Nigeria Short Answers

Question 0

Religion as a cleavage

Answer 0

• political culture made complex by competing regions
• 50% Muslim, 40% Christian, 10% native religions
• arguments rooted in preferential treatment British gave to Christians
• disputes about the role of sharia

Question 1

Ethnicity as a cleavage

Answer 1

• 250 to 400 separate ethnic groups

- 3 main groups: hausa-Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba

Question 2

The legislature

Answer 2

• has taken several forms
• presidential system with a bicameral legislature known as the National Assembly
• the senate: upper house is composed of 109 senators from 36 states and one from the federal capital, directly elected by popular vote, diverse
• the house of reps: 360 members from single member districts, elected by plurality, not many women
• under military have no power, and even under civilian control, the l has only recently become an effective check on the presidents power