The Nigerian Press and the First Republic

Abstract

In an analysis of the African press as a catalyst for democracy, there is perhaps no better case study than of Nigeria’s First Republic. This was the period of approximately five years between Nigeria’s independence from Britain on October 1, 1960 and a military coup, on January 15, 1966. It was a period of vibrant, if contentious, democracy and a correspondingly feisty press. What was considered the showcase of African democracy was ended by the military coup, which subsequently led to a 30-month civil war. This development set Nigeria on a political and civic path from which it is yet to fully recover. It also had lasting repercussions on democratization in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. The interface of press and politics during this period in Nigerian history demonstrates the potential as well as the liability of the African press as an instrument of democracy. It also suggests the impetus of civic cynicism and its intensification.