10 - Nigeria Paralysed: Socio-political Life Under General Sani Abacha
Corresponding Author(s) : Victor Adefemi Isumonah
Africa Development,
Vol. 26 No. 3-4 (2001): Africa Development
Abstract
It is convenient to blame Nigerian civil society for the inconclusive transit to civil rule undertaken by General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. But this reason omits the fact that elements of civil society, notably, the Campaign for Democr (CD), a human rights organisation, successfully mobilised Nigerians living in the majo cities in the west of the country (the major economic hub), to stay at home, paralysi economic activities for days and months. The action changed nothing. The devour forces of personal ambition and greed were irresistible. Unlike the popular portrayal civil society in Africa as weak, we argue that General Sani Abacha drove Nigeria unde the wedge of personalist rule in fulfillment of his personal ambition and material gre As a result, the struggle for mere survival became the preoccupation of most Nigeria This experience is here recalled in order to counter the natural tendency to forget ve quickly the pain of the past and at the same time the vital lessons for guarding agains repetition of abuses.
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- Akande, Adeolu A., 1996, 'Machiavellian· Statecraft, Corporatism and Neo Patrimonial Rule: Nigeria Under General Ibrahim Babangida', Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University of Ibadan.
- Bach, Daniel C., Yann Lebeau & Kunle Amuwo, (eds.), 2001, Nigeria drmitg the Abacha Years (1993-1998): The do!!lestic and international politics of den1ocratization, Ibadan, IFRA/CEAN.
- Burkhead, J. and Miner J., 1971, Public Expenditure, London, Macmillan. Central Bank of Nigeria, 1993, Annual Report and State,11ent of Accounts.
- Eckstein, Harry, 1963, 'Constitutional Engineering and the Problem of ViableRepresentative Government', in H. Ecsktein and David E. Apter (eds.), Comparative Politics -A Reader, New York, The Free Press.
- Eker, Varda, 1981, 'On the Origins of Corrpution: lrregular lncentives in Nigeria',Journal of Modern African Studies, 19 (1), pp. 173-182.
- lwayerni, Akin, 1998, 'Where the Fuel is Cheap but Fuel Stations are often Empt} Anatomy of the Failure of Public Provision of Petroleum Products in Nigeria in the 1990s', Paper presented at the Development Policy Centre, Ibadan, September.
- Jackson, Robert H. and Carl G. Rosberg, 'The Political Economy of African Personal Rule', in Apter and Rosberg (eds.), 1994, Political Developn,ent of the New Realism in Sub-Saharan A.frica, Charlottesville and London, University Press of Virginia, pp.291-30.
- Philips, Dotun, 1995, 'Fiscal Impact of Government onBusiness', Presentation at NISER's National Executive Policy Seminar, Ibadan, February 14-16.
- Rosberg, Carl G., 1994, in David E. Apter and Carl G. Rosberg (eds.), Political Development of the New Realism in Sub-Saharan A.frica, Charlottesville and London, University Press of Virginia.
- Roth, Guenther, 1968, 'Persona! Rulership, Patrimonialism and Empire-Building in the New States', World Politics, 20.
- Shatz, Sayre P., 1984, 'Pirate Capitalism and the Inert Economy of Nigeria',Journal of Modern African Studies, 22, 1 pp. 45-57.
- Tell, Lagos, No. 43, October 25, 1999:23.
- The Guardian, Lagos, January 16 1998, p. 1.
- Theobald, Robin, 1986, 'Patrimonialism and Corruption' in Femi Odekunle, (ed.) Nigeria: Corruption in Development, Ibadan, Ibadan.University Press.
References
Akande, Adeolu A., 1996, 'Machiavellian· Statecraft, Corporatism and Neo Patrimonial Rule: Nigeria Under General Ibrahim Babangida', Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University of Ibadan.
Bach, Daniel C., Yann Lebeau & Kunle Amuwo, (eds.), 2001, Nigeria drmitg the Abacha Years (1993-1998): The do!!lestic and international politics of den1ocratization, Ibadan, IFRA/CEAN.
Burkhead, J. and Miner J., 1971, Public Expenditure, London, Macmillan. Central Bank of Nigeria, 1993, Annual Report and State,11ent of Accounts.
Eckstein, Harry, 1963, 'Constitutional Engineering and the Problem of ViableRepresentative Government', in H. Ecsktein and David E. Apter (eds.), Comparative Politics -A Reader, New York, The Free Press.
Eker, Varda, 1981, 'On the Origins of Corrpution: lrregular lncentives in Nigeria',Journal of Modern African Studies, 19 (1), pp. 173-182.
lwayerni, Akin, 1998, 'Where the Fuel is Cheap but Fuel Stations are often Empt} Anatomy of the Failure of Public Provision of Petroleum Products in Nigeria in the 1990s', Paper presented at the Development Policy Centre, Ibadan, September.
Jackson, Robert H. and Carl G. Rosberg, 'The Political Economy of African Personal Rule', in Apter and Rosberg (eds.), 1994, Political Developn,ent of the New Realism in Sub-Saharan A.frica, Charlottesville and London, University Press of Virginia, pp.291-30.
Philips, Dotun, 1995, 'Fiscal Impact of Government onBusiness', Presentation at NISER's National Executive Policy Seminar, Ibadan, February 14-16.
Rosberg, Carl G., 1994, in David E. Apter and Carl G. Rosberg (eds.), Political Development of the New Realism in Sub-Saharan A.frica, Charlottesville and London, University Press of Virginia.
Roth, Guenther, 1968, 'Persona! Rulership, Patrimonialism and Empire-Building in the New States', World Politics, 20.
Shatz, Sayre P., 1984, 'Pirate Capitalism and the Inert Economy of Nigeria',Journal of Modern African Studies, 22, 1 pp. 45-57.
Tell, Lagos, No. 43, October 25, 1999:23.
The Guardian, Lagos, January 16 1998, p. 1.
Theobald, Robin, 1986, 'Patrimonialism and Corruption' in Femi Odekunle, (ed.) Nigeria: Corruption in Development, Ibadan, Ibadan.University Press.