The Federal Republic of Nigeria Flashcards
a party formed as an alliance of opposition parties leading into the 2015 presidential election; now the party in power in Nigeria
All Progressive Congress
a conflict (1966-1970) in which the southern state of Biafra attempted to seced from Nigeria in an effort to take full control of oil rents from international energy companies
Biafran Civil War
an extreme Islamic terrorist organization, whose name translates to “against Western education” that uses kidnapping and violence to prevent secularization and the education of women and girls in northeastern Nigeria
Boko Haram
social divisions that tend to run in the same direction, dividing societies along the same fault line repeatedly and creating more intense political conflict between groups
Coinciding cleavages
the seizure of control of the state apparatus by the military
Coup d’etat
a proposed transnational currency of the West African Monetary Zone
Eco
a supranational organization of fifteen West African countries, including Nigeria, that have agreed to free trade and economic integration
Economic Community of the West African States (ECOWAS)
the regime of Nigeria since the adoption of the Constitution of 1999, which created a federal republic with a presidential system of government
Fourth Republic
Nigeria’s largest ethnic group, predominately Islamic; its members live in the northern region of the country and comprise approximately 30% of the population
Hausa-Fulani
the tendency in Nigerian politics of tribal or ethnic loyalties to supersede concerns of the national public interest
Identity Politics
Nigeria’s third largest single ethnic group, predominately Christian; its members live in the southeast region of the country and comprise approximately 18% of the population
Igbo
an independent election-regulation agency in Nigeria, in place since the advent of the Fourth Republic, that has been accused by critics of weighing its decisions in favor of the government in many elections
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
a term used during periods of military rule to describe military officials who remain in the traditional role of defending the nation or enforcing laws rather than making policy
“Military in Barracks”
a term used during periods of military rule to describe military officials who hold positions of policymaking power rather than traditional military roles
“Military in government”
Nigeria’s bicameral legislature, consisting of the House of Representatives and Senate
National Assembly
refers to the issue of whether Nigeria should remain a unified country or be broken into smaller countries because of its extensive diversity and lack of national unity
National question
an oil-rich region in the south of Nigeria where the Niger River flows into the ocean; a central point of ethnic conflict over resource control
Niger Delta
a political party without a defining ideology that makes policies with the primary goal of remaining in power
Party of power
the party in power in Nigeria from the beginning of the Fourth Republic (1999-current); now the main opposition party to the government
People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
a parastatal corporation responsible for providing electricity in Nigeria that was known for its corruption and inefficiency until it was privatized in 2013
Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)
the tendency in Nigerian bureaucratic agencies for corrupt individual bureaucrats to use their official position to enrich themselves; for example, by securing bribes when preforming their official functions
Prebendalism
the idea that countries with a large supply of a valuable natural resource become excessively dependent on sale and exportation of that resource and fall to develop other areas of the national economy
Resource curse
the rapid colonization of Africa by European powers (1860-1910) during which time Nigeria was colonized by Great Britain
“Scramble for Africa”
a system of law based on the principles of Islam
Shari’ah
