Colonial army formats in africa and postcolonial military. How 1966, 1975 and 1983 military coups destroyed nigeria tanko yakassai on october 1, 2016 10. Ugwu chukwuka department of public administration, university of nigeria, nsukka abstract military rule became dominant feature of government in nigeria only after political independence, especially from january 15th 1966. One enduring myth is that nigerias first military coup was carried out by five igbo majors. There have been a number of recorder military coups, which led to military rule, in nigeria since the country gained its independence from the british empire. The military history of nigeria since the colonial rule began precisely on the 1 st october 1966.
The first military coup in nigeria was carried out by the military of nigeria. Areas covered range from political system types, political economies, and political cultures of diverse. It wasnt a propitious start the election was marked by boycotts, malpractice and violence. The inside story of nigerias first military coup 2. But with nigeria becoming a republic in 1963, the nigerian military forces were renamed, and thereafter designated nigerian military forces. Major chukwuma kaduna nzeogwu, made in an interview with dennis ejindu africa and the world may 1967 after the coup. Currently nigerias nascent uninterrupted democracy has just clocked 18 years. Growth of military statesas late as 1961 the african image had not been tarnished to any great extent by the incidence of military coups. 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. The person in power at that time was president nnamdi azikiwe, while. Colonel joseph nanven garba announced the coup in a broadcast on radio nigeria which became frcn in 1978.
Be that as it may, that first military coup in nigeria laid the infamous foundation for coups and countercoups in nigeria, a situation that seems to have been laid to rest since 1999. Nigerian history coups, civil war, military rule youtube. 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. 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. There have been a large number of successful and failed military coups in nigeria since the countrys independence from the british empire in 1960. The commander of the 2 nd brigade in kaduna brigadier ademulegun became aware of and was irritated by the night time training when he became aware that soldiers had been going near the premier. Between 1966 and 1999, the army held power in nigeria without interruption apart from a shortlived return to democracy from 1979. We all know that nigerias first military coup took place on january 15 1966. The first military coup in nigeria was said to be not entirely successful. It should have chocked 57 years since our independence in 1960, if not for military coups and counter coups. The military officers took power over the federal government. 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 focused mainly on the coups and countercoups, betrayals, violence and bloodbath that plagued the early years after nigerias independence. 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.
This thirteen years of military dictatorship would witness four different military heads of state, including a civil war between period between 1966 1970, and ending in 1976 when the general obasanjo military administration handed over power to a civilian government of the second republic, hence, necessitating promulgation of yet another. And so the absence of military coup during the 19992007 period have led scholars and observers of the nigerian political landscape to wonder, albeit mostly in private discussions, why there was not a successful military coup during the obasanjo tenure considering that all the ingredients that makes for military coups was in ample supply. Nigeria the 1966 coups, civil war, and gowons government. The military succeeded in the aspect of creating new states and local councils. In fact, competing factions of the nigerian military have ruled the country for most of its postindependence history.
The 1966 nigerian countercoup, or the socalled july rematch, was the second of many military coups in nigeria. A military coup is the violent or nonviolent overthrow of an existing political regime by the military. Nigeria, built in the late nineteenth century by british colonial intervention, is africas most populous country. Footage of generals gowon, muhammed, and obasanjo, and coverage of.
About 10 days before nigerias coup, the military in upper volta now burkina faso forced the president to relinquish power. Pdf the impact of military rule on democracy in nigeria. The truth is nigeria partially owes its existence to a strong desire to prevent any chances of repeating the story the preceded the 1966 bloody coup. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the theoretical understanding of african military coups detat.
An introduction to african politics, this course will provide for its participants a general survey of the main issues regarding politics in the continent. 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. In the two months before nigerias first military coup on january 15, 1966, for instance, there were at least four such coups in africa, and two of those were in nigerias west african neighborhood. Kaduna nzeogwu on this day january 15, 54 years ago 1966, five army majors and accomplices of the nigerian military read more. The term military rule as used here is synonymous with military regime and refers to a subtype of authoritarian regime for most of human history, attaching military to rule would have been redundant, because almost all political regimes in largescale societies of the premodern period. From the time of the egyptian revolution in 1950s, africa has experienced over ninety military coups, though a number of them have been unsuccessful.
