User:Demmy/Sandbox/Nigerian First Military Regime

The Nigerian military regimes 1966 - 1979 was the successive military administrations in Nigeria that began with the failed military coup of January 16, 1966 but brought in Major General JTY Aguiyi Ironsi who even though did not participate in the coup became the "Head of Federal Military Government" after he'd convinced the remaining civilian Council of Ministers to cede power to him, and ended with the military administration of Major General Olusegun Obasanjo on October 1, 1979 with his successful transition to civilian government. Nigeria's formative years were spent almost entirely under these regimes with coups and counter coups (at least 3).

=
During his short regime lifetime Aguiyi-Ironsi promulgated a total of 33 decrees among them the Emergency Decree known as the Constitution Suspension and Amendment Decree No.1 suspending the Constitution even though he left intact those sections of the constitution that dealt with fundamental human rights, freedom of expression and conscience. Also the Circulation of Newspaper Decree No.2 which removed the restriction to press freedom put in place by the preceding civilian administration. According to Ndayo Uko, the Decree no.2 was to serve "as a kind gesture to the press.." to safeguard himself when he went on later to promulgate the Defamatory and Offensive Decree No.44 of 1966 which made it an "offense to display or pass or pass on pictorial representation, sing songs, or play instruments the words of which are likely to provoke any section of the country." Also the Unification Decree No. 34 which aimed to unify Nigeria into a unitary state. Even though this decree was abolished when Aguiyi-Ironsi was deposed and killed, the decree was to affect the Nigerian foreign policy decision making system in a significant way: the abolition of "independence" of the regions in foreign policy. Until then the Nigerian regional governments could make their own foreign relation policies independent of the federal government. This decree removed Nigeria's many contradictory tunes on foreign policy and various "mini-embassies" abroad were closed down. This tidiness and wisdom of not allowing the state governments to compete with the federal government in foreign affairs continue till today.

====

Nigeria Army is the branch of the Nigerian armed forces that is responsible for land based military operations

I. D. Bisalla
Iliya D. Bisalla was a Nigerian Army major general who was the country's Defense Minister before he was implicated in the Buka Suka Dimka coup attempt against the government of Murtala Mohammed in 1976. Specifically for "concealment of treason". Before becoming the Defense Minister General Bisalla was the GOC 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army.


 * Crippled giant: Nigeria since independence By Eghosa E. Osaghae