Ethnicity, Nationalism, and Democracy
Somalia and Nigeria: Being a Failed State
Somalia: Today
•	Somaliland declared itself sovereign 1991
•	Puntland declared itself autonomous 1998
•	Galmudug declared itself autonomous 2006
•	Maakhir declared itself autonomous 2007
•	Civil War continues
Somalia: The Failed State
•	The Dirty War
•	Security Council resolutions
•	Results:
–	Somalia descent into anarchy 
–	No effective government
–	No legal code
–	No functioning economy 
–	Terrorism
Somalia: The Bottom Line
•	The violence of the counter-terrorist operations, militant Islamic groups, warlords and criminal networks has made Somalia too dangerous even for its own government to remain 
Nigeria: Geography
•	West Africa
•	Oil-rich delta region
Nigeria: Population
•	Population:
–	133 million
–	Most populous in Africa
–	Over 250 ethnic groups
Nigeria: Religion
•	Divided geographically
–	Islam	50%
–	Christianity	40%
–	Animism	10%
Nigeria: Language
•	Official Language:
–	English
•	Unofficial Languages:
–	510 unofficial languages
–	Three language families
•	Niger-Congo
•	Afro-Asiatic
•	Nilo-Saharan
Nigeria: Government
•	Federal republic
•	Presidential 
–	President: 	Umaru Yar'Adua
–	Vice-Pres: 	Goodluck Jonathan
–	Senate Pres: 	David Mark
–	House Speaker: Patricia Etteh
–	Chief Justice: 	Idris Kutigi
•	Capital:	Abuja
Nigeria: History
•	1861: British administration commences in Nigeria
•	Prior to British control, external influence on Nigeria came from:
–	Western Sudanese Kingdoms of
•	Ghana
•	Mali
•	Songhai
•	Maghreb
•	Tripolitania
•	Egypt
•	While Islam was taking hold of Northern Nigeria, Portugal’s slave trade was dominant in the southern regions
•	From the 15th through the early 19th centuries, southern Nigeria was controlled by European slave traders
•	With the end of slavery, traders began moving inland and trade of Nigerian products grew rapidly
•	Britain gives Royal Niger Company control of Nigeria
•	In 1900:
–	British Government takes control from RNC
–	Protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria created
•	In 1940 Nigeria is split into four regions:
–	Colony of Lagos
–	Northern Region
–	Western Region
–	Southern Region
•	Richardson’s Constitution:
–	Political parties formed on regional and ethnic bases
–	BUT: 
•	Full-scale regionalism leads to possibility of three separate countries
•	Regional gaps widened in 1950s
–	Federalism becomes foundation of government
•	Independence gained in 1960
•	Federation of Nigeria with three regions:
–	Northern 
•	Hausa (Muslim)
–	Western 
•	Yoruba (Muslim/Christian)
–	Southern 
•	Igbo (Christian)
•	Coup of 1966
–	Ideology: To strengthen and unify government of Nigeria
–	Reality: Slaughter of Northern and Western politicians and senior military officers
•	1967: 
–	Southern Nigeria declares independence as Biafra
–	July 6 - Nigerian Civil (Biafran) War begins
–	Civil war ends in 1970
Nigeria: Current
•	Political Realities
–	Since Nigeria gained its independence in 1960, corrupt political leaders have stolen or misused over $400 billion
•	Quick Historical Analysis:
–	Though some societal improvements have been made, poverty, malnutrition, disease, violence, tribalism, and political corruption still dominate daily life
Nigeria: Current
•	Quick Political Analysis:
–	Until a strong, unified central government can control tribalist violence and improve societal conditions, Nigerian people will continue to be victimized by corruption and poverty
Failed States
•	What are the immediate effects of being a failed state?
•	What are the long-term effects of being a failed state?
•	What are the effects of a failed state on its neighbors?
•	What are the effects of a failed state on the state system?