In order to present a simple analysis, the past will reflect only the period after Independence which was won on a 'platter of gold' in 1960, covering the Civil War (1967 – 1970) & the end of the military rule in 1999 when democracy returned from captivity.
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It is not that the colonial era was not important but the fact is that the wonderful "trio" – Sir Ahmadu Bello (North), Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (East) & Chief Obafemi Awolowo (West) have had their best trials recorded permanently in the annals of Nigerian history.
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The post-independence economic & political operations are yet to be totally forgotten by economic and political historians. It is a fact that the period after 1960 witnessed the first military coup by some politically immature and young officers of the Nigerian Army.
Except for a brief period of civilian rule (1979 – 1983) , it had been one army general or the other as the ruler. The eighties and the nineties featured colourful peace time generals like Buhari, Babangida, Abacha and Abdulsallam.