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Nigeria Gains Independence
Nigeria gained its independence from Great Britain on October 1st 1960. -
Birth of Nigerian First Republic
Nigeria severed its remining ties to Britain, marking the birth of the Nigerian First Republic -
National Election
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Military Coup
A Military coup deposed the government of the First Republic. Balewa, Premier of Northern Nigeria Ahmadu Bello, and Finance Minister Festus Oketie-Eboh, were assasinated. -
Federal Military Government Formed
The Federal Military Government was formed, with General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi acting as head of state and Supreme Commander of the Federal Republic. -
Counter-coup
A counter-coup by military officers of northern extraction deposed the Federal Military Government. Aguiyi-Ironsi and Adekunle Fajuyi, Military Governor of the Western Region, were assassinated. General Yakubu Gowon became President. -
Ibrahim Babanginda gains power
Ibrahim Babanginda begins ruling Nigeria from his coup against Muhannadu Buhari. -
Orkar Failed Coup
Babangida survives a bloody coup attempt by mainly junior army officers. In the courts martial that follow more than 200 soldiers are sentenced to death and executed. -
Election
The Babangida government annuled the results of the election, claiming it fraud, and postponed additional elections for a year. -
Presidential Elections
Nigerians vote in presidential elections to end military rule. The candidates are Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party and Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention. Early results show Abiola with a runaway lead. -
Nigerian Presidential Election
Winner was Moshood Abiola. Believed to be the first fiar election held in the history of Nigeria. However, Babangida again claimed fraud and annulled the reults. -
Babangida Resigned
Ernest Shonekan, a civilian, was appointed as president. -
Sani Abacha gains power
Sani Abacha overthrew Shonekan. -
Attempted coup by Gwadabe
Lawan Gwadabe attempted a coup against Abacha. Obasanjo and Yar'Adua were suspected in aiding the coup and were sentence to 25 years in prison. -
Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 other leaders hanged
Ken Saro-Wiwa (an environmentalist and playwright) criticized the Nigerian government for the environmental damages being inflicted by the oil industry on the land inhabited by the Ogoni people. On May 21 1994, four Ogoni chiefs were brutally murdered. Saro-Wiwa and 8 other leaders were arrested being accused of the crime and all 9 were sentenced to death by hanging. Opposition to this sentence came from all over the world, especially because it was obvious that the trail was rigged and later it -
Attempted coup by Oladippo Diya
On December 21, 1997, there was another attempted coup on the Abacha government by Oladipo Diya, and he was imprisoned. -
Abacha dies
On June 8 1998, Abacha died of a heart attack at the age of 54. -
Abdulsalam Abubakar becomes President
After Abacha died, Abdulsalam Abubakar (mentioned before) took his place on June 9 1998. He set up a transition program that would lead the country back to democracy by May 29 1999. -
Olusegun Obasanjo becomes President
On May 29 1999, Olusegun Obasanjo was declared the new democratically elected president. He continued to be the president of Nigeria until May 29 2007.