Nigerias militarized democracy faces test in elections. In the quest for power and control of the nigerian state, there arose a group of young soldiers in the nigerian army who were not satisfied about how the affairs of the country was run and sought to correct the system. Each nation is assessed on individual and collective values processed through an inhouse formula to generate a pwrindx score. The final step determined the future path of nigeria and its army after the birth of nigerias third republic. We begin by replicating a wellknown model jackman, 1978 that purports to identify the structural determinants of coups detat within the states of subsaharan black africa. Military coups in africathe african neocolonialism. The impact of military rule on nigerias nation building, 19661979 abdulrahman, ajibola a. Some values are estimated when official numbers are. They maintained that military coups in nigeria form part. Colonel murtala muhammed and many northern military officers. The first military coup in nigeria january 15, 1966 coup.
However, it would be impossible as well as unfair to dismiss the excellent manner in which max rendered the events year this is a book you definitely want to lay your fingers on if you are anyone. However the actions and motivation of the principal actors has been the subject of misintepretation over the years. The source of this myth is the we were five in number comment, which the coups most visible, participant. This post is about the first ever military coup in nigeria. Disturbing coup rumours from the nigerian military. The coup began as a mutiny at roughly midnight on july 28, 1966 and was a reaction to the killings of northern politicians and officers by mostly igbo soldiers on january 15, 1966 see 1966. T he inside story of nigerias first military coup part 1. This number is not inclusive of the numerous occurrences where individual administration leaders were removed by force without a change in regime. In years past, groups achieved power through military coups. The first military coup in nigeria took place on january 15, 1966. Constitution of the federal republic of nigeria pdf download. The men were unaware that the military exercise they were participating in was actually a practice run for a military coup to overthrow the government.
Between 1966 and 1999 the army held power in nigeria without interruption apart from a shortlived return to democracy between 19791983. Military coups have also often been caused by ethnic rivalry, as well as personal rivalry such as idi amins coup in uganda in 1971, caused by interethnic rivalry among. Military coup, also known as, coups detat or coup detats, is usually a violent overthrow of an existing government by the military. Elijah on nigerian old school songs download collection 1, 19602003 ashiru oluwasegun on quiz how well do you know nigerian states and their slogans. How 1966, 1975 and 1983 military coups destroyed nigeria. The second step examined the effect of military governance on education, the economy, and foreign policy.
History of military rule in nigeria pdf summary yes, i know youd want to keep this for offline use, so weve created the military rule in nigeria pdf file. The impact of military rule on nigerias nation building. Current and future trends in africa military coups in africathe african neocolonialism that is selfinflicted the wind of change, as mr. Military coups and presspublic support springerlink.
The link is plausible because many coups are ethnic coups, which depend on the capacity of plotters to mobilize their coethnics. The first military coup in nigeria and how it changed the. Nigeria gained independence on the first of october, 1960. The final step determined the future path of nigeria and its army after the birth of nigeria s third republic. Military coups and military regimes in africa scientia.
He also urged countries with similar experiences to find an effective and relatively painless way of curbing the incidence of coups and corruption by the military. The nigeria military then was still largely under the control and influence of the queen of england. Indeed, a field study tour conducted in 1960 1 the year of independence as it has been called to investigate the place of the armed forces in societies in africa did not provide the evidence on which to forecast the eventual spate of 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. Teslim opemipo omipidan on 5 historical riotswars in nigeria that almost destroyed the country. A video profiling nigerias history of coups and military governments between 1966 and 1983. The conclusion recommended an increase in militarytomilitary contact with nigeria to. Africa, economic development, governance, security, the west, west africa, nigeria, cote divoire, liberia, coups detat, instabilities. The conclusion recommended an increase in military to military contact with nigeria to. Military rule, political regime in which the military as an organization holds a preponderance of power.
Militancy flourishes in nigeria because political advancement requires it. Nigeria british colony independence in 1960 severe internal conflicts within and among regions civil wars military coups occurred that changed leadership of country petroleum industry has helped but still nigeria has high unemployment and inflation rates. Adenrele adebayo on 5 historical riotswars in nigeria that almost destroyed the country. April 1990 coup detat speech on nigerias social and. The country was at its infantile stage and was still trying to adapt to. The inside story of nigerias first military coup part 1. The evolution of the nigerian military followed very closely, the political history of the country. There have been a number of separatist movements causing attempts at secession, such as katanga in zaire, biafra in nigeria, and others in sudan, ethiopia and somalia.
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. Why nigeria has not experienced military coup since 1999. It would take civilian misrule of cataclysmic proportions for nigerians to tolerate military rule ever again. At the time of the coup, gowon was attending the 12th.
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