nigeria had become a British Protectorate, and Lord Frederick Lugard arrived in Nigeria from Hong Kong in 1912 to become its 1st Governor General after the 1914 amalgamation into one colony.

Early Nationalism

Miss Flora Shaw, a British Journalist, gave the name Nigeria to the country, which was previously known as the Niger Area; Land of Mighty Rivers or Land of Great Waters.
Amalgamation of Lagos Colony and Southern Protectorate took place in 1906, while the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Protectorates occurred in 1914.
Administratively, Nigeria remained divided, with Western education and development of a modern economy proceeding more rapidly in the South than in the North, leading to the emergence of ethnicity in all aspects of life.
Hugh Clifford's constitution of 1922 introduced the elective principle, leading to the formation of the 1st Political Party, the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) in 1923, under the leadership of Herbert Macaulay, referred to as the father of Nigerian Nationalism.

Road to Independence

The policy of divide and rule continued with Bernard Bourdillon's constitution of 1939, while the Richards constitution of 1946 introduced regionalism, and the Federal Legislative Council of 1947 brought leaders of the North and South together for the first time, leading to severe distrust and suspicion.
The Macpherson constitution of 1951 operated the Unitary System of Government, while the Lyttleton constitution of 1954 transformed Nigeria from a Unitary to a Federal system, sharing power between Federal and Regional Governments.
There was disagreement between the North and South over self-government in 1956, following the motion introduced by Chief Anthony Enahoro in 1953, representing the Action Group in the Federal House of Representatives.

Post-Independence Era

Nigeria gained independence from Great Britain in 1960 and adopted the Westminster (parliamentary) system of government, with a "Flag" independence, lacking functional sovereignty.
Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe emerged as Governor-General, and Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister, while Nigeria became a Republic in 1963, and Azikiwe became its first President (Ceremonial Head of State).
The Western Region witnessed a serious political crisis in 1962 between Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola, leading to the declaration of a State of Emergency.
Nigeria's 1st Military Coup took place on January 15, 1966, led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, bringing Gen. Aguiyi-Ironsi to power as Military Head of State.
The 2nd Military Coup took place on July 29, 1966, bringing Gen. Yakubu Gowon to power, and on May 27, 1967, Gen. Gowon divided Nigeria into 12 states.
The Independent Republic of Biafra was declared on May 29, 1967, after the failure of the Aburi Accord in Ghana and the OAU conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to settle the disagreement between Gowon and Odumegwu Ojukwu.
The Nigerian Civil War broke out on July 1, 1967, initially described as a Police Action by the Federal Government, and lasted for 30 months, from July 1, 1967, to January 15, 1970.

Military Rule and Return to Democracy

Gen. Gowon was overthrown in a bloodless coup in 1975 by Gen. Murtala Muhammed, while attending an OAU conference in Kampala, Uganda.
Gen. Murtala Muhammed was assassinated after six months in office in a bloody coup masterminded by Col. Yaka Suka Dimka, paving the way for Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo as Military Head of State.
Gen. Obasanjo handed over power to Alhaji Shehu Shagari after the 1979 elections, with Dr. Alex Ekwueme as Vice President.
Shagari's government was overthrown in a bloodless coup on December 31, 1983, by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, with Gen. Tunde Idiagbon as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters.
Gen. Ibrahim Babangida took over from Gen. Buhari and introduced the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1986, based on the advice of the World Bank.
The Presidential elections of June 12, 1993, were annulled by Gen. Babangida on June 23, 1993, and an Interim Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan, was installed on August 27, 1993.
Gen. Sani Abacha took over power on November 17, 1993, and ruled until his death on June 8, 1998.
Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar took over power after Gen. Abacha's death and handed over power to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who became the civilian head of state from May 1999 to May 2007.
Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was sworn in as Nigeria's 13th President on May 29, 2007, and died on May 5, 2010.
Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became President of Nigeria on May 5, 2010, and handed over power to Rtd. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, 2015, who is currently Nigeria's Head of State.