Introduction
The last instalment in this series dealt with corruption under the Babangida administration, the dashed hope of the election of June 12, 1993; the Sani Abacha dark days; the legacy of military rule and the return to civil rule (1999-2015). Today, we shall x-ray the administration of President Obasanjo; the Halliburton scandal; Economic growth and political instability; the (all-too-short) presidency of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the Jonathan regime; Boko Haram insurgency and the 2015 elections. Enjoy.
Olusegun Obasanjo: A man for the moment
Olusegun Obasanjo’s return to power in 1999 was a watershed moment in Nigerian history. The man who had previously overseen Nigeria’s first transition to civilian rule in 1979 was now tasked with rebuilding a country fractured by decades of military dictatorship. His election was a strategic one: Obasanjo was a Yoruba from the South-West but also a retired general, which gave him appeal across both military and civilian lines (Refworld. (1999). He was seen as someone who could both keep the army in check and guide Nigeria’s nascent democracy.
One of Obasanjo’s first acts as president was to launch an ambitious anti-corruption campaign. In his inaugural speech, he declared, “There will be no sacred cows…Corruption, the greatest single bane of our society today, will be tackled head-on at all levels. Corruption is incipient in all human societies and in most human activities.” His government established the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2003, designed to investigate and prosecute financial crimes, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), tasked with preventing corruption in the public. These institutions were seen as critical steps toward restoring Nigeria’s reputation on the global stage.
However, despite these lofty ambitions, corruption remained deeply entrenched. A Nigerian proverb goes, “The chicken that grows in a cage will never know the freedom of the wild.” Similarly, Nigeria’s politicians, having long grown accustomed to the perks of power and corruption, found it difficult to break free from the temptations of graft. Obasanjo’s government, while making strides in economic growth and foreign relations, was still plagued by accusations of corruption and political patronage.
The Halliburton Scandal: A dark shadow
One of the most notorious corruption scandals during Obasanjo’s administration was the Halliburton bribery case. The scandal involved allegations that Halliburton, an American oil and gas services company, had paid over $180 million in bribes to Nigerian officials between 1994 and 2004 to secure lucrative contracts in the country’s oil sector. The scandal implicated senior members of both military and civilian governments, including individuals from Obasanjo’s administration (ibid).
The Halliburton case exemplified the intersection of politics and corruption in Nigeria, where powerful figures used their positions to enrich themselves at the expense of national development. Despite several investigations and international pressure, no high-profile convictions were made, leaving many Nigerians frustrated with the apparent lack of accountability. As one critic remarked at the time, “In Nigeria, the bigger the thief, the greater the protection.” This sentiment reflected the pervasive culture of impunity that continued to dog the country’s fight against corruption.
Economic growth amid instability
Despite the challenges posed by corruption, Obasanjo’s government did manage to achieve significant economic growth. Nigeria benefited from rising global oil prices, and the country’s GDP grew substantially during the early 2000s. Obasanjo’s administration worked to reduce Nigeria’s external debt, which had ballooned during previous military regimes. In 2005, his government successfully negotiated a historic $18 billion debt relief deal with the Paris Club of Creditor Nations, one of the largest debt relief agreements in Africa’s history. This move helped to stabilize the Nigerian economy and improve the country’s international standing.
However, this economic progress did not trickle down to the average Nigerian. Poverty and unemployment remained rampant, and the wealth generated from oil continued to enrich a small elite while the majority of the population struggled to make ends meet. The oil wealth that could have transformed Nigeria into a thriving, developed nation was siphoned off through corrupt practices and mismanagement. As a popular Nigerian saying goes, “The farm produces plenty of yam, but the farmer eats only scraps.” For many Nigerians, Obasanjo’s anti-corruption campaign felt like little more than a façade.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua: A presidency cut short
In 2007, after completing his two terms in office, Obasanjo orchestrated the election of his handpicked successor, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, from the northern region of Nigeria. Yar’Adua, a soft-spoken and relatively unknown politician, was seen as a compromise candidate who could maintain the delicate balance of power between Nigeria’s regions and ethnic groups. His presidency, however, was marred by controversy from the start. The 2007 election was widely criticized for being rigged, with international observers describing it as one of the most fraudulent elections in Nigerian history.
Despite the questionable nature of his election, Yar’Adua attempted to distance himself from the corruption that had tainted previous administrations. In his inaugural speech, he acknowledged the flawed nature of the elections and pledged to reform Nigeria’s electoral system. He also launched a “Seven-Point Agenda” that aimed to tackle key issues such as power generation, food security, education, and security.
