The suitability of the term “crucible” to capture the dilemmas of Nigeria is evident in this unpublished paper. After Ibrahim Babangida supplanted Muhammadu Buhari as the head-of-state in August 1985, Nigeria entered an arena of experimentation in several regards. Babangida is arguably the most dynamic, skilfull and charismatic leader in the country’s history. He pushed through far-reaching reforms in many area - economic policy, military governance, and the accommodation of regional, ethnic, and other diversities. However, the presidentializing of federal power, privatizing of government revenues, and hybridizing of autocracy and democracy set the country on a perilous course.

Last modified

• 10/24/2017

Creator

• Richard Joseph

DOI

• https://doi.org/10.21985/N2J08H

Keyword

• african politics
• nigeria

Rights statement

• In Copyright