CHAPTER ONE

RUSSIA’S RELATION WITH NIGERIA BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR

1.1     History of Nigeria

Nigeria the most populous country on the African continent only came into existence in its present form in 1914 when the two protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria were amalgamated by Sir Fredrick Lugard. The name Nigeria was first suggested in an article for the Times that the several British protectorates on the Niger be known as Nigeria1. The history of Nigeria as it is today goes back more than two thousand years. The earlier history of its peoples is contained in myths and legend, for north only, where the Kanuri and Hausa came into contact with the Arabs there any records noticed before the nineteenth country. One can say. However, reconstruct something of the history of Africa or Nigeria political division from archaeological research, which has greatly advanced in the last decades.2

Although Nigeria was the creation of Western ambitions and rivalry in West Africa; it is erroneous to believe that its peoples had little history contacts before its own boundaries were negotiated by Britain, France and Germany at the turn of the twentieth century. The Nigeria state contained not just a multiplicity of ethnic groups, but also a number of great Kingdoms that had evolved complex system of government devoid of European influence.3 The great Kingdom of Kanem-Borno, had a known history of more than a thousand years. The Sokoto Caliphate which for nearly a hundred years before its defeat by British had ruled most of the Savannah of Northern Nigeria; the Benin and Ife Kingdoms had become famous in art as amongst the most accomplished in the world. It is evident that the Empire of Oyo was once the most powerful of the States of the Guinea Coast. The Niger Delta (City States) had tremendously grown in response to European demands for slaves and later palm oil. On the other hand the Igbo-speaking peoples were known for the famous Igbo- Ukwu bronzes and terracotta’s. Before 1900, the diverse groups had in one way or the other through trade and war been in contact with each other4.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria covers an area of 570,000 square Kms and according to the last census has a population of over 150,000,000 people. The coastline stenches for 800 km from Badagry in the West of Calabar in the East, which includes the Bights of Benin and Bonny. The borders are contiguous with the Republic of Benin to the West, Niger Republic to the North and the Republic of Cameroon to the East. Despite the continuous notion that Nigerians were not consulted before the 1914 amalgamation, today Nigeria is inhabited by a large number of ethnics groups ranging in some from a few thousand to many millions, speaking between them several hundred languages. Though looking at the variety of customs, languages and social organization is confusing, they can be grouped into a number of linguistic groups which gives a honest good indication of their wider cultural relationship or affiliations.5

The Nigeria linguistic affiliation does not imply common decent, since contact between two very different groups can lead to assimilation of the linguistic system of one by the other. According to Joseph H. Greenberry, the majority of Nigeria’s inhabitants speak one of the large groups of languages of Niger-Congo family that form part of the larger Congo-Lordofanion family.6 The Kwa family which Nigeria is concerned is sub family of Niger-Congo family. The Yoruba, the Edo, Nupe and Igbo speak language classified as Kwa 7

The Amalgamation

A crucial look at Nigeria issues and problem has be alluded to the 1914 amalgamation of Southern and Northern Nigeria as one state. In 1914, the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria and the protectorate of Northern Nigeria were united together by Lord Fredrick Lugard on 1st January 1914, thus becoming the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. The year 1914 has attracted so much importance in analyzing the politics of Nigeria as it marks the turning point in the evolution of the Nigeria state and also making Nigeria a political entity. A lot has been given as the reason for the amalgamation of South and North8. However, the immediate reason for the decision to amalgamate the two Nigeria was economic expediency or idea.  9The Northern Protectorate was running at a severe deficit, which was taken care of by Southern protectorate subsidy with British imperial Grant-in-Aid of about £300,000 a year. This was a departure from the age old policy of colonial autonomy, especially in financial matters.

Also, there were the pressing issues to coordinate railway policy, which at times was not in existence. The singular action by Lugard influenced the whole future of Nigeria. 10These actions would have been averted if Lord Lugard had listened to better judgment of a man who knew Nigeria well. E. D Moral, at that time editor of the African Mail. A known critic of the colonial policy, he proposed the division of the country into four large provinces; namely Northern, Central, Western and Eastern Provinces. While Temple, the then Lt. Governor of the Northern Protectorate suggested the division of Nigeria into seven with three each at North and South respectively, Lagos as the last of the seven.

