Between 1966 and 1999 the army held power in nigeria without interruption apart from a short. Federal republic of nigeria makes up nearly half with a population of 120 million. Military coups and military rule which began as an emergency aberration became a seemingly permanent feature of nigerian politics. The impact of military coup detat on political development. A breakthrough came in 1999 when a new constitution was adopted, and a civilian government was subsequently formed. Jul 14, 2014 militancy flourishes in nigeria because political advancement requires it.
Nigeria, oman, yemen, uzbekistan, and columbia, among others, in the name. Currently nigerias nascent uninterrupted democracy has just clocked 18 years. As for the agricultural marketing boards, they served as slush funds for the parties. Looking back, the countrys first 50 years of independence have been tainted by military coups, a civil war and troubled elections, which have dashed the aspirations of its people to consolidate. Nigerias military coup culture 19661976 that party politics and political parties took on the identity and ideology of. Oct 01, 2016 how 1966, 1975 and 1983 military coups destroyed nigeria tanko yakassai on october 1, 2016 10. There have been a large number of successful and failed military coups in nigeria since the.
Several coups and counter coups during the 1960s and 1970s led to the assassinations of a large number of military rulers. The nigeria military then was still largely under the control and influence of the queen of england. The first military coup in nigeria was said to be not entirely successful. The coup plotters attacked the cities of kaduna, ibadan, and lagos while also. The first military coup in nigeria took place on january 15, 1966. The 1966 coups, civil war, and gowons government nigeria table of contents by the time a disparate group of junior officers struck first in january 1966, the officers were still politically naive and had yet to master the art of coup planning and execution.
It should have chocked 57 years since our independence in 1960, if not for military coups and counter coups. A history of coups majorgeneral babangida ruled nigeria from 1985 to 1993 the first nigerian national election took place in 1964, four years after the country gained independence from britain. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page. The thompson thesis asserts that coups occur because the military is aggrieved. Variation in the appeal of each of these options should a ect support for coups. When the wai was extended to journalists and others not responsible for the social. T he inside story of nigerias first military coup part 1. There have been a large number of successful and failed military coups in nigeria since the countrys independence from the british empire in 1960. Reasons for military intervention in nigerias politics.
This is a way of justifying the underlying thesis of this. Following independence, nigerias democratic dispensation was challenged by persistent military coups. This brought dictators and tyrants into the leadership of nigeria. One can only hope the last has been heard of a military coup in nigeria. Be that as it may, that first military coup in nigeria laid the infamous foundation for coups and counter coups in nigeria, a situation that seems to have been laid to rest since 1999. April 1990 coup detat speech on nigerias social and. Nigerias military coup culture 19661976 that party politics and political parties took on the identity and ideology of each of the three geopolitical zones. Nigeria suffered from violence and military rule from 1966 until 1999, when a democratic government was established. Since independence in 1960, nigeria has faced civil war, military rule, sectarian and interethnic clashes, flawed elections, and insurgency. The first military coup in nigeria january 15, 1966 coup.
One enduring myth is that nigerias first military coup was carried out by five igbo majors. Nigeria presidential and national assembly elections. The inside story of nigerias first military coup 2. With increased demands for selfdetermination by various parts of the country and subsequent military coups the states continued to be multiplied at intervals. The source of this myth is the we were five in number comment, which the coups most visible, participant. Nigeria, chad, niger, cameroon, benin 2015 8700 egional task forcelra ca, c, south sudan, ganda 2012 5000. Pdf military intervention in the nigerian politics and its impact on. Apr 27, 20 one enduring myth is that nigerias first military coup was carried out by five igbo majors.
The 1966 nigerian countercoup, or the socalled july rematch, was the second of many military coups in nigeria. The four regions in the post independence period were overnight transformed into 12 states in 1967. Nigerias population is evenly distributed between rural and urban. From the time of the egyptian revolution in 1950s, africa has experienced over ninety military coups, though a number of them have been unsuccessful.
