The Effects of Military Governance in Nigeria Essay

Nigeria is an oil-rich state located in the eastern part of African. Since gaining independence in 1960, it has faced numerous regime changes. These fluctuations in stable governance have both positively and negatively affected the livelihood of the Nigerian people. The struggle for power has been a toss-up between civilian governments and militaristic dictators, each fighting to gain control of the lucrative oil reserves. As the military seeks to rid corruption from the ruling body, it has brought additional struggles to everyday life in Nigeria. Military governments in Nigeria have proven to be detrimental to the political strive towards democracy, the economic struggle to eliminate debt, and the livelihood of local Africans.†¦show more content†¦The actions of the military eventually led society to lose faith in the state’s abilities. The Nigerian people were no longer confident that the ruling government could solve the basic problems it encountered. This l ack of support presents the question of why did society ever allow the military to assume control in the first place? The Nigerian people never thought the military would maintain their grip on power as they have. Society was content with the harsh changes made by the military. Many people felt these changes were necessary to remove corruption and restore order. They also expected, however, that once the military resumed is natural duties, the harsh governance would cease. But what society did not expect was that the military would remain in power for thirteen consecutive years (Joseph 1987, 67). The military rulers had a very different governing style than civilian democracies. The leadership usually consisted of a few elites who made decisions for everyone else. The government had advisors, sometimes civilian, for support with daily actions (Bratton 1997, 80). This style of rule did not allow for societal recognition in political matters. The government was also very oppre ssive towards challenges to their authority. Political parties were banned and elections were eliminated. In one particular case, elections had already taken place, but they were cancelled asShow MoreRelatedTerrorism : An Imperative For Economic, Political And Military Solutions1321 Words   |  6 PagesTERRORISM IN AFRICA; an Imperative for Economic, Political and Military Solutions. The bombings of the United States embassies in Tanzania and Kenya were marked indicators that Africa based terrorist groups were increasing threats to the interests of democratic societies in Africa those of all freedom loving societies the world over. Our policy makers have for long treated the Middle East and Asia as the main battlegrounds in the war on terror. 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