          However, the decision of Lord has inevitably led Nigeria to political crisis and peace. At the era of Nigeria independence, it’s clear to note that the seeming unity of Nigeria was at low ebb. The events that preceded the October’s 1st 1960 have attracted serious question on the amalgamation of the North and South in 1914.11

The Path to Independence

The Richard’s Constitution of 1947 marked the actual turning point in Nigeria’s road towards independence, though the constitution received serious attacks from every side of Nigerian nationalists.12 The very objectives of the constitution signified unity, providing unity for the diverse elements that make up Nigeria and to ensure much participation by Africans in the discussion of their affairs. The most striking feature of the Constitution was the inclusion of the North in the Central legislature, a move seen as an effort at ensuring unity. Though they were mainly restricted to discussion, the creation of Regional Assemblies in the Constitution has been seen as the foundation of tribalism in Nigeria politics.  Dike (1957) reaffirmed the nation that Richard’s constitutional development, is against the effort of unifying Nigerian towards a centralized state and the realization of a common nationality.13

          However, it has been argued that if Lord Sir Arthur wanted to contain regional and ethnic differences he would have followed the notion proposed by Moral and Temple, also later by Zik. This whole action set a precarious situation of a very unwieldy federation with one region twice the size in area and population of the other two. The events that followed the introduction of the constitution show a great deal of damage it had caused to the unity of Nigeria. The decision made at the Ibadan conference 1948 must be seen in the context of the great increase in ethnocentrism. The origin of this tribal feeling was the source of much bitterness and recrimination by Nigeria political parties; an issue that later climaxed on party polities leading to a coup which led to Nigeria Civil War in years to come.14

          In fact originally, the increase in tribalism, as Ezera showed, was resisted by circumstance rather than design and only later was it seized upon by politician. This trend continued to dictate the politics then, as later it also led to crisis in the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) Tribal feeling had set in the quarrel between Zik and then older members of the Nigerian Youth Movement on the candidature of Samuel Akinsanya for a seat on the legislative council; Zik left the group. By 1949, the Northern People’s Congress, a cultural Congress like Egbe Omo Oduduwa set in an era of tribal party politics posing a greater danger to the Nigeria polity in years to come. 15The events at the coal miners’ strike in which the police opened fire on the strikers leading to the death of about twenty one led to the need for a new Constitution that was thought of arresting the regional politics. Again the Minority reports which would have ensured national building and national character were dropped aside leading to events that occurred in 1956.16

          On 1st April 1956 an Action Group backbencher, Anthony Enahoro moved a motion demanding self government in 1956. It was clear that the Northern members would not support the motion as they were not yet prepared. The question here is whether the colonial authority would have approved if the Western region people wanted self government. This would have arrested the violence that followed the motion. The Kano riot gave a final blow to the seeming unity in the theory of 1914 amalgamation. It clearly sent a signal that all was not well despite all efforts at ensuring unity through the Macpherson Constitution of 1951. Though the Macpherson’s Constitution was much more liberal in its look than it’s predecessor, and much more in keeping with the needs of Nigeria which inevitably led to the end of colonial rule in Nigeria.17

          The issues that coloured the motion for self government continued to shape Nigeria politics long after independence. Uncertainty and lack of trust became the order of the day in Nigeria politics. At the immediate post motion of self government, seeking alliance between the West and East Nigerian unity collapsed leading to more complex regional politics. At the height of the crisis among the North, West and East, the North demanded the dissolution of the Federation.18 The immediate result of the riots and the motion in the Northern House was the realization by the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Oliver Lyttelton that his earlier complacent statement that what Nigeria needs is a period of reflection to let the dust die down was a departure from the truth.

          The London conferences of 1956 seemed almost impossible.  The various parties sent delegations to the conferences with many misgiving against this unpromising background; it is remarkable how much agreement was in fact reached by the delegates to the London Conferences.

          The all important question of self government in 1956 was cleverly, side stepped by offering self-government to those region that wanted it in 1956, but not to the federation as a whole, thus leaving it open to the North choice for self government. The bitterest issue of the conference, which broke the N.C.N.C., Action Group Alliance, was whether Lagos should be part of Federal territory. The N.C.N.C. which had many members in Lagos, also felt that a federation should have a true Federal Capital, while the AG wanted it to be part of the Western Region. Once again a conference about which most people had been very pessimistic was a striking success.19

          In so far, the two conferences presented a framework that led to a Constitution under which Nigeria was governed till the military take-over in 1966.

          On October 1, 1960 Nigeria became an Independent member of the International Community.  There was clear optimism about its future both within the country and outside, particularly the European powers. The Independence was achieved through patient negotiation between Nigerian leaders and the colonial masters, not by violent revolution. The three governing parties of the regions namely N.P.C in the North, the N.C.N.C. East and A.G. in West all ensured western-style parliamentary democracy. The N.P.C. and N.C.N.C. formed alliance with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as Governor-General and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as Prime Minister.20

In the early years of independence, the constitution was able to contain the various strains to which it was subjected. This is supported by one Nigeria newspaper which put it succinctly, “Nigeria seemed to have perfected the art of walking to the brook of disaster without falling in". However, the complete breakdown of law and order in the western region in late 1965 led the military to take over the government and suspend every democratic institution.