Download fulltext pdf download fulltext pdf the impact of military rule on democracy in nigeria article pdf available december 2012 with 51,388 reads. Militancy flourishes in nigeria because political advancement requires it. The military history of nigeria since the colonial rule began precisely on the 1 st october 1966. The inside story of nigerias first military coup part 1. Nigerian army, economic development, civil war introduction in 1960 when nigeria attained political independence. Tracing the development of a single african army coup detat does, i believe, tell. In africa, nigeria was the most prominent of the newly decolonized nations where democracy failed. Military had emphasized on the need for a reorientation of the people for the pursuit of positive values which are aimed at producing a decent, humane, disciplined and selfreliant nation.
After attaining independence in 1960, military coups and ethnic tensions led to the costly biafran civil war. The history of the nigerian army and the implications for. The second characteristic elite consolidation through various mechanisms of power. In years past, groups achieved power through military coups. 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. Abstract the military is not by inclination trained to rule, but to defend. We all know that nigerias first military coup took place on january 15 1966. Pdf the impact of military rule on democracy in nigeria.
It attempts a brief analysis of different coups that took place in the country. In recent years, political instability, religious competition, ethnic differences and the need to become more modern continue to plague nigeria. Since then, military rule has been a recurring phenomenon in nigeria. D student of political science at the department of political science university of ibadan ibadan, nigeria. Pdf the paper traces the evolution of the influence of the military governance in nigeria. An attempt at compiling a historical chronology of newsreels on nigerian affairs during the civil war 19671970 and year of military governments 19661979 and 19831999. The origin of political instability in nigeria has been the inability to forge a national entity that transcends ethnic, regional, religious and economic interests. Nigerian history coups, civil war, military rule youtube. The igbo coup tag attached to the majors assault ignores the fact that scores of northern officers took part in the lagos operations, and even assisted nzeogwu when he stormed the residence of the northern regions premier. With increased demands for selfdetermination by various parts of the country and subsequent military coups. Following independence in 1960, nigeria has experienced civil war and frequent military coups. Disturbing coup rumours from the nigerian military.
Hence, this paper shall explicate on the contributions of both the military and the civilian leadership class that has managed and directed the affairs of the country since independence to the growth and institutionalisation of corruption in nigeria. Pages in category military coups in niger the following 4 pages are in this category, out of 4 total. Power seized in armed coup jump to media player by the end of 1983, the civilian government in nigeria was overthrown by a military coup led by majorgeneral muhammadu buhari. Military coups and military rule which began as an emergency aberration. Not many realize that several officers of northern origin took part in nigerias first military coup. Twentyfifth anniversary issue brookings institution. It would take civilian misrule of cataclysmic proportions for nigerians to tolerate military rule ever again. Buhari justified his coup and subsequent actions by citing the troubles of the second republic and the declining economy. Understanding the root causes of military coups and. To this end, thompsons thesis of military grievances has been rigorously employed to explain the occurrences of military coups in nigeria.
Section 3 presents our theory, explaining why coups against democratically elected. It was a bloody military intervention in the political history of nigeria. Military coups in nigeria westafrican constitutional. Although none of the liberation movement leaders and first leaders of independent nigeria was a military man, coups and military rule and, indeed, the biafran war placed leadership in the hands of the military campbell, 2011. The country was at its infantile stage and was still trying to adapt to. However the actions and motivation of the principal actors has been the subject of misintepretation over the years. West africa with its 16 countries is the cradle of military coups and. Although there have been brief returns to democratic. Political order in changing societies projects at harvard. Major chukwuma kaduna nzeogwu, made in an interview with dennis ejindu africa and the world may 1967 after the coup.
Pdf the purpose of this article is to contribute to the theoretical understanding of african military coups detat. It was apparently the major causative factor of military intervention in nigeria. Nigeria has therefore been governed for a longer period over thirty years of her independence by the military. Section 2 sets out our puzzle, describing the dual legitimation challenge faced by leaders of coups and placing it into the literature. Ltcol anthony nyiam retd is one of the few surviving men, who staged a coup against the regime of former military president, gen.
