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Wilfred Eya, Chukwudi Nweje and Sunday Ani
Yesterday, Nigerians commemorated their freedom from the clutches of Britain. Exactly 59 years yesterday, Nigeria, the most populated black nation secured her freedom and independence from the British colony. As usual, the commemoration of the historical event came with a feeling of nostalgia despite the challenges facing the nation.
It is stating the obvious that on October 1, 1960, when the Union Jack was lowered at the Race Course, Lagos, now Tafawa Belewa Square, and the green stripes on white hoisted in replacement, for Nigeria’s independence, expectations were high that the country would in no distant time, be the envy of other nations of the world, especially those in the British Commonwealth.
In deed, former Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Belewa captured the mood in his independence speech thus: “…This is a wonderful day, and it is all the more wonderful because we have awaited it with increasing impatience, compelled to watch one country after another overtaking us on the road when we had so nearly reached our goal.
“But now we have acquired our rightful status, and I feel sure that history will show that the building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace: it has been thorough, and Nigeria now stands well- built upon firm foundations…”
Late Balewa went further to say that the attainment of independence had positioned Nigeria as an active player in international politics. His words, “…It is with justifiable pride that we claim the achievement of our Independence to be unparalleled in the annals of history… All too soon, it has become evident that for us, independence implies a great deal more than self-government. This great country, which has now emerged without bitterness or bloodshed, finds that she must at once be ready to deal with grave international issues…”
However, despite the prospects in the new nation, Nigeria’s post-independence journey has been a mixed grill of unfulfilled aspirations and failed accomplishments. For many, even though the country continues to push a foreign policy agenda of championing the African cause and acting the ‘Big Brother’ role, the citizenry wallow in penury in the mist of the country’s abundant resources.
So, as Nigerians go down memory lane today, ardent watchers of political developments are worried that the country has not made any significant progress socially, politically and economically.
The euphoria and expectation that greeted the dawn of Independence from the crop of political leaders that took over political powers from the colonial masters have remained a mirage, forcing many to even wish that the colonial masters wouldn’t have granted us freedom at the time they did. Performances of the political leaders, many believe, have been that of disappointment, laced with agony, pains and sorrow.
In the estimation of a critical majority, the country has been wobbling and tottering on its feet, right from the First Republic to the current Fourth Republic.
For instance, Nigeria started with parliamentary democracy in the First Republic; a system practised by Britain, her colonial overlords, but later replaced with the presidential system of democracy, modelled after the United States of America, following the collapse of the First Republic.
On January 15, 1966, the first military coup took place in Nigeria, leading to the sad end of the First Republic. Like the First Republic, both second and third republics were equally cut short by the military interventions.
But there are opinions in some quarters that the January 15, 1966 coup, was the beginning of a major political setback in Nigeria as it opened a floodgate of coups and counter coups, with each set of plotters citing corruption and poor economy as reasons.
However, despite having over two decades of uninterrupted democracy, there is a consensus among the majority that Nigeria has not lived up to its billing among the comity of nations.
Failed aspirations
For many, it is unfortunate that 59 years after independence, Nigeria’s place in the annals of history has been more of negatives. The nation entered independence with a national anthem that said “…though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood, we stand…” The question is how far have the people imbibed the spirit of brotherhood?
Many believe that the cords of brotherhood seem to have been broken as the democratic process was not only interrupted barely six years after independence but the country has been under some of the most vicious military regimes that distorted the federal structure of the country and replaced it with a unitary structure. Nigeria was also plunged into a civil war in which over three million people mostly women and children died. The war left deep wounds that endure till date. Today, there is mutual suspicion among the various ethnic groups and every activity in the country is given an ethnic and religious interpretation. Venerable Funsho Awe, a National conscience Party (NCP) chieftain told Daily Sun that “the Igbo have not been forgiven for what is assumed to be their sin of fighting the civil war.”
Shaky foundation
The territory today called Nigeria had existed independently before the Berlin Conference of November 1884 to February 1885. Even after the scramble for Africa when the territories were allotted to Brittan and called Nigeria, they continued to be administered under different laws as Southern Protectorate, Northern Protectorate and the Colony of Lagos. Southern Protectorate formed in 1900 and the Colony of Lagos were merged in 1906 and renamed the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria and in 1914, Southern Nigeria was joined with Northern Nigeria Protectorate to form the single colony of Nigeria.
