NigeriaBy Savannah PhillipsMary Kate HigginsJordan Laws

Nigeria’s newly elected President, Muhammadu Buhari

Nigeria’s Flag

Areas to be covered:Sovereignty, Authority, and PowerPolitical and Economic ChangeCitizens, Society, and the StatePolitical InstitutionsPublic Policy

Structure Parliamentary style government

Military dictatorship

Presidential system

CharacteristicsAfrica’s most populous stateStrong democracy movements,

coupled with a susceptibility to totalitarian rule

Many natural resources70% of people live in povertyDivided by religious tensions

Sovereignty, Authority, and PowerLegitimacy

-Military strongest source -Sharia law in north -Failure of leadership -Constitutionalism

National question- Will Nigeria survive as a unified state?

Sovereignty, Authority, and Power

Pre-Colonial (1800-1860)

Trade connections Early influence of

Islam Kinship-based

politics Complex political

identities Democratic impulses

Colonial (1860-1960)

Authoritarian rule The interventionist

state Individualism Christianity Intensification of

ethnic politics

Sovereignty, Authority, and PowerIndependence: Parliamentary style government replaced Intensification of ethnic conflict Military rule

-Biafran Civil War Personalized rule/corruption Federalism Economic dependence on oil

Sovereignty, Authority, and PowerPolitical Culture Prebendalism

- “loyalty pyramid”- patrimonialism

State control/rich civil society Tension between modernity and tradition Religious conflict

-Islam vs. Christianity

Sovereignty, Authority, and PowerPolitical Culture cont.Geographic Influences:1. Northwest – Hausa-Fulani2. Southwest- Yoruba3. Southeast- Igbo

Political and Economic ChangePre-Colonial Nigeria Ethnicity and religion main influence North:

-Sokoto Caliphate-Saharin berbers

South:-Christianity-Atlantic ocean trade

Political and Economic ChangeColonial Nigeria Establishment of southern schools Enforced cleavages Elite group of Nigerians Exploitation by Britain

Political and Economic ChangeModern Nigeria Presidential system Olusegun Obasanjo

Corruption rank and score

China 100th (score of 36)

Iran 136th (score of 27)

Mexico 103rd (score of 35)

Nigeria 136th (score of 27)

Russia 136th (score of 27)

United Kingdom

14th (score of 78)

Citizens, Society, and the StatePoverty Large gap between the rich and

the poorHealth issuesLiteracy

Citizens, Society, and the State

Nigerian Literacy rates

Males: 72.1% Females: 50.4%

Mexican Literacy Rates

Males: 94.8% Females: 92.8%

Large gap between male and female literacy rate and also much lower than other comparative countries

Citizens, Society, and the StateCleavages: Ethnicity Religion Region/ North vs. South Urban/rural differences Social class

Citizens, Society, and the StatePublic Opinion and Political Participations Patron-Clientelism Civil Society Voting Behavior Attitudes towards government Protests and political participation

Political Institutions Numerous regime types throughout history

Varied by area because of colonization North and West

Well developed Large States Hereditary Monarchs

South Small, communal Kinship-based rule

Authoritarian rule by British Today it is formally a federalist and democratic state.

Political InstitutionsLinkage Institutions Political Parties

-regionally or ethnically based-Post 2011, 2 parties supported presidential

candidates People’s Democratic Party (PDP) The Congress for Progressive Change

(CPC) Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)

-not as strong as other parties in presidential election

Political InstitutionsElections and Electoral Presidential Elections

-first in 1999-must receive majority or second ballot election may take place Election of 2011-President must receive at least 25% of votes in 2/3 of the states

Political Institutions Legislative Elections

-Senate directly elected by popular vote-House of Representatives elected from single member districts by plurality

*Election fraud-2003 elections-2007 elections-2011 elections

Political InstitutionsInterest Groups Array of civil society organizations that

cooperate with political parties Labor unions

-challenged gov. in colonial and post-colonial eras

*Babangida regime

Political Institutions Business Interest Human Rights Groups Mass Media Institutions of the National government

-3 branches of gov.-currently presidential system

Bureaucracy-put in place by British*corrupt and inefficient

Political Institutions Para-statals

-similar to Mexican organizations before1980’s

-serve as contact points between gov. and business interests State Corporatism

-like Iran

Political InstitutionsLegislature Bicameral- National Assembly Representatives and senators serve four year

renewable termsJudiciary charged with interpretation of laws in accordance

with constitution Supreme court Military One of strongest forces in policymaking (like Iran

and China)

Public Policy Years of military rule result in top-down

policymaking process Power concentrated in the presidency “loyalty pyramid” How to break the pattern?

Public PolicyEconomic Issues Debt and poverty Oil revenues Distrust of the government

Public PolicyOil: a source of strength or weakness? Rentier state, like Iran Over reliance brings consequences Stolen oil Petroleum Industry Bill Protests in the Niger Delta Economy growing quickly

*Structural Adjustment

Public PolicyFederal Character Federalism “federal character” in the constitution

-hasn’t promoted unity Corruption within bureaucracy Northern vs. southern view of federalism