On 20 December 1997, the government arrested General Oladipo Diya, ten officers, and eight civilians on charges of coup plotting. Songhai collapsed in 1591 when a Moroccan army conquered Gao and Timbuktu. The Niger has many rapids and waterfalls, but the Benue is not interrupted by either and is navigable throughout its length, except during the dry season. Social, economic, and cultural history also began to grow in prominence. [95], The new president took over a country that faced many problems, including a dysfunctional bureaucracy, collapsed infrastructure, and a military that wanted a reward for returning quietly to the barracks. There are reports that civilization already existed in Ile-Ife (the citadel of Yoruba civilization), Nigeria by the 8th century, centuries before the arrival of the British colonial administration. The origin of the name Niger, which originally applied only to the middle reaches of the Niger River . Despite its relative political weakness in this period, Borno's court and mosques under the patronage of a line of scholarly kings earned fame as centres of Islamic culture and learning. [36], The Hausa Kingdoms were a collection of states started by the Hausa people, situated between the Niger River and Lake Chad. George's . Updates? Queen Elizabeth II was monarch of Nigeria and head of state, and Nigeria was a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. In a move towards greater autonomy to minority ethnic groups, the military divided the four regions into 12 states. [46] Urbanisation was accompanied by high levels of artistic achievement, particularly in terracotta and ivory sculpture and in the sophisticated metal casting produced at Ife. [62][63], The Arochukwu kingdom emerged after the Aro-Ibibio Wars from 1630 to 1720, and went on to form the Aro Confederacy which economically dominated Eastern Nigerian hinterland. The Igala Kingdom expanded beyond the present-day boundary. Large freshwater swamps give way to brackish mangrove thickets near the seacoast. [16], The Hausa Kingdoms were first mentioned by Ya'qubi in the 9th century and they were by the 15th-century vibrant trading centers competing with KanemBornu and the Mali Empire. [41] A student reacts during a parade to commemorate Nigeria's 55th Independence Day in Lagos, October 1, 2015. [88], The U.S. analysts said that "Nigeria is still very much a tribal society" where local and tribal alliances count more than "national attachment. The federal military government that assumed power under General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was unable to quiet ethnic tensions on the issue or other issues. Nigeria. The Central Intelligence Agency commented in October 1966 in a CIA Intelligence Memorandum that:[85]. [74], The Federation of Nigeria was granted full independence on 1 October 1960 under a constitution that provided for a parliamentary government and a substantial measure of self-government for the country's three regions. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British journalist Flora Shaw, who later married Baron Frederick Lugard, a British colonial administrator. Quiz, Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Nigeria, Official Site of the Embassy of Nigeria in Seoul, South Korea, Official Site of the Embassy of Nigeria in Germany, Official Site of the Embassy of Nigeria in Vienna, National Geographic Kids - Countries - Nigeria, Official Site of the Embassy of Nigeria in Stockholm, Sweden, Nigeria - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Nigeria - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Nigerian airport workers go on strike; travelers stranded, At least 33 people killed by gunmen in northwest Nigeria, AP PHOTOS: Joyous Holy Week celebrations around the world, At least 10 students abducted by gunmen in northwest Nigeria, Correction: Police-Shooting-Michigan-Race story. Niger African nation, named for the river Niger, mentioned by that name 1520s (Leo Africanus), probably an alteration (by influence of Latin niger "black") of a local Tuareg name, egereou n-igereouen, from egereou "big river, sea" + n-igereouen, plural of that word. The former military head of state Olusegun Obasanjo, freed from prison by Abubakar, ran as a civilian candidate and won the presidential election. Akintola was appointed to head a coalition government in the Western Region. Britannica Quiz Geography Fun Facts Relief The coastal areas are drained by short rivers that flow into the Gulf of Guinea. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=History_of_Nigeria&oldid=1149132929, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the Royal Naval Biography (1823), Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the RNB (1823) with Wikisource reference, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Articles with dead external links from October 2022, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2022, Articles with dead external links from July 2022, Articles incorporating a citation from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia with Wikisource reference, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Odeyemi, Jacob Oluwole. ); terracotta; Muse du quai Branly. On 29 May 1967, Lt. Col. Emeka Ojukwu, the military governor of the eastern region who emerged as the leader of increasing Igbo secessionist sentiment, declared the independence of the eastern region as the Republic of Biafra on 30 May 1967. 150200 deaths (current estimate). [55] The first Eze Nri (King of Nri), fikunim, followed directly after him. Although these soils can readily be leached and lose their fertility, they are the most productive agriculturally. The neighboring Awka city-state rose in power as a result of their powerful Agbala oracle and metalworking expertise. The origin of the Nigerian Armed Forces lies in the elements of the Royal West African Frontier Force, that became Nigerian, when independence was granted in 1960.In 1956, the Nigeria Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) was renamed the Nigerian Military Forces, RWAFF, and in April 1958, the colonial government of Nigeria took over from the British War Office . Cotton grew readily in the great plains of these states, and they became the primary producers of cloth, weaving and dying it before sending it off in caravans to the other states within Hausaland and to extensive regions beyond. The AG was manoeuvred out of control of the Western Region by the Federal Government and a new pro-government Yoruba party, the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), took over. The school was characterised by its overt Nigerian nationalism and it was geared towards forging a Nigerian identity through publicizing the glories of pre-colonial history. circa 11th century onwards - Formation of city states, kingdoms and empires, including Hausa kingdoms and Borno. With the increase of resource spending and oil exportation, Nigerian GDP and HDI (Human Development Index) have risen phenomenally since the economically stagnant rule of Sani Abacha, but the primary population still survives on less than US$2 per day. Kano and Rano were known as the "Chiefs of Indigo." The Nigerian Civil War led some to question whether Nigeria was, in fact, a unified nation with a national history. The eyes and the eyebrows suggest an inner calm or an inner serenity. In 1914, the area was formally united as the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. The economic collapse of the 1980s also greatly hurt the scholarly community, especially the sharp devaluation of the Nigerian currency. At Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria, the Islamic Legitimist school arose that rejected Western models in favour of the scholarly tradition of the Sokoto Caliphate and the Islamic world. These included Islamic empires in northern Nigeria and smaller organized political groupings in southern Nigeria. "The petroleum industry is expanding faster than expected and oil revenues will help defray military and social service expenditures "Nigeria emerged from the war with a heightened sense of national pride mixed with an anti-foreign sentiment, and an intention to play a larger role in African and world affairs." In response, petroleum workers called a strike demanding that Abacha release Abiola and hand over power to him. The most powerful of these states were Ghana, Gao, and Kanem, which were not within the boundaries of modern Nigeria but which influenced the history of the Nigerian savanna. The vast country Kanem-Bornu reaching from Libya to Nigeria was created by the people of Zaghawa in nomadic Nilodic in the North-East of Nigeria by 700. Other states where Igalas can be found are Anambra, Delta and Benue states. The monarch of Nigeria was still head of state but legislative power was vested in a bicameral parliament, executive power in a prime minister and cabinet, and judicial authority in a Federal Supreme Court. In the precolonial period the country normally produced enough agricultural commodities to feed its population, and it even maintained a surplus for export. 15691600) during whose reign Kanem was reconquered. Pin the Capital on the Country: Fact or Fiction? For local elections, nine parties were granted provisional registration with three fulfilling the requirements to contest the following elections. But Benin's fame is based on factors other than power. Katsina and Daura were the "Chiefs of the Market," as their geographical location accorded them direct access to the caravans coming across the desert from the north. However, on 23 June, Babangida, using several pending lawsuits as a pretence, annulled the election, throwing Nigeria into turmoil. The government alleged in early 1995 that military officers and civilians were engaged in a coup plot. On 1 October 1954, the colony became the autonomous Federation of Nigeria. The Akintola faction argued that the Yoruba peoples were losing their pre-eminent position in business in Nigeria to people of the Igbo tribe because the Igbo-dominated NCNC was part of the governing coalition and the AG was not. Unless present army leaders and contending tribal elements soon reach agreement on a new basis for the association and take some effective measures to halt a seriously deteriorating security situation, there will be increasing internal turmoil, possibly including civil war. