Your Test

• MC—Class average—75%...ok• Some people didn’t finish, then didn’t come

finish the test—Do you just not care?

10—50%

• (Wood) Which of the following is an accurate description of the status of women in Iranian society? a) Women are well respected in the Majlesb) Women no longer must wear scarves and long coats in

publicc) Women may leave the country without the consent of male

relativesd) Women are well represented as doctors and government

employees e) Women now constitute about 10% of the total labor force

16—50%

• (Wood) The highest official representing democratic principles in Iran is the– President– Supreme leader– Chairman of the Assembly of Religious Experts– Chairman of the Guardian Council– Leader of the Majles

35-92%

• (AP) Which of the following best describes Iranian political culture?

a) It is dominated by sectarian and ethnic divisionsb) It is trusting of government and other

institutions. c) It is prone to political change through referenda.d) It values the community’s welfare above

individual rights.e) It prefers international law to Islamic law.

Nigerian History

“As Nigeria goes, so goes the rest of sub-Saharan Africa.”

Historical Traditions

• Trade Connections—Niger River connects to the ocean, plus trade connections north into North Africa

• Islam—Trade w/North Africa led to a large Muslim presence, especially in northern Nigeria

Historical Traditions• Kinship based politics—

Especially in the South, main allegiance at the village level, not beyond

• Democratic Impulses—Especially under Yaruba and Igbo (2 ethnicities in the South), leaders were seen as representatives of their people

• Complex Allegiance—Ethnic? Religious? Village? National govt?

Imperialism• British colony• Indirect rule—Chiefs given

authoritarian rule, only answered to the British– Disappearance of

democracy– Increase in corruption

• Christianity—Introduced mainly in the South (Islam in the North)

• Increase in ethnic identity—British put main 3 identities (Igbo, Hausa, and Yaruba) against each other

• Role of decolonialism

Independence

• Independence in 1960 (young country)

• Wrote a constitution• Established a

parliamentary style of government

• Tafawa Balewa elected PM

• Literacy Rate--?

Military Leadership• 1966—Balewa

assassinated in a military coup

• Coup d’etat—Sudden overthrow of the government to replace it with another group within the government, generally the military

• Usually promise to return to democracy when country is “stable”

• General who overthrows Balewa assassinated

• General Yakubu Gowon leads from 1966-1975

Nigerian Civil War

• 1967-1970• Southeastern, Christian

state tried to secede and form Republic of Biafra

• Caused by tension between Hausa and Igbo ethnicities based on ethnicity and economics

• Over 1 million people died of starvation and fighting

• Nigerian Army won

More coups• Yakubu overthrown in 1976

by another general who wanted the north to form its own country

• Yakubu also claimed that even after 9 years Nigeria wasn’t ready for elections

• North was much less developed than the south

• That dictator (Muhammed) assassinated

• Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo becomes dictator 1976-1979

Democratic Rule!• 1979-Obasanjo steps

down for new elections• New constitution calls for

presidential system• Shehu Shagari elected

president• President 1979-1983• Accused of widespread

corruption and rigging 1983 election, and oil prices dropped, so…

1983 Coup!• General Buhari overthrows

(doesn’t kill) the president, rules for 2 years

• “War Against Undiscipline”• Banned strikes, formed

secret police• Overthrown by Babangida

in 1985• Babangida rules until 1993

Babangida and Abacha

• Both Babangida and Abacha (1993-1998) had huge foreign bank accounts

• Estimated that at times 2/3 of all oil profits ended up in hands of elites!

• Abacha’s family took $5 billion

• Died suddenly—prostitutes?• So…

Democracy!• New dictator steps aside,

holds elections• 1999—Nigerians elect…• Obasanjo again!• Christian from the south• Reelected in 2003, but is

this really democracy?• Lots of violence after

election• Lots of allegations of

voter fraud

Constitutions

• Nigeria has had at least 6 Constitutions

• Current Constitution enacted in 1999

• Now heavily amended

2007 Election

• Umaru Yar’Adua elected• Muslim from the North• Election thought to be

rigged bigtime• Yar’Adua died in 2010,

succeeded by Goodluck Jonathan (vice-president, Christian from the south)

2011 Election• Jonathan won, and

thought to be only 3% voter fraud

• But, huge protests at a Christian being president again (only 3 years of Muslim presidency)

• Hundreds, maybe more killed

• Boko Haram on the rise

2015 election• Main issue—Security and Boko Haram

– Election was actually postponed because of security concerns

• Goodluck Jonathan (Christian) vs. Muhammadu Buhari (Muslim, does he sound familiar?)

• Super expensive, vitriolic • Buhari wins! 54% of the vote

– Even some Christian states voted for Buhari!

• For the first time ever, the incumbent president lost, and was not reelected

• How do you think Jonathan, his supporters, and the country handled the loss…

2015 Election

• Everyone was fine with it!

• Goodluck Jonathan conceded before all votes were counted

• UN declared it an overall safe and fair election

• Buhari now president

Gap tooth!

Timeline!

• You will now create a timeline, with both explanations and pictures, of the 6 events you think are most important in Nigerian history

• Each event must include a date, explanation, and image.