Oil, Politics and Violence: Nigeria’s Military Coup Culture

This is a gripping analysis of one of Africa’s most turbulent decades. An insider traces the details of hope and ambition gone wrong in the Giant of Africa, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. When it gained independence from Britain in 1960, hopes were high that, with mineral wealth and over 140 million people, the most educated workforce in Africa, Nigeria would become Africa’s first superpower and a stabilizing democratic influence in the region. However, these lofty hopes were soon dashed and the country lumbered from crisis to crisis, with the democratic government eventually being overthrown in a violent military coup in January 1966.

From 1966 until 1999, the army held onto power almost uninterrupted under a succession of increasingly authoritarian military governments and army coups. Military coups and military rule (which began as an emergency aberration) became a seemingly permanent feature of Nigerian politics. The author names names, and explores how British influence aggravated indigenous rivalries. He shows how various factions in the military were able to hold onto power and resist civil and international pressure for democratic governance by exploiting the country’s oil wealth and ethnic divisions to its advantage.

Combining meticulous research with compelling storytelling, Siollun unpacks the interplay of oil wealth, political ambition, and military intervention that defined Nigeria’s post-independence history.

Nigeria’s immense oil wealth became both a blessing and a curse. Siollun explores the pivotal role oil played in shaping political dynamics, fueling power struggles, and exacerbating corruption. The resource that should have fostered prosperity instead became a catalyst for instability and military takeovers.

Siollun provides a detailed account of the military coups that shaped the period from 1966 to 1976, offering unprecedented insight into the motivations and maneuvers of key players. From the first coup in January 1966 to the assassination of General Murtala Mohammed, the book reveals the behind-the-scenes power plays and factional rivalries within Nigeria’s military elite.

Central to the narrative is the examination of Nigeria’s ethnic divisions and their impact on national unity. Siollun analyzes how tribalism and regionalism fueled the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970) and created enduring fault lines in the nation’s political and social fabric. This period remains critical to understanding modern Nigeria’s challenges.

He traces how military rule became entrenched in Nigeria’s governance, setting a precedent for future interventions. The book scrutinizes the economic, political, and social consequences of a governance system dominated by the military, shedding light on how this era influenced Nigeria’s post-colonial trajectory.

This book holds information and insights for historians, political scientists, and anyone interested in African studies or global geopolitics. Siollun combines vivid narrative with rigorous scholarship, making this work accessible to both academics and general readers.