GST123

• Colonial contact


  Peaceful trade followed by the trans-atlantic slave trade from 1500-1900
• Over 11 Million Africans mostly Nigerians were forcibly transported to Europe for the development of the Industrial Revolution
• Lagos


  Became a Colony under the control of Lt. John Glover who formed the Hausa Constabulary which is the origin of the Nigerian Military
• Sir George Taubman Goldie


  Became leader of the Royal Niger Company just as Slave trade was ending
• Partitioning of Africa


  1. Organized by the German Otto Van Bismark

  2. Britain undertook the systematic military conquest of Nigeria using the Gun/Boat Diplomacy
• Nigeria


  Became a British Protectorate by 1900
• Lord Federick Lugard


  Arrived Nigeria from Hong Kong in 1912 to become its 1st Governor General after the 1914 amalgamation into one colony
• Miss Flora Shaw


  A British Journalist who became wife of Lord Lugard and gave the name Nigeria as the country was before then known as the Niger Area; Land of Mighty Rivers or Land of Great Waters
• Amalgamation


  1. 1906 - Lagos Colony was amalgamated with Southern Protectorate

  2. 1914 - Amalgamation of Northern & Southern Protectorates
• Administratively, Nigeria remained divided as Western education and development of a modern economy proceeded more rapidly in the South than in the North – this is the genesis of how ethnicity emerged in all aspects of our lives
• Hugh Clifford constitution of 1922


  Introduced the elective principle leading to the 1st Political Party – the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) of 1923 under the leadership of Herbert Macaulay who is refereed to as the father of Nigerian Nationalism
• The policy of divide and rule continued with Bernard Bourdillon's constitution of 1939
• Richards constitution of 1946


  Introduced regionalism and the Federal Legislative Council of 1947 where leaders of the North & South met for the 1st time – leading to severe distrust and suspicion
• Macpherson constitution of 1951


  Operated the Unitary System of Government
• Lyttleton constitution of 1954


  Transformed Nigeria from Unitary to Federalism (sharing of power between Federal and Regional Government) after the constitutional conference of 1953
• There was disagreement between the North and South over self-government in 1956 due to the motion introduced by Chief Anthony Enahoro in 1953, who was representing the Action Group in the Federal House of Representatives
• Herbert Macaulay & Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe

  Founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) in 1944
• Chief Obafemi Awolowo


  Founded the Action Group (AG) in 1951
• Northern Peoples Congress (NPC)


  Formed in 1952 with Sir Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto) as its leader
• Nigeria's Independence


  Gained in 1960 from Great Britain and adopted the Westminster (parliamentary) system of Government. It was a "Flag" Independence as she lacked functional sovereignty
• Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe


  Emerged as Governor-General and Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister
• Nigeria


  Became a Republic in 1963 and Azikiwe became its first President (Ceremonial Head of State)
• The Western Region in 1962 witnessed very serious political crisis between Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola leading to the declaration of a State of Emergency
• Nigeria's 1st Military Coup


  Took place Jan. 15, 1966 and was led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu. This brought Gen. Aguiyi-Ironsi to power as Military Head of State
• Nigeria's 2nd Military Coup


  Took place July 29, 1966 and it brought Gen. Yakubu Gowon to power
• Gen. Gowon


  On 27th May 1967 divided Nigeria into 12 States
• Independent Republic of Biafra


  Declared on May 29, 1967. This was after the failure of Aburi Accord in Ghana & OAU conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to settle the disagreement between Gowon and Odumegwu Ojukwu
• Nigerian Civil War


  Broke out on July 1, 1967 and was initially described as a Police Action by the Federal Government. The War however lasted for 30 Months, from July 1, 1967 - January 15, 1970
• Gen. Gowon


  Overthrown in a bloodless coup in 1975 by Gen. Murtala Muhammed while attending an OAU conference in Kampala, Uganda
• Gen. Murtala Muhammed


  Assassinated after 6 Months in Office in a bloody coup masterminded by Col. Yaka Suka Dimka. This paved the way for Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo as Military Head of State
• Gen. Obasanjo


  Subsequently handed over power to Alhaji Shehu Shagari after the 1979 elections with Dr. Alex Ekwueme as Vice President
• Shagari's government


  Overthrown in a bloodless coup on 31st Dec. 1983 by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, with Gen. Tunde Idiagbon as Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters. The government lasted for 20 Months (30th Dec. 1983-27th Aug. 1985). It is credited with War Against Indiscipline (WAI)
• Gen. Ibrahim Babangida


  Took over from Gen. Buhari and in 1986 introduced the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) based on the advice of the World Bank
• Presidential elections of June 12, 1993


  Said to have been the fairest ever in Nigeria and won by Chief M.K.O. Abiola, but annulled by Gen. Babangida on June 23, 1993
• Gen. Babangida


  Handed over power to an Interim Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekan on August 27, 1993
• Chief Shonekan


  Forced out of Office by General Sani Abacha on Nov. 17, 1993
• Chief Moshood Abiola


  Declared himself President on June 11, 1994 and went into hiding until his arrest on June 23, 1994
• Gen. Obasanjo and his deputy, Gen. Shehu Musa Yar'Adua


  Arrested and eventually jailed for life after a secret tribunal convicted them of trying to overthrow Abacha's government in early 1995
• Gen. Abacha's Chief of Staff, Gen. Oladipo Diya, 10 other Officers and 8 Civilians


  Tried for Coup Plotting and sentenced to death on Dec. 21, 1997
• Gen. Abacha


  Died of an alleged heart failure on June 8, 1998