History of civilian rule in nigeria

History of civilian rule in nigeria. The Biafran War (1967-1970) also had a major impact on the country. It provides a background to the nature of Nigeria’s federalism under military rule and how the opening of democratic space in the post-transition Whitney Smith. Topic 2: Military Rule in Nigeria. (1990). Economically, the tax system and transportation system deepened the British’s plunder and control over the economy in Nigeria. The first military rule was recorded on 15 Jan 1966. The Periods of Civil Rule in Nigeria. Nigeria’s GDP has grown six-fold since 1999, according to World Bank data. Thus, from Nigeria’s independence to De cember 1999, civilians ruled fro m 1960-1966, 1 979-1983, August to November 1993, and since May 19 99 The current constitution of Nigeria has the president of Nigeria as the head of state and government. Feb 15, 1999 · Monday, February 15, 1999 Published at 10:52 GMT. T. Politically, slavery was abolished. Olusegun Obasanjo elected for second term despite EU observers reporting "serious irregularities". Prior to that independence, life was good in Nigeria and it was observed that there arise certain issues which led to the Military rule Nigeria. Many reports claim that little is known about the earliest history of Nigeria. Unit. Major general. Bibliography. Lagos, the former capital, retains its standing as the country’s leading commercial and industrial city. Institut für Afrika-Kunde; Rolf Hofmeier, eds. Nigeria's defense chief General Christopher Musa speaks during a media briefing in Abuja, Nigeria Feb 18, 2019 · 2003 19 April - First civilian-run presidential elections since end of military rule. The country, located on the Atlantic coast in western Africa, has a diverse geography, with climates ranging from arid to humid equatorial. 2 days ago · Nigeria. Violence has intensified in recent months, including multiple terrorist attacks in Felo, Monguno, and Nganzai in June 2020 that killed at least 120 people and targeted a Jun 8, 2023 · Mr Buhari passed on the mantle of leadership to Bola Tinubu who was sworn in as Nigeria’s 16th head of state since 1960 and the fifth president since the return to civil rule in 1999. ng has gathered these top ten benefits. [1] [2] Much of what was written on Nigeria under military rule focuses more on the civil war, the political processes, the economy and so on, but there are very few available literature on issues regarding how the judiciary fared under military regimes. This situation has enormous impact on the political development of Nigeria. Estimates of the number of people who died during the Nigerian Civil War vary significantly, from 500,000 to 3,000,000. It was clear that Gowon could not check the excesses Abstract. Since 1999, however, Nigeria has enjoyed uninterrupted democratic governance. With a total of eleven officially announced coups, seven military heads of state, and one of the longest periods of military rule (twenty-nine of the country’s first thirty-nine years of independence) which included a civil war, the Nigerian case amply reflected the rise and fall of military regimes as well as their intricacies Aug 13, 2021 · When the phenomenon of military rule in Africa first attracted the attention of researchers, the thrust of inquiry was the explanation of the apparent anomaly of the coup d’etat. It wasn't a propitious start - the election was marked by boycotts, malpractice and violence. The constitution was changed three years later, and the country was renamed the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with former Governor-General Nnamdi Apr 21, 2020 · Major-General Aguyi Ironsi took the mantle of leadership of Nigeria, his tenure was a short one. Rank. The monarch was represented in Nigeria by a governor-general. Nov 4, 2022 · The military rules by force and not by the will of the people. This brought about military rule until 1979. May 30, 1999 · General Abubakar became only the second general to give up power voluntarily in Nigeria's postcolonial history. London: Macmillan, 1979. Yakubu Dan-Yumma "Jack" Gowon GCFR (born 19 October 1934) is a retired Nigerian army general and military leader. This was the year Nigeria assumed both political and military control of its territory. HISTORY SCHEME OF WORK FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL Feb 22, 2023 · Nigeria army officers patrol in Lagos on February 21, 2023 ahead of the Nigerian presidential election scheduled for February 25, 2023. the underlying rules of Nigeria’s political process moved from the military to the civilian makes it a transition. The 1999 transition of Nigeria from military to civilian, democratic government, was a defining moment in Nigerian history, representing the beginning of the longest, uninterrupted government since Independence in 1960. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the pupils should be able to. Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, after two long periods of military rule—1966–79 and 1983–98—during which the military wielded executive, legislative, and judicial power. C. Jun 12, 2019 · The country’s economy has seen a boom since the return of civilian rule. He seized power during the ensuing chaos after the 15 January 1966 military coup . Shehu Shagari (born 1925, Shagari, Nigeria—died December 28, 2018, Abuja, Nigeria) Nigerian politician, president of Nigeria from 1979 to 1983. This year marks twenty-one years of return to civil rule. ), Military History, Nigeria from Pre-Colonial Era to the Present Oct 22, 2009 · After diplomatic efforts by Nigeria failed to reunite the country, war between Nigeria and Biafra broke out in July 1967. 8 - Return to civilian rule. Solar energy, probably the most extensive of the underutilized renewable resources, is likely to remain untapped for some time. U. Day to day events in Nigeria : a diary of important happenings in Nigeria from 1960-1970. Gbor (ed. Along with modernizing Nigeria and approving the creation of infrastructure around the country, he also spearheaded the first National Development Plan. Jul 26, 2023 · The Nigerian Civil War (Biafran War) ended under Gowon’s rule. Force Commander, ONUC. Since the country became a republic in 1963, there has been a series of The First Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966 governed by the first republican constitution. To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge. Topic 1: Oil Economy. most of Nigeria was thinly occupied by people who had a basic knowledge of raising domesticated food plants and of herding animals. Olusegun Obasanjo ruled Nigeria for eight years and handed over to the late Umaru Musa Yar’adua and his vice president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. The coup that brought the Murtala Muhammed/Olusegun Obasanjo regime to power in 1975 occurred against the background of general disenchantment with the corrupt and inept regime of General Yakubu Gowon. Nnamdi Azikiwe was a Nigerian nationalist, journalist, and politician who fought bravely for Nigeria’s independence. Independence from British rule came to pass in Nigeria on the 1 st of October, 1960. 1982. TOPIC: Civil rule in Nigeria, second republic 1979-1983. Mr. Military rule is seldom for the good of the people. The Second Presidential Term (2003–7) Appendix: Exchange rates. He served as Nigeria ’s military ruler (1976–79) and, as a civilian, as president (1999–2007). This has Nigeria was one of the paradigmatic cases of military rule. Topic 1: Civil Rule in Nigeria. Commander, 2nd Brigade. The first Nigerian national election took place in 1964, four years after the country gained independence from Britain. In 1975, General Murtala Muhammed came into power. The county is still been confronted with challenges on all fronts ranging from insecurity and insurgency, economy, political uncertainty, electoral malpractices, high rate of Jul 9, 2020 · Published July 9, 2020. He was one of the longest-serving military rulers in Nigeria’s history, and his tenure in office was marked by significant political, economic, and social changes. In 2016, declining oil revenue led to Nigeria’s first recession in more than 25 years. A new constitution was created in 1922 under British colonial rule, largely due to Nigerian calls for reform. Aug 13, 2023 · The meeting took place as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) explores its options to restore civilian rule in Niger, including potential military intervention, following the Jul 1, 2019 · When the Nigeria Civil war started, Ukpabi Sam, 'The Evolution of the Nigerian Army under Colonial Rule', in W. On coming to power, he promised to bring back civilian rule to Nigeria. Mar 1, 2024 · history of Nigeria, a survey of notable events and people in the history of Nigeria. DEMONSTRATION: She describes the First Military Coup. Dec 4, 2020 · The uninterrupted civilian-to-civilian transitions in Nigeria from 1999 till date has expanded the justifications of military intervention in Nigerian politics beyond the purview of corruption and democratic failure. At the beginning of the 11th century, seven independent Hausa city-states were founded in Northern Nigeria. Although some recovery progress was evident by 2018, many Nigerian citizens did not see relief, and the country earned the unenviable distinction that year of having the most people in extreme poverty in the world. After years of effort, epitomized by Samuel Decalo’s work on Coups and Army Rule in Africa, a consensus seemed to have emerged that a general theory explaining The military dictatorship in Nigeria was a period when members of the Nigerian Armed Forces held power in Nigeria from 1966 to 1999 with an interregnum from 1979 to 1983. The phenomenon of military rule in politics did not begin in Nigeria although it is now considered a thing of the past because the military’s involvement in politics is regarded as an aberration