achievement of the military Flashcards
Keeping Nigeria United
The Nigerian military deserves a pat on the back for successfully quelling a 30-month civil war to keep the nation united. Although, many people may blame the Nigerian civil war on the personality clash between two military officers Lt. Cols. Yakubu Gowon and Odumegwu Ojukwu. That belief may be wrongly given that the genesis of the national crisis had been traced to a number of factors, both remote and immediate in the preceding units in this course. However, the men and officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces laid down their lives to defend the unity of the country otherwise Nigeria would have disintegrated like many failed republics in the world. Today everybody is proud that, all things being equal, Nigeria has everything it takes to become a world power and also a big player in the global politics.
Restructuring the Polity
On the eve of the civil war, the military changed the geo-political configuration of Nigeria from a four-region to a twelve-state federal structure. Although, this could be a war strategy, it was a welcome development to the minority groups in the country who had been clamouring for the exercise since the colonial period. Further, in order to assuage the fears of the minority ethnic nationalities in the country, another state creation exercise took place in 1975 which brought the total number of the Nigerian component units to nineteen. Also in the same year, Local Government Areas were created by the military in order to bring government nearer to the grassroots people. Up to date, the Federal Republic of Nigeria is made up of thirty-six States, seven- hundred and seventy-four LGAs and a Federal Capital Territory (FCT). No civilian government has even been able to accomplish this feat successfully.
Provision of Social Infrastructure
the military after the end of the war, embarked on construction of network of roads to enhance the movement of people and goods which has improved the social and economic interaction among Nigerians. In addition, the military constructed Airports and Seaports in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ilorin, Jos, Enugu, Kano and Sokoto and purchased aircraft to open the country to the international community for meaningful economic relations. Because of the ease with which the military took decisions, it established many industries in the mining, oil, marine, aviation and automobile sectors of the economy as a means of creating job opportunities for Nigerians; to prevent the emergence of a monopoly and also to invest in less profitable ventures which may not attract the interest of private entrepreneurs. The construction of oil refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna was to the credit of the military. It was aimed at making the country depend less on imported fuel for domestic consumption. In the same vein, many River Basins were established to promote productivity in the agricultural sector.
Improvement in Education
By 1966 when the military made incursion into Nigerian politics, there were only four Universities in the country: Universities of Ibadan, Ife, Zaria and Nsukka. Apart from the University (College) of Ibadan which was established by the colonial government in 1948, the other three were established by the Regional Premiers in the First Republic but by 1999 when the military disengaged, the number of University established by the federal or state military government have increased tremendously. The military government established many specialized Universities for Agriculture, Science and Technology as-well-as many polytechnics across the federation.
On May 22, 1973 the military regime under General Gowon established the National Youth Service Corps scheme.
Some of its objectives include to:
- develop common ties among the youths and promote national unity
- inculcate discipline in the youths by instilling in them a tradition of industry and patriotism and loyal service to the nation
- raise the moral level of youths by giving them the opportunity to learn about higher ideals of national achievement and social and cultural improvement No doubt the scheme has come a long way in ensuring the national integration and cohesion of the diverse people of Nigeria.
War Against Indiscipline (WAI)
In 1984 the Buhari/Idiagbon military regime made a conscious effort at reviving the dwindling social ethics in the Nigerian society by waging war against indiscipline which included: queuing culture, work ethics, and environmental sanitation. The military also waged war against drug trafficking, illegal foreign exchange business, examination malpractices and other misdemeanours that had eaten deep into the social fabrics of the Nigerian society and which have cast negative aspersions on every citizen of the country in the international community.
Dynamic Foreign Policy
Under General Murtala/Obasanjo regime, the Nigerian foreign policy was restructured to make Africa its centre piece. This was the period when African countries were fighting against the last vestiges of colonialism in Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Soweto and the apartheid regime in South Africa. Nigeria became a Frontline State because of her leading role in the struggle which led to the granting of independence to all the aforementioned countries and eventually the collapse of apartheid policy in South Africa at the turn of the last Century. Technical Aid Corps is another scheme designed by the military under General Babangida as a foreign policy instrument to assist African countries with the abundance of Nigeria s human resources. In addition, the establishment of a regional economic community called Economic Community of West Africa was initiated by the Nigerian military administration to promote trade and commerce beyond the tariff wall and diplomatic barriers in the West African sub-region.
Finally, the Nigerian military had the opportunity to prolong its stay in the political scene but was faithful with its promise to return the country to democratic rule which came to pass on October 1, 1979 and 1999.