However the actions and motivation of the principal actors has been the subject of misintepre. In 1967, three southeastern states seceded as the republic of biafra, sparking. Fellow nigerian citizens, on behalf of the patriotic and wellmeaning peoples of the middle belt and the southern parts of this country, i, major gideon orkar, wish to happily inform you of the successful ousting of the dictatorial, corrupt, drug baronish, evil man, deceitful, homosexuallycentered, prodigalistic, unpatriotic administration of general ibrahim. Nigeria became an independent country in october 1 st 1960 after about a century occupation by the british colonial masters. Yet, these formalisms of procedural democracy have also concealed a much more profound pattern of declining press freedom on the continent, as african. Political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960. Looking critically at the whole activities in the first and second military coup in nigeria, you will see that it was actually a power tussle between the regions of nigeria. How 1966, 1975 and 1983 military coups destroyed nigeria tanko yakassai on october 1, 2016 10. Records of military training schools have been combed for the. The army and the people levels of trust in the army 53. Pdf explaining african military coups detat, 19601982. A comparative analysis of the buildup of postcolonial countries and. The june 12 crisis radically changed the nigerian populaces relationship with the military and a military coup in modern nigeria would be met with massive civil opposition and sanctions from the international community.
A military coup is the violent or nonviolent overthrow of an existing political regime by the military. Why nigeria has not experienced military coup since 1999. As the militarys raison detre is clearly the defence of a state, any venture by it into politics is. African military regimes in nigeria tried to gain legitimacy, however, this case only. The world factbook countrylocation locator map modal. The evolution of the nigerian military followed very closely, the political history of the country. The regime declared a war against indiscipline wai, which resulted in the arrest, detention, and jailing of a number of politicians.
Nigeria the 1966 coups, civil war, and gowons government. Nigeria, for instance, has been ruled by the military for 25 of its 42 years as an independent nation. The coup was led by major chukwuma nzeogwu and other majors in the army. Since then nigeria has experienced uninterrupted civilian rule.
This study surveys the issue of military coups in nigerian politics. Military governments and economic development shura. An attempt is made to explain the causes of coups detat. The fact that since 1999, there has not been a coup or an attempted coup in nigeria speaks to the effectiveness of the measures taken to put an end to the destabilizing influence of coups on. Buhari was the one who lead the military coup of 1983. How 1966, 1975 and 1983 military coups destroyed nigeria. Although the coups in egypt and thailand, in 20 and 2014, respectively, were a reminder that the military can still play a political role, it was the recent failed coup attempt in turkey which drove this point home. Several coups and countercoups during the 1960s and 1970s led to the assassinations of a large number of military rulers. It wasnt a propitious start the election was marked by boycotts, malpractice and violence. 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. Ethnopolitical conflicts andthe one nigeria project. And because of its national orientation, it attracted rank and file membership and. Under the military, nigeria saw a lot of political engineering.
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. Prior to the first military coup in nigeria, on august 1965 a group of army majors which includes patrick chukwuma kaduna nzeogwu ring leader, igbo, emmanuel ifeajuna a high jumper and a principal role player in the coup, igbo, timothy onwuatuegwu. Apr 11, 2008 the june 12 crisis radically changed the nigerian populaces relationship with the military and a military coup in modern nigeria would be met with massive civil opposition and sanctions from the international community. Nigeria celebrated its fiftieth anniversary of independence on 1 october 2010.
The coup was carried out by young officers in the nigerian army, and it was also a boldly one, making it the first bloody coup in the history of the country. Colonel murtala muhammed and many northern military officers. The link is plausible because many coups are ethnic coups, which depend on the capacity of plotters to mobilize their coethnics. In fact, competing factions of the nigerian military have ruled the country for most of its postindependence history. Unfortunately the military struck in january 16 1966 and ruled the country for over 30 years. Military coups overthrew democratic governments in portugal, brazil, uruguay, and argentina. But with nigeria becoming a republic in 1963, the nigerian military forces were renamed, and thereafter designated nigerian military forces. These diverging interests led to scores of political coups and counter coups. The person in power at that time was president nnamdi azikiwe, while. Whereas max siollun12 reported in his book entitled oil, politics and violence.
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