Some analysts trace the problems in Nigeria to this. For instance, Professor Ogunmola of the University of Ibadan (UI), had once argued that Nigeria was built on a shaky foundation.
He said, “I think the problem started in 1914 when we were amalgamated. That word amalgamated was very precise and definitive. They did not talk about a union, they talked about an amalgamation. As a chemist, I know and I’m sure chemists all over the world know that amalgamation is the word used to describe an imperfect mixture. Since we were given an imperfect mixture, we have not attempted to forge a perfect union.”
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, also argued in a paper he presented at the 19th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture with the theme: ‘Nigeria’s Unity: Matters Arising’ in Lagos that the crisis in Nigeria is rooted in its faulty foundation.
He said Nigeria was not created by the people but by “Europeans who met at an illegal conference in Berlin. At the Berlin conference of November 1884 to February 1885, the various communities in Africa were partitioned among European colonial exploiters. A large area later christened Nigeria was allotted to the British government…The amalgamation was essentially designed to serve the interest of imperialism and not the interest of the Nigerian people.”
One of the leaders of Afenifere chieftain, Ayo Adebanjo, and Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, of the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies at the University of Lagos argued that “Nigeria was working well during the First Republic when it had Regional governments.”
According to Adebanjo, “Nigeria was working well during the First Republic when it had Regional governments until it was ‘restructured’ in 1966 after the military coup and a unitary system of government with military command structure and ideology introduced. Under the Regional governments, the country thrived because the regions were in competition among themselves to develop. Under the Regions, we progressed because everybody knows what is coming to him and the basis on which it is coming.”
Pearse on his part told Daily Sun that the struggle to control the Central government further caused tension among the political parties and ultimately led to crisis and the collapse of the First Republic. He said, “Nigeria was most peaceful, progressive and cohesive before 1959 when we had the Regions.”
Today, Nigeria has gone from the four self-supporting regional governments to 36 state governments that depend on the Federal Government’s monthly allocations.
Nigeria has also gone from a world-exporter of food and other agricultural products to a net importer of products.
In June 2018, the World Poverty Clock named Nigeria the poverty capital of the world when it revealed that Nigeria had 87 million people living in poverty. The report indicated that over 91 million Nigerians out of the estimated 180 million (2016) census estimate were living in extreme poverty but the Federal Government rejected the report.
Military albatross
In the 59 years of Nigeria’s independence, the military have ruled the country for 29 years while civilian governments have been in place for 30 years. During the period, the military abolished the regional structure and the Westminster model Parliamentary system and adopted the United States model presidential system.
The military administration of Major General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi proclaimed Decree No 34 of 1966 on May 24, 1966 which abolished the regions. The Decree was later repealed by General Yakubu Gowon on August 31, 1966 through Decree 9, but a large portion of it is still in force till date.
Adetokunbo Pearse further argued that “The military regimes centralised the government and we have had a unitary government which is more in line with a military system of government than a democracy since then. That is where we have been and Nigeria has never been at peace, Nigeria has not made the kind of progress it should have made.”
Retired General Ishola Williams said that while the military introduced the centralised command of Nigeria that civilian governments since 1999 had allowed it to endure, “the military is responsible for some of the problems, but civilians have been there since 1999, what have they done?”
Big brother role
From the onset, Nigeria had always felt like a big brother to the rest of Africa. It was therefore not surprising that Belewa noted in his independence speech that, “…When this day in October 1960 was chosen for our independence, it seemed that we were destined to move with quiet dignity to place on the world stage… We are called upon immediately to show that our claims to responsible government are well-founded, and having been accepted as an independent state, we must at once play an active part in maintaining the peace of the world and in preserving civilisation. I promise you; we shall not fail for want of determination…”
True to this, Nigeria had begun sending troops to peace-keeping missions around Africa in particular before it officially became independent. In 1960, it sent troops to the Congo following the United Nations Security Council Resolution 143 of 14 July 1960. Nigeria supported the anti-apartheid movements in South Africa, including the African National Congress (ANC). As at 2015, Nigeria had military and civilian personnel deployed in 10 UN peace-keeping operations and African Union operations. In 2004, 1,500 Nigerian troops were deployed in Darfur as part of the AU mission in Sudan.