Problems of Military Rule
Human Rights Violation Military rule is detestable the world over, because of its lack of respect for constitutionality and the rule of law in governance. The first task immediately the military takes over an elected government is to suspend the nation’s constitution and resort to ruling by decrees conceived and promulgated by a few clique of officers who constitute themselves into a Supreme Military Council or Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council as the case may be. Military decrees are made superior to the regular laws of the land with retrospective effects which cannot be challenged in any Law Court. Citizens usually lose their fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, association, movement, privacy, etc. The Press, Trade Unions and Human Rights groups and such other democratic institutions are seen and treated as rebels by the military junta. They are either decreed out of existence or gagged from operation or get their recalcitrant members detained and humiliated for championing people s causes. The precision with which the military takes decisions, in most cases without properly digesting the facts at issue, usually leads to miscarriage of justice or outright injustice on innocent people in the society.
Under Murtala/Obasanjo’s regime many civil servants were wrongfully dismissed (with ignominy) or retired (without benefits) from the service. This affected the morale and work ethics in the civil service which some would argue as the genesis of corruption in the public service in order to save for the rainy days . In 1984 under Buhari/Idiagbon regime, some Nigerians were arraigned before a military tribunal rather than a regular Court for drug offences which they have committed before the advent of the regime. Despite the public outcry and protest by the Nigerian Bar Association, the offenders were sentenced to death by firing squad. In summary, dividends of democracy are completely absent under a military rule.
Corruption
Each time the military comes on board, one of the excuses it gives for seizing power is corruption in high places but this appears to be a case of the kettle calling the pot black as events in Nigeria has proved that the military itself is not immune against the social malady. This fact came to the fore during the probe panel set up by Gen. Murtala Mohammed in 1975 to ascertain how rich Gowon s Governors were, and how the wealth was acquired. According to Oluleye (1985:176):
The findings were an eye sore, as many of them were on the ladder to becoming millionaires. Except Brigadiers Mobolaji Johnson and Oluwole Rotimi, others were booted out via dishonourable discharge after they were divested of some of the ill-gotten gains.
In 1981, President Shehu Shagari, in response to public demand, set up a judicial panel of enquiry on the missing $2.8b oil money under the military administration of General Olusegun Obasanjo. President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2002 also set up Justice Okigbo panel to investigate the alleged mismanagement of the oil windfall money during General Ibrahim Babangida s regime. The panel had since submitted its report but it is yet to be officially released. Similarly, the probe of the tenure of General Sanni Abacha’s administration by the civilian administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo yielded fruitful results as billions stolen from public treasury by the late maximum ruler were recovered from his foreign bank accounts. As upright and honest as the Buhari/Idiagbon regime might have appeared to be, the scandal of the unchecked 53 suit cases imported into the country when the nation’s borders (land, air and sea) were supposedly closed, cast a slur on the integrity and moral uprightness of the administration.
Sit-Tight Syndrome
Military leaders as well as their civilian counterparts in Africa are both guilty of the odious megalomaniac tendency which has become the bane of development in many African countries. General Yakubu Gowon s regime lost the confidence and esteem of Nigerians when he announced that his administration needed more time as the 1974 return to civil rule promise was unrealistic . The lust for power also led General Babangida to become obsessed with sit-tight agenda by annulling the June 12, 1993 general elections which was generally acclaimed as the freest and fairest in the annals of Nigeria’s election. If not for divine intervention, Gen. Sanni Abacha had almost succeeded in transmuting from military to civilian President in 1998 when the five political parties (described as five fingers of a leprous hand by Chief Bola Ige) created by him had adopted him as their candidate for the 1999 presidential election.
CIVIL RULE IN NIGERIA’S THIRD REPUBLIC
A new constitution was enacted into law by the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) in 1989.
The constitution makes provision for the establishment of a two party system, the creation of traditional councils and the conferment on the states, the power to create local governments.
National Assembly, states and local-government elections were organised based on the content of the constitution.
The two parties, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC) brought to an end the circle of ethnicity in party politics in Nigeria.
However, the parties were factionalised within, which made them to be structurally weak.
A new constitution was enacted into law by the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) in 1989.
The constitution makes provision for the establishment of a two party system, the creation of traditional councils and the conferment on the states, the power to create local governments.
National Assembly, states and local-government elections were organised based on the content of the constitution.
CIVIL RULE IN NIGERIA’S THIRD REPUBLIC
The two parties, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC) brought to an end the circle of ethnicity in party politics in Nigeria.
However, the parties were factionalised within, which made them to be structurally weak.
The date of handover to democratically elected president was changed twice and certain politicians of the first and second republic were banned from contesting public offices.
Eventually, the civil society groups became curious about the transition programme, a curiousity which made them (the groups) to be critical about undue government interference in the programme.
The articulate press also played an important role in acting as a watch dog on the military junta during the programme.
The presidential elections was finally conducted on June 12 1993 and it was witnessed by local and international observers which described it as free and fair.
However, the election was annulled by the military government.
