Economically, the discovery of oil in the Niger Delata in 1957 planted the seeds for many of the political and economic issues — good and bad — facing Nigeria today.

Finally, on October 1, 1960, Britain bestowed formal independence on Nigeria. The early years were rife with the growing pains of democracy, as well as the long-standing regional, tribal and religious disputes.

The military was a force in Nigerian politics in the early years, one of the entities that was dismayed by the regionalism and tribalism that prevented the Nigerian brand of federalism from succeeding. A coup in January 1966 resulted in the suspension of the legislative bodies throughout the country, and a countercoup seven months later further hampered the struggles for democracy.