The functional and cohesive Nigeria. Nigeria’s security forces have confronted armed non-state actors in northeast Nigeria for over a decade, and local civilians are caught in the middle. The Nigerian Civil Service consists of employees in Nigerian government agencies other than the military and police. Nigeria gained independence in 1960 and republic in1963. A new constitution established a federal system with an elected prime minister and a ceremonial head of state. Looking at Nigeria’s experiences, one has good reason to wonder whether the Nigerian condition is amenable to Western-style consensual political arrangements. After years of military dictatorship, Nigeria held democratic elections, and Olusegun Obasanjo became the first civilian president of the Fourth Republic. (1967-1970) between Nigeria and the secessionist. Periods of civil rule in Nigeria were the periods when democratically elected civilian leaders ruled Nigeria under the constitutional guide lines. Nigeria has had a long history of coups d'états, military rule, and dictatorship. Aguiyi-Ironsi (January 16, 1966 – July 29, 1966) General Yakubu Gowon (August 2, 1966 – July 29, 1975) General Murtala Mohammed (July 29, 1975 – February 13, 1976) General Olusegun Obasanjo (February 14, 1976 – September 30, 1979) . Although reports on the incident were initially varied and conflicting, it was eventually announced that Tandja and other members of May 21, 2019 · Nigeria had a transition to civil rule on October 1, 1979. Abdulsalam Abubakar, promised Monday night that, at 10 months, it would be the briefest in the Nigerian military's Nigeria and her important dates, 1900-1966. As Nigeria 1942–1966. He also founded the National Youth Service Corps, which today has 37 orientation camps across the nation, and twelve new states. Niger - Military Coup, Civilian Rule: Despite the apparent referendum and election victories, Tandja and his actions remained unpopular with many, and on February 18, 2010, he was deposed in a coup. It provides a background to the nature of Nigeria’s federalism under military rule and how the opening of democratic space in the post-transition Mar 30, 2023 · after the return to civil rule on the 29 th of May 1999. Shagari’s great-grandfather founded the village from which the family took its name. Nigeria was led by General Yakubu Gowon, while Biafra was led by Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka "Emeka Aug 15, 2021 · General Abdoulsalami Abubakar took charge and promised to continue Abacha's transition (“Nigeria”). Causes included battlefield deaths, ethnic cleansing, and Aug 27, 2023 · Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule in 1960, becoming a federal republic in 1963. THE PRESIDENTIAL CONSTITUTION OF 1979. From 1960 to 1963, the head of state under the Constitution of 1960 was the queen of Nigeria, Elizabeth II who was also the queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. During this period, Nigerian society has also been confronting serious problems concerning ethnic tensions, endemic Jun 20, 2022 · The country was granted independence on October 1, 1960, as the Federation of Nigeria, following the push for independence of African territories and the demise of the British Empire in the late 1950s. General Yakubu Gowon (1966-1975) General Yakubu Gowon was a Nigerian military officer who served as the Head of State of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. Slaves formerly had been traded for European goods, especially guns and gunpowder, but now the British encouraged trade in palm oil in the Niger delta states, ostensibly to replace the trade in slaves. Jul 22, 1998 · The transition is to civilian rule, and Nigeria's latest military ruler, Gen. After Nigeria became a federal republic in 1963, Azikiwe wrote his name in the history books by becoming the first democratically elected president of Nigeria. Nigeria - Economy, Politics, People: Buhari faced several challenges as president. Topic 2: The Growth of Industries in Nigeria. The military held sway for twenty nine years out of the ininitial forty years of the country’s post independence history before her return to civil rule in 1999. 1966. When did military rule begin in Nigeria? Military rule in Nigeria started in 1966 with the first military coup, which led to a series of military regimes in the country. Nigeria - Resources, Power, Economy: Nigeria has a variety of both renewable and nonrenewable resources, some of which have not yet been effectively tapped. This paper examines the transition programs to civilian governance offered by various military leaders in Nigeria since 1974. For instance, the oil union . The first ever coup was quite bloody and 11 senior Nigerian politicians and 2 soldiers were murders. He spent nine years in power and was removed by Brigadier Murtala Muhammed. As head of state of Nigeria, Gowon presided over a controversial Nigerian Civil War and delivered the famous "no victor, no