Highlight the achievements of the military governments in Nigeria.

Answer Details

Despite their undemocratic origins, the various military governments that ruled Nigeria between 1966 and 1999 recorded a number of achievements. These include:

1. Preservation of national unity: The military kept Nigeria one by successfully prosecuting the civil war (1967 to 1970) and defeating secession, then pursuing reconciliation.
2. Creation of states and local governments: Successive military regimes created states (from 4 regions to 36 states) and local government councils, bringing government closer to the people and calming minority fears.
3. Reform of the local government system: The 1976 Local Government Reform by the Murtala/Obasanjo regime standardised local government as a uniform third tier of government throughout the country.
4. Development of infrastructure: The military built roads, bridges, ports, airports, refineries, universities and other infrastructure, aided by the oil boom.
5. Relocation of the federal capital: They established and moved the federal capital from Lagos to a central, more neutral location at Abuja.
6. Introduction of national programmes: Programmes such as Operation Feed the Nation, the Green Revolution, Universal Primary Education, the War Against Indiscipline and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) were introduced to promote development and national integration.
7. Return to civilian rule: The military twice organised transition programmes that handed over power to elected civilians (1979 and 1999), restoring democracy.
8. Active foreign policy and pan-Africanism: They championed African liberation, the anti-apartheid struggle, and the formation of ECOWAS in 1975.
9. Indigenisation of the economy: Decrees were promulgated to transfer ownership of certain businesses to Nigerians, promoting economic nationalism.