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Morning All! It's Day 15, our final session discussing 1945-1967 #NigerianPoliticalHistory based on my thesis research.
Today, we'll be looking at the events of late 1966 and early 1967 directly preceding Nigeria's civil war.
Today, we'll be looking at the events of late 1966 and early 1967 directly preceding Nigeria's civil war.
As mentioned yesterday, in July 1966, a group of Northern officers organized Nigeria's second coup, killing Ironsi and appointing Lieutenant-Colonel Yakubu Gowon as military head of state. Gowon immediately repealed Ironsi's decree, reverting Nigeria back to a federal structure.
He also released Awo from prison in a goodwill gesture to the Yorubas who welcomed the former AG leader back as a hero.
While Awo had always had strong Yoruba opposition to his person during the 1950s from various sections of Yorubaland, his time in prison 1963-66 turned him
While Awo had always had strong Yoruba opposition to his person during the 1950s from various sections of Yorubaland, his time in prison 1963-66 turned him
Morning All! Day 14 of our 15-day #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my thesis research.
Today, we'll discuss the October 1965 Western Regional elections which were the final nail in the coffin of the First Republic, the January 1966 coup and its aftermath.
Today, we'll discuss the October 1965 Western Regional elections which were the final nail in the coffin of the First Republic, the January 1966 coup and its aftermath.
Yesterday, we discussed the rigging, intimidation and ethnic-baiting that characterized Nigeria's 1964 federal elections in which the Bello-Akintola Nigerian National Alliance (NNA), eventually emerged triumphant.
The Western Regional elections of 1965 followed a similar pattern. Western Premier Akintola's NNDP party deployed blatantly ethnic rhetoric, stating on the cover of its election manifesto that if elected, it would make sure "Yorubas shall never be slaves." See poster here: 
Morning All! Day 13 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my thesis research.
Today, we'll be discussing the 1964 federal elections, the first nationwide elections organized in independent Nigeria and an ominous sign of things to come.
Today, we'll be discussing the 1964 federal elections, the first nationwide elections organized in independent Nigeria and an ominous sign of things to come.
Yesterday, we discussed the efforts of Southern political leaders to remove the North's representative advantage at the political centre via cooked-up census figures in 1962 and the back and forth that ensued. As we concluded, Bello's NPC was finally able to force through census
results that showed the North with a majority 29.7m of the 55.6m Nigerians recorded in the 1963 repeat census. Southern leaders were thus back to square one, facing the prospect Bello would lead NPC to a majority victory in the upcoming 1964 elections or something very close to
Morning All! Day 12 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my thesis research.
Today, we'll discuss how Awo's Action Group imploded in 1962 with him ending up in jail.
We'll also discuss Nigeria's first major census controversy. Who had more people, North or South?
Today, we'll discuss how Awo's Action Group imploded in 1962 with him ending up in jail.
We'll also discuss Nigeria's first major census controversy. Who had more people, North or South?
By 1962, there was serious dissatisfaction in Action Group. A faction of the party believed AG, and Yorubas in general, were losing too much as a result of being in opposition at the federal level and should reach out to Bello's NPC for access to power and resources.
The group included Samuel Akintola, who succeeded Awo as the Western Region Premier after the latter resigned the post to lead the party's 1959 federal election campaign. Awo disagreed with those looking to cut a deal with Bello and his party.
Morning All! Day 11 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my thesis research.
Today, we'll discuss major political events in months leading to Independence Day in 1960 and immediately after, including what fuelled growing fears of "Northern domination" in the South.
Today, we'll discuss major political events in months leading to Independence Day in 1960 and immediately after, including what fuelled growing fears of "Northern domination" in the South.
Yesterday, we discussed how Nigeria's first post-colonial government was formed with Zik's NCNC eventually allying with Bello's NPC as a junior coalition partner in a government headed by Tafawa Balewa as Nigeria's Prime Minister.