vanquished" speech at the war's end to promote healing and reconciliation. Civil rights, in fact basic human rights are often none existent under military May 31, 2020 · The history of Nigeria can be traced back to when Nigeria gained her independence on 1 st October, 1960 from the British colonial masters and became a republic on 1 st October 1963. Nigerian gained her independence from Britain but the power of self-governance was given to Nigerian elected leaders in 1963. Nigeria needs a change of direction, not a change of government. Ojukwu’s forces made some initial advances, but Nigeria’s superior Dec 15, 2020 · Military Rule in Nigeria, List of the Military Presidents That Ruled Nigeria in the Past. [2] Abstract. This paper attempts to fill these important gaps in existing literature on military regimes in Nigeria. Before then, the country had oscillated between civil and military rule, with the latter having the upper hand. 3 days ago · The return to civilian rule in 1999 marked the end of military dictatorship in Nigeria, at least for the time being. There was a momentous constitutional transition over nearly thirty years of military rule from 1966 to 1999, with a brief civilian interregnum during the Second Nigerian Republic (1979-83), during which the military created a strong central government. The civil war. Military rule in Nigeria first started on January 15, 1966, when a group or army officers overthrew the NPC-NNDP government and killed many of the country’s political rulers. Nigeria gained independence in 1960, but she was still ruled with the British laws till 1963. Conclusion. Major General J. Commands. The British, when faced with dissent, tended to grant political reforms in an effort to dispel the attractiveness of more-radical Apr 8, 2021 · The military held sway for twenty nine years out of the ininitial forty years of the country’s post independence history before her return to civil rule in 1999. Balewa Although colonial rule appeared secure in the first two decades of the 20th century, the British struggled to keep control of their Nigerian colony and continued to do so until Nigeria became independent in 1960. It was a historic event in Nigeria because that was when a group of young military personnel led by Colonel Chukwuebuka Nzeogwu plotted a coup to remove Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari GCFR ( Hausa pronunciation ⓘ; 25 February 1925 – 28 December 2018) was a Nigerian politician who was the first democratically elected president of Nigeria, after the transfer of power by military head of state General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1979 giving rise to the Second Nigerian Republic. Murtala spent 200 days in office and was Nov 3, 2017 · Nigeria certainly has a lot of experience when it comes to being ruled by military leaders; these experiences brought a lot of sorrow to Nigeria, but you will always find a few benefits from military rule. During this period the military witnessed several coups and conspiracies and was involved in many violent internal security operations. org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES: Identification, explanation, questions and answers, demonstration, story-telling The successful civilian-to-civilian transition in 2003 represented a positive step toward the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria, but the challenges remain. Jan 28, 2023 · Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe na di first President of Nigeria, e rule di kontr for three years. Aug 15, 2023 · Here are some key facts about this important event: Date of Independence: Nigeria became independent from Britain on October 1, 1960. Nigeria became a republic on October 1, 1963, with Nnamdi Azikiwe as its first Nigeria - Colonialism, Independence, Politics: The Sokoto jihad and the Yoruba wars stimulated the slave trade at a time when the British were actively trying to stop it. The NCNC, now headed by Azikiwe (who had taken control after Macaulay’s death in 1946), formed a coalition with Balewa’s NPC after neither party won a majority in the 1959 elections. Shagari was educated at Kaduna College and taught school briefly. (Photo by Patrick Meinhardt / AFP) Advertisement. Nigeria. Yakubu Gowon's increas-ingly ineffectual and corrupt government in 1973-1974. Civil rule only lasted from 1960 to 1966. Pupils pay attention and participate: STEP 3. FAQs about military rule in Nigeria 1. May 30, 2023 · One of the significant milestones in Nigeria’s transition to self-governance was the return to civilian rule in 1999. Eastern region (Biafra) was the first excuse for delay-ing a return to civilian rule. Topic 3: Christianity in Nigeria. Nigeria - People, Culture, Economy: Nigeria was granted independence on October 1, 1960. This arose from the monumental annulment, by the Babangida military regime, of the June 12 1993, presidential election, adjudged by Jun 29, 2022 · A history of democracy in Nigeria. Also