One of Yar’Adua’s most notable achievements was his amnesty program for militants in the Niger Delta, a region rich in oil but plagued by violence and environmental degradation. Militants in the Delta had waged an insurgency against the government and oil companies, accusing them of exploiting the region’s resources while leaving its people impoverished. In 2009, Yar’Adua’s government brokered an amnesty deal that saw thousands of militants lay down their arms in exchange for financial incentives and promises of development in the region.
However, Yar’Adua’s presidency was cut short by ill health. In 2009, he left Nigeria for medical treatment in Saudi Arabia, leaving the country in a state of political limbo. His prolonged absence created a power vacuum, leading to a constitutional crisis. The Nigerian Constitution did not clearly outline the process for transferring power in the event of a president’s incapacitation. For months, Nigeria was left without clear leadership, and rumours swirled about the true state of Yar’Adua’s health.
Jonathan: From Vice President to President
In 2010, after months of political uncertainty, Vice President Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as acting president, following a resolution by the Nigerian National Assembly. When Yar’Adua passed away later that year, Jonathan became the country’s president. Jonathan, a mild-mannered zoologist from the Niger Delta, had risen through the political ranks with little controversy. His ascension to the presidency was seen as a stroke of luck, leading to the popular phrase, “Goodluck by name, good luck by fate.”
Jonathan’s presidency was initially welcomed with cautious optimism. He promised to build on Yar’Adua’s reforms and to tackle the pervasive corruption that had hindered Nigeria’s development for decades. In his inauguration speech, Jonathan declared, “Nigerians, I want you to start to dream again. What you see in your dreams, we can achieve together. I call upon all the Presidential candidates who contested with me to join hands with us as we begin the transformation of our country.” He initiated several economic reforms, particularly in the power and agricultural sectors, and oversaw the rebasing of Nigeria’s GDP in 2014, which made it the largest economy in Africa (The Guardian. (2014). Nigeria becomes Africa’s largest economy – get the data.
However, Jonathan’s administration soon became embroiled in its own corruption scandals, and his initial goodwill began to fade. The most significant scandal involved the mismanagement of Nigeria’s oil revenue. In 2012, a report by the Nigerian Senate revealed that over $6 billion had been stolen from the country’s fuel subsidy program, a scheme designed to make petroleum products affordable for Nigerians. The scandal, dubbed “Oil Subsidy Gate,” was one of the largest financial crimes in Nigeria’s history, and it sparked widespread protests and strikes. Nigerians took to the streets in what became known as the “Occupy Nigeria” movement, demanding an end to corruption and economic mismanagement.
Boko Haram and insecurity
In addition to the challenges posed by corruption, Jonathan’s presidency was also marred by the rise of Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group based in northeastern Nigeria. Boko Haram, whose name roughly translates to “Western education is forbidden,” had been active since the early 2000s, but it escalated its insurgency during Jonathan’s tenure. The group’s attacks, which included bombings, kidnappings, and massacres, terrorized the northern regions and left thousands dead.
One of the most notorious incidents occurred in 2014 when Boko Haram militants kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok. The abduction sparked international outrage and led to the global #BringBackOurGirls campaign, which called on the Nigerian government to take more decisive action against the group. Despite international pressure, the government’s response to Boko Haram was widely criticized as ineffective, with many accusing Jonathan’s administration of underestimating the threat posed by the group.
As Boko Haram’s attacks escalated, the Nigerian military struggled to contain the insurgency. Reports surfaced that soldiers were under-equipped and poorly trained, and there were allegations that military funds were being siphoned off by corrupt officials. The growing insecurity, combined with the government’s failure to address the root causes of Boko Haram’s rise, poverty, unemployment, and perceived marginalization in the north further eroded Jonathan’s popularity.
2015 election: A turning point
As Jonathan’s presidency drew to a close, Nigeria faced a critical moment. The 2015 presidential election was one of the most closely watched and hotly contested in the country’s history. Jonathan faced a formidable opponent in Muhammadu Buhari, the former military ruler who had launched an anti-corruption campaign in the 1980s. Buhari, now running as a civilian candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC), promised to tackle corruption and restore security to Nigeria.
The election was significant for several reasons. It marked the first time in Nigeria’s history that an incumbent president was defeated in a democratic election. Buhari won with a clear majority, and Jonathan, to his credit, conceded defeat peacefully, saying, “No ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian.” His concession was widely praised both domestically and internationally, and it helped to consolidate Nigeria’s fragile democracy. To be continued.
Thought for the week
Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish – Sam Walton
Last Line
God bless my numerous global readers for always keeping faith with the Sunday Sermon on the Mount of the Nigerian Project, by humble me, Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, CON, OFR, FCIArb., LL.M, Ph.D, LL.D, D.Litt, D.Sc, DHL, DA. Kindly come with me to next week’s exciting dissertation.
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