TRACE THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF NIGERIA THAT LED THE PRESENT STRUCTURE.

TRACE THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF NIGERIA THAT LED THE PRESENT STRUCTURE. Like most part of Africa, Nigeria was also colonized by an imperial foreign power. The present day Nigeria (Plus or minus some territories) came into existence with formal amalgamation of conjured territories of the North and South by the British colonial Governor Lord Lugard However over the years, after the amalgamation, through the spirit of give and take by the pioneer leaders and people at large, a national spirit began to manifest to the point when the leader agree to work together. If only to kick out the British in 1960 The consequences of slave trade were devastating. Much the trade diminished total African population is disputed, but the most serious effects were social and political. The trade helped foster wars, raiding, and exploitation of the weak by the powerful. Rulers and cultures who were reluctant to participate were edged aside by big men-ruler or merchants who used the system to increase their power and profit  In northern Nigeria, Muslim reformer and empire builder Uthman Danfodio established the Sokoto caliphate in the early 19th century over the house trading state. A predominantly Fulani aristocracy rule over the majority of Hausa speaking commoners including both merchants and peasants expansion of agriculture, trade and craft made this area probably the most propitious in tropical in the 19th century  Engaged in trade both to the coast and through the traditional route over the dessert to North African. The British colonial empire.  educated Africans most especially Nigeria were excluded from the civil service, and African entrepreneurs were discrimination against top down colonial authority was put in place through was called "indirect rule" which has existent or invented traditional authority to govern African communities "Chiefs" become the agent of Colonial which checks and become that offer had previously constrained their authority were diminished. However the slogan "Divide and Rule "helped guide administration well as conquest.  Although the North and South were formally consolidated in 1914, disparities of education and religion were reinforced. In the North, The British limited Christian mission, restricted education, and reinforced the feudal rulers. In 1939 eastern and western Nigeria were separated.  Leading to the structure of three separate regions which was in place at independence, within each regions, one ethnic group predominated - the House - Fulani in the North the Yoruba in the southwest and the Igbo in the south east.  The system fostered rivalries not only between the regions but also between the dormant group and (minorities) with each region. Resistance to colonial rule took many forms until interdependence in 1960 Nnamdi Azikiwe was died in 1996 at the age of 91, was one of the continent leading nationalism wineries resistance to taxation led to a revolt in ABA in eastern Nigeria in 1929 and to massive protest Abeokuta in the west in the late 1940s.  The Islamic populist movement led by Aminu Kano in the North opposed not only British rule but also the feudal aristocracy. The political scene leading up to independence, however was dominated by three regionally based parties: the National council for Nigeria and the Cameroon (NCNC) the east the Action Group (AG) in the west, and the conservation Northern people congress (NPC) in the North. Infect, Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation gained independence in October 1st 1960 from the British. Ever since that day Nigeria remained an uneasy federation of district regions. The political class of each regions used its a authority to harass opponents and to pursue it own interest. At the federal level, the northern peoples congress, led by northern region premier Ahmadu Bello and federal Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, was the leading force in a coalition with the NCNC, while the AG was excluded from power. After openly corrupt elections in 1964 the NCNC was also excluded from national power. The gap between the rich and poor widened, and protest mounted. In January 1966, middle-ranking members of the Nigerian military staged an attempted coup. This was suppressed by federal troops, but resulted in the installation of a military junta, led by Igbo officer. Regional animosities flared prompting massacres of Igbo-Speaker living in the north. The following year, eastern leader responded by declaring a separate Republic of Biafra igniting a three years civil war. Despite intense ethnic polarization and perhaps as many as cone million killed during the war, the winning federal government followed a policy of non-retribution. Sub sequent division of Nigeria into smaller states produced larger representation for ethnic group other than big three.  Successive military government promised to return Nigeria to civilian rule. But it was more than a decade before it Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo fulfilled this commitment. They also promised to end civilian corruption, but Gen. Murital Muhammed, the most energetic in the drive against corruption. Was in office only pier less than a year in 1975-1976 before an abortive coup attempt resulted in his death. 1979, Sheu Shagari, leader of the National party of Nigeria (NPN) was elected president of the second Rep while however; neither the regional tension nor the issue of corruption had been resolved. The Shagari regime was notorious by corrupt and incompetent. Nigerians Second Republic, which came into begging on 1st October 1979, was a presidential system of government operated on the American model. it was unlike the first Republic which operated on the British parliamentary model. The civilian government of Alhaji Shahu Shagari was overthrown by the army on 31 December 1983 -to the great relief of many Nigerian. And a military government headed by major- General Muhammedu Buhari was instituted its place  Buhari tried to ameliorate the serious unemployment situation by expelling illegal alien who caused much social and economic headache to the young. The launched a "war against indiscipline” (WAI) in Nigerians public and private life. Buhari social and economic reform measure as pointed out, had tended on the whole to impose undue hardship on the people. All this was made move unbearable by his dictatorial and intolerant methods by the end of the first half of 1985 the nation seemed to have had enough of his un acceptance if well-intentioned dictatorship.  On 27 August, 1985, Buhari was overthrown in a bloodless coup on Buhari Overthrown the mantle of leadership fell on major General Ibrahim Badmosi Babangida.  Chief of Army staff in Buharis government an assumption of office Babangida took the title of president.  The first Nigerian military to assume that title.   in conclusion these Gown was the rotational of power gradually come after the other, the region of General Ibrahim Babangida initiated the parties which was referred as social democratic party (SDP) and N.R.C which chief M.K.O Abiola was one of Aspirant president candidate while Alhaji Bashiru Tofa was N.R.C Aspirant the election haled in June-12-1991 which was later cancelled the power of government shifted to internal government of the same year by Chief Sonekan , Chief Managed the government for three month before Gen. Sani Abacha over thrown the power without hard and bloodless intervention General Sani Abacha came to the thrown, he has governed the country with military system of government, his government create more state to the development of the country, the power of his government lasted for a good five years before he has death in heart failure (hearth attack).  At his juncture , General Abdusalam Abubakar was appointed to be a military government leader , he came to the power and selected a good democracy system of government where many various parties have establish to people of Nigerian were we have many parties such as people democratic party (PDP) ,APP,CPC,AD, and many after  were not men tined. The good account of the election made a successive presidential  election to the formal head of state General Olusegun Obasanjo who had become 1999 presidential election he governed the affair of the country for good eight years before he has made Alhaji Musa Yar’adu as PDP presidential election, he won the election of 2011 election for the fact of god will the man passed away on his thrown while Dr Good lock Jonathar become Nigeria president . Before he was vice president to Alhaji musa yar’adua. These how the political history of Nigeria come to the present structure.      Reference:- A history of Nigeria for schools and colleges by GIC Eluwa,M.O, Ukagwu,J.U.N. Nwachukwu  http://google.com.ng