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Nigeria Attitudes Toward the Military
Attitudes toward the military in Nigeria were
ambivalent. On
the one hand, it was well regarded. Despite repeated
interventions, the military as an institution has remained
intact
and not succumbed to radicalization; it has ruled firmly
and,
with a few notable exceptions, humanely; and it has made
the
restoration of stable civilian rule a high priority. The
repeated
turnovers among the generals occasioned by coups and
intraregime
power realignments accelerated upward mobility for capable
officers and attracted high-quality volunteers. In
addition, the
political and managerial experience acquired by senior
officers
in government posts during long periods of military rule
offered
exceptional and lucrative postservice business
opportunities.
These "up or out" conditions created what critics dubbed a
"baby
general" boom.
On the other hand, Nigeria's highly charged and
pluralistic
political culture afforded ample latitude to criticize the
military, although with some inhibitions during periods of
military rule. Nigerian scholar Ikenna Nzimiro decried the
"military psychosis" that beset Nigeria and the class
nature of
the military as part of a privileged ruling class. In his
view,
this military oligarchy rewarded itself with sharply
increased
but socially unproductive military spending. Other human
rights
advocacy groups and prominent individuals often protested
the
military regime's incompetence and misuse of power
(see Human Rights
, this ch.). A July 1990 poll conducted by the
Ministry of
Information found widespread public dislike of coups and
military
regimes.
Data as of June 1991
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