Wiley Davis

Outline Kessleman 266-268

 National Motto: “Unity in diversity”
 250 ethnic groups
 All-powerful central government with weak states. Therefore while advertised as a
federal system, the system in Nigeria really is a unitary system
 The executive branch is the most powerful at all levels
 Recently state governments, the National Assembly, and the judiciary have been chipping
away at the powers of the national executive branch.
 While powerful in Africa, Nigeria is weak on the global scale
 GDP per capita just over $300
 Nigeria used to make its own foods, but now relies on imports
 There is a lack of foreign investment in Nigeria now
 The Nigerian economy is heavily dependent upon oil
 Heavy debt gives IMF leverage over macroeconomic policy
 Interventionist-a state that acts vigorously to shape the performance of major sectors of
the economy
 The state is the largest source of economic activity.
 Cultural dualism because of colonization.
 Pre-colonial society v. Western ideas
 The local subjects were treated more as submissive followers rather than active
participants in the parliamentary government
 Two public realms: the communal realm where people are identified by ethnic or sub
ethnic group and civil realm where everyone was citizen
 Tribal loyalties v. Greater Nigeria
 South got the benefits of colonial rule while the north did not. Uneven development
between North and South.
 Triple threat of clientlism, corruption, and unstable authoritarian rule. Fosters ethnic
group competition and hinders economic development
 Policies made toward groups or individuals not the community at-large
 Accept the concept of a united Nigeria but disagree on how to represent the different
ethic groups
 “As Nigeria goes, so goes the rest of sub-Saharan Africa”
 Largest population in Africa
 One out of five Black Africans are Nigerian
 Oldest surviving federation in Africa’