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. Political parties, however, tended to reflect the makeup of the three main ethnic groups. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British journalist Flora Shaw, who later married Baron Frederick Lugard, a British colonial administrator. [82] Decree No. Finidi George was the first Nigerian to play and score in the UCL semi-final as Ajax defeated Bayern Munich 5-2 at the Amsterdam Arena in the second leg to win 5-2 on aggregate in 1995. [24], Stone axe heads, imported in great quantities from the north and used in opening the forest for agricultural development, were venerated by the Yoruba descendants of Neolithic pioneers as "thunderbolts" hurled to earth by the gods. In the 1980s Nigerian scholarship, in general, began to decline, and the Ibadan School was hugely affected. The school was quite traditional in its subject matter, being largely confined to the political history that colleagues in Europe and North America were then rejecting. Borno regained some of its former might in the succeeding decades, but another drought occurred in the 1790s, again weakening the state. "Africa's most populous country (population estimated at 48 million) is in the throes of a highly complex internal crisis rooted in its artificial origin as a British dependency containing over 250 diverse and often antagonistic tribal groups. In April 1990 mid-level officers attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow the government and 69 accused plotters were executed after secret trials before military tribunals. The middle two-thirds of the country, the savanna regions, contain reddish, laterite soils; they are somewhat less fertile than those of the north because they are not subject to as much seasonal drying, nor do they receive the greater rainfall that occurs in the more southerly regions. In the 1959 elections, the AG obtained 73 seats.[75]. In the vote, widespread electoral fraud was alleged and riots erupted in the Yoruba West where heartlands of the AG discovered they had apparently elected pro-government NNDP representatives. With the country sliding into chaos Defense Minister Sani Abacha assumed power and forced Shonekan's resignation on 17 November 1993. ", "Nigeria's economy came through the war in better shape than expected." Almost immediately, the revenues from oil began to make Nigeria a wealthy nation. The Yoruba-dominated AG became the opposition under its charismatic leader Chief Obafemi Awolowo. [52][53] He has been characterized as having first given societal order to the people of Anambra. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by the Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Soviet Union benefits from Nigerian appreciation of its help during the war, but is not trying for control. [8] From the 15th century, European slave traders arrived in the region to purchase enslaved Africans as part of the Atlantic slave trade, which started in the region of modern-day Nigeria; the first Nigerian port used by European slave traders was Badagry, a coastal harbour. The election was marred by electoral fraud, and denounced by other candidates and international observers.[102][103]. However, the bloody nature of the Young Majors coup caused another coup to be carried out by General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi. The Kingdom of Nri was a religio-polity, a sort of theocratic state, that developed in the central heartland of the Igbo region. Soils in Nigeria, and in Africa generally, are usually of a poorer quality than those in other regions of the world. During his first days in office, President Babangida moved to restore freedom of the press and to release political detainees being held without charge. [110], The Ibadan School dominated the academic study of Nigerian history until the 1970s. On July 29, 1975, Gen. Murtala Mohammed and a group of officers staged a bloodless coup, accusing Gen. Yakubu Gowon of corruption and delaying the promised return to civilian rule. Foreign scholars often associated with the school include Michael Crowder, Abdullahi Amith, J. However, the Cross River Igbo state like the Aro had the greatest influence in Igboland and adjacent areas after the decline of Nri. Excavations in Ugwuele, Afikpo and Nsukka show evidence of habitation as early as 6,000 