The History of the Nigerian Army and the Implications for the Future of Nigeria

Abstract

Ethnic and religious clashes have continued in Africa's most densely populated nation. Nigeria is a nation of vast human and natural resource potential that has experienced extreme strife during forty years of transition from colonial rule to democratic governance. The central research questions are: How has the historical development of Nigeria's Army effected the development of the nation-state? And how has political engagement changed the army? The first step examined the ethnic, religious factors, and the history of military coups d tat. The second step examined the effect of military governance on education, the economy, and foreign policy. The final step determined the future path of Nigeria and its Army after the birth of Nigeria s third republic. The conclusion recommended an increase in military-to-military contact with Nigeria to increase professionalism and respect for the subordination of the military to civilian authority, along with increased diplomatic efforts to help Nigerians heal the wounds of internal discord that have created the belief that military governance is the answer.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 31, 2002
Accession Number
ADA406482

Entities

People

  • Fredrick C. Dummar

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Department Of State
  • Distance Learning
  • Employment
  • Environment
  • Environmental Protection
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Geography
  • Human Population
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • National Governments
  • National Politics
  • Natural Resources
  • Personnel Management
  • Political Systems
  • Students
  • United States

Readers

  • International Relations, focusing on Korea-Africa and North Korea-South Korea relations, and Nigeria-Latin American Relations.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.