However, while Balewa was PM, everyone knew Bello, as head of NPC, was his political boss, a fact Bello himself often reminded people of, regularly referring to Prime Minister Balewa as "my lieutenant" in public.
Awo had just suffered the biggest setback of his political career
Awo had just suffered the biggest setback of his political career
Morning All! Day 10 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my thesis research.
Today, we'll discuss how Nigeria's first post-colonial government was formed in 1959 and why Zik's NCNC chose coalition with Bello's NPC instead of Awo's AG who offered him Premiership.
Today, we'll discuss how Nigeria's first post-colonial government was formed in 1959 and why Zik's NCNC chose coalition with Bello's NPC instead of Awo's AG who offered him Premiership.
All told after the 1959 federal elections, Bello's NPC commanded 143 seats in the 312-member House of Representatives, NCNC 89 seats, AG 73 plus 7 Independents. Technically, any 2 of the major parties could thus form a coalition. However, just after the results were announced,
but before any coalition deal had been reached Governor-General James Robertson appointed Tafawa Balewa PM on grounds he represented largest party in House of Reps and could form a coalition.
Balewa specifically requested this to strengthen his hand in coalition negotiations.
Balewa specifically requested this to strengthen his hand in coalition negotiations.
Morning All! Day 9 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my thesis research.
Today, we'll discuss regional ethnic minority fears before independence, fears of Northern political domination and 1959 elections that determined Nigeria's first post-colonial government.
Today, we'll discuss regional ethnic minority fears before independence, fears of Northern political domination and 1959 elections that determined Nigeria's first post-colonial government.
Towards mid-1957, it was clear Nigeria would be independent by 1959 or 1960, just not exact date. Question now turned to issues of post-independence. As we said yesterday, in each region, East, West and North, ethnic minorities were worried they would be dominated by the majority
Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa-Fulani groups in their region via parties like AG, NCNC and NPC which were seen as controlled by these group's leaders- Awo, Zik and Bello. In the North, groups from today's Middle-Belt area agitated for their own state, in East, groups from today's
Morning All! Day 8 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my thesis research.
Today we'll start with the events following the 1954 Lyttleton Constitution-era, which marked the beginning of Nigeria's final march to independence. We'll focus on inter-ethnic sentiments
Today we'll start with the events following the 1954 Lyttleton Constitution-era, which marked the beginning of Nigeria's final march to independence. We'll focus on inter-ethnic sentiments
For most of 1955 and 1956, Awo, Zik and Bello, all regional Premiers now, focussed on their new powers and responsibilities and in preparation for the next constitutional conference scheduled for 1957. Ethnic animosities were never far below the surface though.
In a 1955 memo to Alan Lennox-Boyd, Secretary of State for the colonies, Bryan Sharwood-Smith, Governor-General of Northern Nigeria, stated:
"It is appropriate to record the increasing tendency of many Northern ministers, particularly Premier Bello, to indulge in anti-Southern
"It is appropriate to record the increasing tendency of many Northern ministers, particularly Premier Bello, to indulge in anti-Southern
Morning All! Day 7 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my thesis research.
Today we'll be discussing the major events following the 1953 self-government crisis that almost led to the secession of Northern Nigeria and resulted in the fatal Kano inter-ethnic riots.
Today we'll be discussing the major events following the 1953 self-government crisis that almost led to the secession of Northern Nigeria and resulted in the fatal Kano inter-ethnic riots.
After the North-South quarrel over the right date for independence and the resulting Kano riots in which dozens were killed (both from North and South), Oliver Lyttleton, Secretary of State for the Colonies, informed the House of Commons it had become clear Nigeria’s regions
could not work together effectively in a tightly-knit federation and Britain would invite Nigerian leaders to discuss a new constitution providing greater regional autonomy. Constitutional conferences, presided over by Lyttleton, were held between July 1953 and February 1954.
Greetings All! Day 6 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my thesis research.