BC. Following World War II, in response to the growth of Nigerian nationalism and demands for independence, successive constitutions legislated by the British government moved Nigeria toward self-government on a representative and increasingly federal basis. Efforts to eliminate or control these religious leaders only heightened the tensions, setting the stage for jihad. The 1965 national election produced a major realignment of politics and a disputed result that set the country on the path to civil war. Their history is reflected in the Bayajidda legend,[37] which describes the adventures of the Baghdadi hero Bayajidda culminating in the killing of the snake in the well of Daura and the marriage with the local queen magajiya Daurama. - Offers a view of one of the main sources of income for the country. Foreign exchange earnings and government revenues increased spectacularly with the oil price rises of 197374. Islam was used to reinforce the political and social structures of the state although many established customs were maintained. According to the Bayajidda legend, the Banza Bakwai states were founded by the seven sons of Karbagari ("Town-seizer"), the unique son of Bayajidda and the slave-maid, Bagwariya. Member, National Population Commission, Lagos. As a colony, it was initially divided into the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate. Notably, as First Speaker of the House, Jaja Wachuku received Nigeria's Instrument of Independence, also known as Freedom Charter, on 1 October 1960, from Princess Alexandra of Kent, the Queen's representative at the Nigerian independence ceremonies. In the 11th-century, the conquests initiated by Gijimasu of Kano culminated in the birth of the first united Hausa Nation under Queen Amina, the Sultana of Zazzau but severe rivalries between the states led to periods of domination by major powers like the Songhai, Kanem and the Fulani. [73] Western education and the development of a modern economy proceeded more rapidly in the south than in the north, with consequences felt in Nigeria's political life ever since. [48] The Olorun is now called God in the Yoruba language. However, Bello chose to remain as premier of the North and as party boss of the NPC, selected Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, a Hausa, to become Nigeria's first Prime Minister. Key Facts. The need to protect its commercial interests compelled Borno to intervene in Kanem, which continued to be a theatre of war throughout the 15th century and into the 16th century. The royal stool of Olu of warri was founded by an Igala prince. Nigeria, country located on the western coast of Africa. Nigeria as a nation has a rich and complex history which can be traced to when it first became a British protectorate in 1901. Hydromorphic and organic soils, confined largely to areas underlain by sedimentary rocks along the coast and river floodplains, are the youngest soil types. Author of, Professor of History, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. [15][16][17] Shaw's excavations at Igbo-Ukwu revealed a 9th-century indigenous culture that created highly sophisticated work in bronze metalworking, independent of Arab or European influence and centuries before other sites that were better known at the time of discovery. In September 2001, over 2,000 people were killed in inter-religious rioting in Jos. This lack of primary ethnic support makes Jonathan a target for militaristic overthrow or regional uprisings in the area. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. The chiefs of Akwa Akpa placed themselves under British protection in 1884. [75] The federal government Prime Minister, Balewa agreed with the Akintola faction and sought to have the AG join the government. The famous Kano Chronicle records the conversion of Kano's ruling dynasty by clerics from Mali, demonstrating that the imperial influence of Mali extended far to the east. The early independent kingdoms and states that make up present-day state of Nigeria are (in alphabetical order): Benin Kingdom, Borgu Kingdom, Fulani Empire, Hausa Kingdoms, Kanem Bornu Empire, Kwararafa Kingdom, Ibibio Kingdom, Nri Kingdom, Nupe Kingdom, Oyo Empire, Songhai Empire, Warri Kingdom, Ile Ife Kingdom, and Yagba East Kingdom. Thus the North dominated the federation government from the beginning of independence. A state council (the Oyo Mesi) named the Alaafin (king) and acted as a check on his authority. The civil war that disrupted Kanem in the second half of the 14th century resulted in the independence of Borno. At various moments in their history, the Hausa managed to establish central control over their states, but such unity has always proven short. By then a string of dynastic states, including the earliest Hausa states, stretched into western and central Sudan. Each king is a ritual reproduction of Eri. 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