diverse is its population: Nigeria is home to some 250 ethnic groups, and hundreds of languages are spoken in the Mar 1, 2024 · Why Mt Kenya is jittery over Raila Odinga AU job bid. Feb 16, 2024 · Ojukwu fled to Côte d’Ivoire on January 11, 1970, and a Biafran deputation formally surrendered in Lagos four days later. The country was at its infantile stage and mained in power in Nigeria for 13 years. The Case Against Military Rule. This Interim Government only lasted for three months when Gen. Explain the meaning of Civil Authority; Constitution; Explain the Second republic. The Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970), also known as the Biafran War, was a civil war fought between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a secessionist state which had declared its independence from Nigeria in 1967. Most employees are career civil servants in the Nigerian ministries, progressing based on qualifications and seniority. The most economically valuable minerals are Aug 24, 2022 · Civilian Rule. Nigeria officially became a democracy on its independence from Britain in October 1960. , Colonel Yakubu Gowon, into power. May 31, 2020 · Nigeria returned to civil rule in 1999 after about thirty years of military rule. In Nigeria, military rule lasted from 1966 to 1999. People are more disciplined during the military rule. The coup plotters attacked Ibadan, Lagos and Kaduna within a period of 2 days. First Prime Minister and President: Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa became Nigeria’s first Prime Minister at the time of independence. Sadly, he could not see this through as he was assassinated. Major-General Babangida ruled Nigeria from 1985 to 1993. The military was able to rise to power often with the tacit support of the elite through coup d'états. Though an independent nation yet Nigeria was still under British History of Nigeria - Nigeria as a colony: After the British government assumed direct control of the Royal Niger Company’s territories, the northern areas were renamed the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria, and the land in the Niger delta and along the lower reaches of the river was added to the Niger Coast Protectorate, which was renamed the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. Also, 3 soldiers were kidnapped in the course of the coup. The period between 1 October 1960, when the country gained its independence and 15 January 1966, when the first military coup d’état Mar 17, 2016 · On January 15 1966,there was a coup d’etat which removed the politicians. Mar 18, 2022 · This chapter explores the complex dynamics and tensions besetting federalism since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999 and its implications for national cohesion, unity, and development. 25 June 12 was a critical period in Nigeria’s history. A counter-coup took place on July 29, 1966, and Aguyi Ironsi was killed and this brought Lt. The consequences of the colonization consist of many parts. Yar’adua fell ill and died, his vice president, Goodluck Jonathan took over office as President and ruled Nigeria till 2015 when he was voted out and Muhammadu Buhari of the APC became the president of Nigeria. 1. Discipline. Olusegun Obasanjo (born March 5, 1937, Abeokuta, Nigeria) Nigerian general, statesman, and diplomat, who was the first military ruler in Africa to hand over power to a civilian government. The country's government was based on a federal form of the Westminster system. These coups were primarily driven by dissatisfaction with civilian rule, allegations of corruption, economic mismanagement, and ethnic tensions. Title / Office: president (1979-1983), Nigeria. The military history of Nigeria since the colonial rule began precisely on the 1 st October 1966. For the first time in the history of Nigeria, the constitution recognizes local government as the third tier of government. Nigerian Government and Politics Under Military Rule, 1966-1979. Here is a detailed history of military [] Mar 18, 2022 · First, military rule was punctuated by full-fledged civilian democratic rule in the Second Republic (1979–1983), and fledgling military-civilian diarchies that between 1991 and 1993 (so-called Third Republic) had military government at the federal level alongside an elected National Assembly and elected civilian governments at the state and Dec 31, 2022 · the history of Nigeria’s constitutional development can be divided into two epochs: the colonial or pre-independence epoch – which covers six constitutional instruments (1914, 1922, 1946, 1951 6 days ago · After sixteen years of often abusive military rule led by Generals Buhari, Babangida, Abacha, and Abubakar, Nigeria ushered in another experiment in civil rule in May 1999. By 2000 B. Nigeria is a republic, with the president acting as both head of state and head of government. A scrutiny of these programs' implementation reveals a Military Rule in Nigeria. In purely econo mic terms, signs of trouble Aug 30, 1990 · Nigeria’s default on the issues of democracy and/or good governance and human rights, strained, without a shadow of a doubt, the relationship between the country’s civil society, the international community and the Nigerian state under General Sani Abacha. Many Apr 5, 2022 · Nigeria has been ruled by civilian administrations. The Republic of Biafra had come to an end. Mar 20, 2023 · 4. Aug 10, 2019 · August 10, 2019 by NF. Modern Nigeria dates from 1914, when the British Protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria were joined. Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi GCFR MVO MBE (3 March 1924 – 29 July 1966) was a Nigerian military officer who was the first military head of state of Nigeria. On July 20, 1998, General Abubakar announced a new plan for return to civilian rule, as Abacha had gotten rid of civilian participation in many forms of the government, culminating in a transfer of power in May 1999. But the history of Nigerian demands for greater representation go back to the 1920s. Obasanjo was the first, in 1979, but the civilian rule that followed lasted only Theme one: Political Development in Nigeria. In Nigeria, civil rule started in 1963 after the years of British colonial rule ended in 1960. Lagos remained Feb 5, 2024 · A military dictatorship, often known as a military regime, is a form of dictatorship in which one or more military officers hold control. Dem born am for November 16, 1904, for Zungeru town inside present day Niger State. The county is still been Aug 9, 2019 · This happened on the 15 th of January 1966 and that marked the beginning of military rule in the country. In order to understand and explain the present situation, there is need to reflect on the past. Theme Two: Economy, Trade and Commerce. T. In 1999, despite its vast oil wealth The period of military rule in Nigeria was a period of coup and counter coups. As at that time, Nigeria was still following the British system of government in which there is a prime minister and a ceremonial president. Plenti pipo see am as Feb 4, 2020 · The divide and rule policy is always adopted by the British over the colonization of Nigeria. The year 1999 marked a watershed in the history of modern Nigeria, as it ushered in what was expected to be an ‘enduring democracy’. Resource extraction is the most important sector of the economy. Abacha ousted and SUBJECT: History. In Nigerian political history, military appears to be more corrupt than the civilian rule before 1999. Legit. Recently the head of the service has been introducing measures to make the ministries more efficient and History of Military Rule in Nigeria January 15, 1966, which is now a national holiday in remembrance of the armed forces in Nigeria, was when it all began, that is, military rule in Nigeria. They later discovered Feb 29, 2024 · Nigeria’s political landscape has been significantly shaped by a series of military coups, which have played a pivotal role in the country’s governance since gaining independence from Britain in 1960. Twenty-one years of independence : a calendar of major political and economic events in Nigeria, 1960-1981. Abacha’s program of the administration. President Sep 27, 2020 · by World History Edu · September 27, 2020. And more regime dismantled all the structures of importantly, it was meant to serve as an transition to civil rule programs put in place important plank of the transition to civil rule by the preceding government. Nigeria: A history of coups. However, this pattern was broken on 29 May 1999 as Nigeria's current president, Olusegun Obasanjo, took office following popular elections. had come under pronounced and continuous public. Since then, Nigeria has held six consecutive elections Oct 1, 2020 · Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999. The year saw the country’s failed . While Nigeria has had seven military regimes, it has had just four civilian regimes (Shonekan’s Interim government and Obasanjo’s civilian rule inclusive). However, political instability and ethnic tensions led to a series of military coups and counter-coups in the 1960s and 1970s. Military dictatorships are led by either a single military dictator, known as a strongman or a council of military officials, known as a military junta. Apr 1, 1993 · 1992 that the new date for a return to civilian rule woul d be August 27, 1993 simply confirmed everybody’s worst fears ( New African 1993, 7-11). The national capital is Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory, which was created by decree in 1976. That Civil rule is a way of governing the people of a country with regulated orders by the democratically elected civilians. Since May 1999, the Nigerian judiciary has increasingly been called upon to play a more critical role in interpreting the constitution, ensuring the enforcement of the rule of law and the protection of civil liberties. Nnamdi Azikiwe. rp db wt hz cy gm cp pk cj sn