Today, we'll focus on the 1953 independence motion that eventually led to fatal riots in Kano, threat of Northern secession and even fears of civil war. This was a really crucial moment.
Today, we'll focus on the 1953 independence motion that eventually led to fatal riots in Kano, threat of Northern secession and even fears of civil war. This was a really crucial moment.
1952 was relatively calm in politics as leaders adjusted to new roles following the 1951 elections and under the Macpherson Constitution. However, 1953 brought dramatic ultimately tragic events that would have a long-lasting impact on Nigerian politics and inter-ethnic relations.
At the House of Representatives in March 1953, Anthony Enahoro of AG listed a motion requesting the house endorse as primary objective the attainment of self-government for Nigeria in 1956. NCNC was in support, but Northern members vehemently opposed such a specific timetable.
Greetings all! Day 5 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my thesis research.
Today we'll discuss Nigeria's first general election in 1951 which was particularly nasty in Western Region and is considered by some as the moment ethnic politics came to Nigeria 4 good.
Today we'll discuss Nigeria's first general election in 1951 which was particularly nasty in Western Region and is considered by some as the moment ethnic politics came to Nigeria 4 good.
The 1951 campaign for the Western Region was a bitter contest between Zik's NCNC party and Awolowo's Action Group. Zik had decided to contest a seat in Lagos so he could get into the Western Assembly, leaving his party colleagues to try capture the Eastern Assembly.
This vexed many Yoruba intellectuals and others around Awolowo. Awo's Tribune newspaper ran editorials saying Zik running in Lagos was 'an insult to all Westerners' and that he should have run in his home Eastern Region. Zik should leave the West to 'Westerners,' Tribune argued.
Greetings all! It's Day 4 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my recent thesis research.
Today, we'll be discussing some of the major events leading to Nigeria's first-ever democratic general election in 1951 and how ethnicity came into play during this period.
Today, we'll be discussing some of the major events leading to Nigeria's first-ever democratic general election in 1951 and how ethnicity came into play during this period.
Yesterday, we discussed some of the Igbo-Yoruba elite-driven tensions of 1948. It is important to mention here that while the East-West/Igbo-Yoruba rivalry could be described as a clash of equals, the North-South cleavage was a different scenario altogether.
The Northern Region constituted three-quarters of Nigeria’s total area size, making it larger than the Eastern and Western Regions’ combined.
Morning All😃! Day 3 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my PhD research into constructions of sub-national identities by Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Ahmadu Bello.
Today, we'll discuss some major events in late 1940s, including the 1948 'Lagos Press War.'
Today, we'll discuss some major events in late 1940s, including the 1948 'Lagos Press War.'
Ethnic and regional identities had begun to solidify and become politically meaningful in Nigeria by the 1940s along with the expansion of various ethnic unions and organizations. In 1945, while a student in London, Obafemi Awolowo co-founded the Egbe Omo Odùduwà.
It was a pan-Yoruba organization meant to foster unity and a sense of one-ness among Yoruba-speaking peoples who had historically identified with their city of origin rather than as 'Yorubas.' However, all agreed descent from 'Odùduwà', hence the chosen name as a unifying factor.
Morning all! Day 2 of our #NigerianPoliticalHistory sessions based on my thesis research. Yesterday, we discussed how the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM), founded in 1936 to unite Nigerians of all ethnicities, imploded due to personal rivalries with Zik exiting NYM in 1941. Today..
We'll discuss some major events of 1944-48.
In 1944, Azikiwe co-founded a new political organization conglomerating numerous ethnic and social unions into a political party called the National Council for Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) which aimed to achieve independence.
In 1944, Azikiwe co-founded a new political organization conglomerating numerous ethnic and social unions into a political party called the National Council for Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) which aimed to achieve independence.
Post WWII, events were to occur that would reshape Nigeria’s socio-political landscape, establish the constitutional framework under which political leaders would operate for the next years and set Nigeria firmly on the road to regionalism and solidification of ethnic identities.
