Nigeria Briefing Paper Study Guide

pgs. 1-11

Preface: Why Study Nigeria?

  1. What is prebendalism?
  2. How can Nigeria’s unstable political history be characterized since its independence in 1960? Why is this?
  3. What country colonized Nigeria?
  4. How has the Nigerian government tried to manage the ethnic and religious diversity within Nigeria?
  5. What similarity does the author discuss between Nigeria and Russia?
  6. What similarity does the author discuss between Nigeria and China?
  7. What contrast does the author make between the development of democracy in Nigeria versus the development of democracy in Great Britain and Mexico?
  8. What part of Nigeria has a substantial Muslim community where Shari’ah law plays a significant role?

Country Overview

  1. How many distinct ethnic groups are there in Nigeria? Why is this significant to the study of Nigerian government and politics?
  2. What is the breakdown of Nigeria by religion? Where do Muslims tend to live?
  3. Look at the Timeline of Key Events. How many military coups have there been since Nigeria gained its independence from the British in 1960? What does this tell you about politics in Nigeria?

pgs. 11-18

Historical Overview

  1. How did the British lay the “foundation for the contemporary federal arrangement in the country”? Why did they divide Nigeria the way they did?
  2. Explain how the First Republic was structured in ways that resembled the British parliamentary system.
  3. Explain how the First Republic was structured in ways that resembled the American presidential system.
  4. In Nigeria, what is the title of the head of government? What is the title of the head of state?
  5. What has made it difficult for “truly national political movements to emerge”?
  6. What characterized politics in Nigeria in the 1960s and 1970s? What role did religion play in the instability during this period?
  7. Why did President Obasanjo model the Nigerian government on the American system?
  8. Why did President Obasanjo expand the number of states to 19?
  9. What important democratic event happened in 1979 and again in 1983? Why were these events not as promising as they might have first appeared?
  10. Briefly describe the events of the “transition process” in the Third Republic.
  11. How did Olusegun Obasanjo gain power again in 1999?

pgs. 19-24

Political Institutions

  1. What has historically been the most powerful political force in Nigeria?
  2. What roles does the Nigerian president play in the Nigerian government?
  3. How long is the president’s term? How many terms may he serve?
  4. What similarities are there between the powers and duties of the Nigerian president and those of the American president?
  5. How many states are there in Nigeria? What is the capital of Nigeria?
  6. How is the Nigerian legislature similar to the American legislature?
  7. How many Senators are there? How many Representatives are there? How long are their terms?
  8. How is the Nigerian judiciary similar to the American judiciary?
  9. How is the Nigerian judiciary different from the American judiciary?
  10. How are the states run?
  11. Why is the military so important? Why is it an institution that is “national in character” and more representative than political parties?
  12. How did the first Nigerian political parties contribute to ethnic divisions?
  13. What are the two major parties in Nigeria?
  14. What is necessary for presidential candidates to win the first round of elections? Why is does this requirement exist in the Constitution?
  15. What role has the bureaucracy served in Nigeria? What role has corruption played in the bureaucracy?
  16. How independent and free is the media in Nigeria? What evidence is there for this?

pgs. 24-33

Citizens and Society

  1. What group is Islam most associated with? Where does this group tend to live?
  2. Where do Christians tend to live?
  3. How is civil society organized in Nigeria? How effective are various civil organizations in impacting Nigerian politics?
  4. What role have student groups played in civil society in Nigeria?
  5. Describe the various forms of political participation in Nigeria.
  6. What are the two dominant belief systems in Nigeria?
  7. What role do patron-client relations play in Nigeria?

Political Economy

  1. What role does oil play in the political economy of Nigeria?
  2. Explain how the increase in the price of oil led to increased corruption and instability in Nigeria.
  3. How was the experience of Nigeria in the 1970s and 1980s similar to that of Mexico? How were their experiences different?
  4. Why is “balancing long-term economic logic with immediate social needs” such a challenge?


Major Public Policy Challenges

  1. According to the author, what must be done in terms of economic and political reform?
  2. How has Nigeria contributed to “ending conflicts and promoting regional peace” in Africa?