First Republic/Political Developments
Nigeria’s First Republic, which was a parliamentary democracy, was structured along regional line. The republic had three regions – Western Region, Eastern Region and Northern Region. The regions were administered by premiers. At the federal level, there were the president who was the ceremonial head and the prime minister, who was actually the head of state and government. Each of the regions had a political party that took distinct identities and ideologies of the region. The Northern Peoples’ Congress (NPC) represented the interests of the predominantly Hausa/Fulani Northern region, the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), which later was renamed National Council of Nigerian Citizens and represented the predominantly Igbo Eastern region, while the Action Group (AG) dominated the Yoruba Western region. Although, there were other political parties like the Northern Elements Progressives Union (NEPU), and National Independence Party (NIP) among others, NPC, NCNC and AG were the three dominant political parties in the First Republic.
Nnamdi Azikiwe led the NCNC, Sarduana of Sokoto, Ahmad Bello led the NPC, while Chief Obafemi Awolowo led the AG. The NPC took control of the federal parliament, and formed a coalition government with the NCNC, with Tafawa Balewa of the NPC becoming the Prime Minister, while Zik of the NCNC became the President.
Trouble started when Chief Awolowo was accused of plotting to overthrow the federal government. This followed a period of conflict between the AG regional government and the central government, leading to Awolowo’s imprisonment.
While the drama of conflict was raging, the military cashed in on that to stage a coup détat led by Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu on January 15, 1966, thus ending the First Republic.
One major challenge that characterised that republic apart from political upheaval that erupted in Southern part of the country was corruption in government. Politicians and civil servants were accused of mismanaging the economy, thereby throwing the country into economic mess. At least, that was the major reason Nzeogwu and his group gave for toppling the then government of the first republic.
After the coup, Gen Aguiyi Ironsi, the most senior military officer took the mantle of leadership as the Head of state and commander in-chief of the armed forces of Nigeria. He was violently overthrown on July 29, 1966; just six months after he became Head of state, hence, giving way to Gen Yakubu Gowon. Gowon’s government was characterised by so many challenges, the greatest among which was the civil war that lasted between 1967 and January 1970. Gowon was also removed in another coup on July 29, 1975, which threw up Gen Murtala Mohammed as the new helmsman. Gen Murtala was ruthlessly executed in a failed coup by Bukar Sukar Dimka, paving way for his second in command, Gen Olusegun Obasanjo, who midwifed the Second Republic on October 1, 1979.
Second Republic
Soon after General Obasanjo took over the nation’s leadership, he initiated the transition process to terminate military rule in 1979. A new constitution was drafted, which saw the Westminster system of government, parliamentary democracy, giving way to an American-style presidential system. The 1979 constitution mandated that political parties and cabinet positions reflect the federal character of the nation. Political parties were constitutionally required to be registered in at least two-thirds of the states, and each state was required to produce at least one cabinet member.
Worthy of note is the fact that what we have today as the federal character, which many Nigerians, particularly people from the Southern part have criticized as being responsible for the lackluster pace of development in Nigeria was given birth by the Second Republic
A constituent assembly was elected in 1977 to draft a new constitution. The outcome of the constituent assembly was published on September 21, 1978, after which the ban on political activity was lifted. By 1979 when the second republic came into being, Nigeria was no longer run on regions; the military had split the country first into 12 states in 1967, and later to 19 states.
Five political parties existed in second republic – the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPN), National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Great Nigerian Peoples Party (GNPP). All the five political parties competed in a series of elections in which Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) was elected president. Obasanjo peacefully handed over power to Shagari, making history as the first Head of state in Nigerian to willingly step down. All five parties won elections into the National Assembly.
In August 1983 election, Shagari and the NPN were returned to power in a landslide victory, with a majority of seats in the National Assembly and control of 12 state governments. But, there was widespread condemnation of the conduct of the election, with many saying the elections were marred by violence and widespread vote rigging and electoral malfeasance. This led to legal battles over the results between the presidential candidate of the UPN, Chief Awolowo and the NPN and its candidate, Shagari. This led to the controversial Supreme Courts interpretation of two-third majority, which many till today, have not been able to come to terms with.