          The coup in January was mainly seen as an Eastern coup by the North. The North subsequently saw the unification of regional and federal public services as policy to dominate by the Igbos. Also they saw the killing of Northern military personnel as an attempt to dominate the military. In July, Northern officers staged a coup in which Aguyi Ironsi on a visit to Ibadan was killed together with his host, Governor Fajuyi. Finally the Army Chief of Staff, Lt Col. Yakubu Gowon a Northerner took over as Head of State. The legitimacy of Gowon as Head of State caused civil unrest leading to conflict and killing between the North and Igbos. The continued rejection of Gowon by Lt. Col. Ojukwu led to chaos that plugged into a thirty-month-long civil war, with the Igbos declaring their Republic of Biafra.21

          The colonial rule in Nigeria set a standard that started in 1914. The constitutional framework at bringing unity to Nigeria did not engender peace in the State. The war that ensued in Nigeria has in the colonial legacy which the master left in the hand of Nigerians.

1.2     Brief History of Russia

          Russia, an independent country, officially known as the Russian Federation.  By far the world’s largest country, Russia is almost twice the size of the next largest country, Canada.

          Russian sprawls across Eastern Europe and Northern Asia.  It possesses mineral resources unmatched by any other country.  Four fifths of the people live in the European part of Russia, West of the Ural Mountains.  The capital, Moscow, is an administrative, commercial, industrial and cultural hub in the heart of European Russia.

          In the 14th and 15th centuries a powerful Russian state began to grow around Moscow.  Russia emerged as a great world power during the reign of Peter the Great, who built Saint Peterburg as Russia’s now “window on the West” and moved the seat of government then in 1712.  The massive Russia Empire reached its greatest size in 1914, before World War I.  Moscow regained its capital status after the Russian Revolution of 1917, when militant socialists called Botshevia overthrown the Russia monarchy.

          In 1922, they founded the world’s first communist state, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR, or Soviet Union).  The USSR had a totalitarian political system in which communist party leaders held political and economic powers.

          The state owned all companies and land, and the government controlled most aspects of the economy.  After the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991, Russia began transforming itself into 9 more democratic society with an economy based on market mechanisms and principles.  For many Russians, the transformation brought decline in standard of living.  At the same time, Russia became more integrated with the global economy and benefited from improved relations with the countries of the European Union as well as its neighbours in Asia.22

1.3     The Cold War

          Reasons for the cold war have been variously canvassed.  Some scholars hold the view that the origin of the cold war lay in Stalin’s ambition to dominate the world.  Others believe that it was the United States expansionist or imperialistic desire that caused the cold war.  It is further believed that the wrong use by the United States of her awesome military and political might created tension and resulted in the cold war.  Meanwhile, a major feature was developing in international system immediately after the post war years.

          Above all, the cold war came out as the strengthened by the relative balance of power that existed between the two leaders of the two blocs which is the USA and Russia.  The Second World War that started in 1939 – 1945, left in the United States and the Soviet Union strong and formidable in strength. After these wars, the United States emerged physically strong and economically buoyant than before.23

          On the other hand, the Soviet Union had been devastated by the war because she lost 20 million people but still had a formidable military power with over 4 million standing armies and in control of population and territories, in the central and Eastern Europe well beyond its pre-1939 boundaries.

          However, to improve our understanding of the cold war phenomenon we shall explain some situations where the politics of the cold war played out itself. 

The Berlin crises:  The Berlin crisis of 1947 was the outcome of the ideological division between the West and the East rather than a German problem.  It was more of who controls Germany ideologically rather than Germany exploiting the differences between East and West as West Germany was merely a pawn in the hands of the victorious powers.24  Russia had occupied a large chunk of German territory with the intention of collecting reparation from her.  Through this, the Quadripartite Agreement came out over to control Germany.  For instance, the Western powers had organized a government for Germany in the zones occupied by them.

          The Soviet Union protested this but to no avail.  The Berlin question came to a head, when the security council was requested by the Western power to act in respect of their claim that the Soviet Union’s action violated the Potsdam agreement, which gave them some access to the western portion of Berlin.25 One of the major consequences of the Berlin blockade was the fear, which it generated among the Western powers and the attendant formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) pact26, which was decidedly an anti-Soviet pact.

Another one is the Far East crisis:  China a communist government led by Mao-Tse-Tang.  On 1st October, 1949 the whole of China was brought under the control of one government.  In that year a People’s Republic of China was proclaimed.  In fact, the reaction of America and the West to the Chinese revolution was that the Soviet Union was behind it.  Truman believed that the Soviet Union wanted to rule the world.  So he adopted a tough policy towards the communist threat.

          However, the Chinese revolution was an internal affair that began in 1927 and led to the communist

You either get what you want or your money back. T&C Apply

Talk to us right now: (+234)906-451-7926 (Call/WhatsApp)

---