This paper was written at the midway point in the governing of Nigeria by a paradoxical individual, Ibrahim Babangida. It should provoke further studies of his 8-year rule, 1985-1993, that seemed transformative during much of this period but ended in disarray and disappointment. The ideological orientation of the Nigerian economy;...
In this article, a Nigerian military system of governance is explicated. It was the dominant mode of governance in Nigeria until civilian rule was restored in 1999, initially under a former military ruler. Starting from the first military coup in January 1966, Nigeria experienced over 33 years of this system,...
The suitability of the term “crucible” to capture the dilemmas of Nigeria is evident in this unpublished paper.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...
An address delivered at the launching of the Nigerian edition of my book on prebendalism published by Spectrum Books (Ibadan), at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs. It appeared in print in The Guardian (Lagos), June 5, 1991.
As many systems of military and autocratic rule came under challenge in Africa, Nigeria lost its leadership position in a democratizing era with the collapse of the Second Republic, 1979-1983. Four military heads-of-state followed. One of the most hopeful transitional experiments in Africa, conducted under General Ibrahim Babangida, 1985-1993, ended...