Analysts believe that the outcome of that election and the disaffection that greeted it sounded a death knell on the Second Republic. And rightly so, on December 31, 1984, barely three months into Shagari’s second tenure, the military staged a coup détat that swept him out of office and abruptly ended the Second Republic. As usual, General Muhammad Buhari and his acolytes who took over power reeled out reasons behind the coup to include corruption, embezzlement of public funds, inflation and indiscipline among others.
Third Republic
On August 27, 1985, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), overthrew Gen Buhari and promised to end military rule in 1990. He later reneged and moved the date forward to 1993. This, many believe, was one of the major reasons that led to Major Gideon Okar’s failed coup on April 22, 1990.
Prior to Okar’s coup, in 1989, IBB had lifted the ban on political activity after he established two political parties – National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP). So, the Third republic left Nigerians with the choice of only two political parties. Gubernatorial and state legislative elections were conducted in December 1991 and governors who were elected thereafter took oath of office in January, 1992.
However, the Third Republic never fully came to place as it was aborted when the election that would have produced Moshood Abiola as the president was annulled by IBB. Babangida annulled the June 12, 1993 election, which was generally believed to be the most credible poll ever conducted in Nigeria, even till date. That singular action threw the country into chaos. Different countries responded in different ways to the annulment. Britain, particularly, withdrew all financial aids as well as military assistance to Nigeria. IBB eventually bowed to pressure from his inner circle of the military and resigned from office on August 23, 1993, in what later came to be popularly called ‘stepping aside.’ Ernest Shonekan was drafted to head the interim national government that followed Babangida’s sudden exit. Shonekan was unable to manage the political turmoil that ensued in the post IBB months, following the annulment.
IBB has justified his action based on what he termed specific information about plans to overthrow the Abiola government. He argued that it was pointless handing over to Abiola, when he knew there would be a military coup to oust him few months after.
As he rightly feared, Abacha struck almost immediately. On June 11, 1994, Abiola, declared himself president and went into hiding. The Abacha administration hunted him down and arrested him on charges of treason. He remained in prison until Abacha died in 1998.
Although Abacha had set in motion machinery to midwife the Fourth Republic, he arm-twisted the five existing political parties to adopt him as their sole presidential candidate. In other words, all the five political parties that existed then adopted Abacha as their presidential candidate; meaning that nobody would have contested against him. He would simply have transmuted from military leader to a civilian president but for his sudden death.
Meanwhile, before his death, Nigeria had already become a pariah nation with almost all the European countries, America and some Asian countries cutting economic and political ties with Nigeria. The country’s economy was almost prostrate. It was at this critical period of Nigeria’s history that Abacha died, giving way for Gen Abdusalami Abubakar to ascend the mantle of leadership as the Head of state.
Fourth Republic
With Abdusalami’s assumption of office, he set machinery in motion to quickly hand over power to civilians and in May 1999, he handed over power to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of the then Peoples Democratic Party. So, with the birth of the Fourth republic, Abdusalami became the second military Head of state to have voluntarily handed over power to civilians after Obasanjo in 1979.
At the advent of the Fourth Republic, there were about five major political parties – the PDP, All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), All Progressives Grand alliance (APGA), and Alliance for Democracy (AD) among others. But today, there are many political parties; even as only the PDP and All progressives Congress (APC) dominate the political space.
The constitution of the Fourth Republic is in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple ministries which made policy planning difficult. Again, the Fourth Republic had produced four presidents -Obasanjo, Umar Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and currently Muhammadu Buhari.
Since the Fourth Republic, it has been tales of woes with the nation’s economy plummeting to such a point that an America dollar now exchanges for about N360. Nigeria has been described as the poverty capital of the world. Hunger and starvation are starring Nigerians in the face on daily basis. Crime has assumed a dangerous dimension with kidnapping, Boko Haram insurgency, herdsmen/farmers clashes, and banditry ravaging the country. Corruption has become a way of life in Nigeria, even as the national treasury bleeds. The country’s external debt is intimidating. Agitations for self autonomy by some sections of the country have more than ever before assumed a frightening dimension, with the political leaders constantly put on edge. However, amid these difficulties, many believe that Nigeria has enough reasons to celebrate her 59th independence anniversary.
Going forward
Analysts argue that going forward, the country must restructure. Ayo Adebanjo reasons that the country cannot make progress without addressing the inherent lies and fraud in the structure.
Gen Ishola Williams also added: “It is the people that will decide how well the country will go because the country is just a geographical entity.”
