INDEPENDENT ISLAMIC STATES

Nigeria

Official name: Federal Republic of Nigeria (NG)

Capital city; : Lagos

Important Cities: Ibadan, Sokoto, Ogbomosho, Kano, Kaduna, Oshogbo, Ilorin,        

                                 Abeokuta, Majduguri, Akure.

Area : 923.768 km2.

Population          : 211,401,000 (2021)[1] 36% of the population lives in cities.

Number of People Per Km2: 202 (2021)

Ethnic Structure: Nigeria is a country where many different ethnic groups live together. The most populous ethnic group is Hausa with 21.2 per cent. 90 per cent of the Hausa are Muslims. The second is the Yorubas, who have 21 per cent. Fifty per cent of Yorubas are Muslims. Then come the Ibos, who have 18 per cent. Almost all of the Igbo are Christians. The next element is the Fulanis with a rate of 11.2 per cent. 92% of Fulanis are Muslims.

Language : The official language is English. However, there are also Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo language among the people.

Religion: The state has no official religion. According to the records, 51% of the population is Muslim. Most of the Muslims are Sunni and Maliki. Christians follow Muslims with 33% of the population. Another 16 per cent of the population are Animists of local religions. . Muslims are mostly concentrated in the north and Christians in the south.

Geographical Status: Nigeria, one of the West African countries, is surrounded by Niger from the north, Chad from the north-east, Cameroon from the east, Atlantic Ocean from the south and Benin from the west. The most important rivers are the Niger, Kadona and Benue rivers. It also has a coast to Lake Chad. 37% of its territory is agricultural land, 23% is grassland, 16% is forested and bushland. The northern part of the country is relatively desert and the eastern part is a little mountainous. The southern part is mostly covered with forests and areas suitable for agriculture. The country is generally under the influence of tropical climate. The Atlantic coast receives more rain than the inland areas.

Mode of Government: In Nigeria, where a federal system prevails, state governments have broad powers. The multi-party democratic system in the central government was fully implemented only in 1994. However, the traces of the military regime still remain in Nigeria, where many military revolutions have taken place. According to the new system, the head of state is elected by the people. The country has a bicameral parliamentary system. The states also have their own federal parliaments. The constitution of 1 October 1979 was amended on 1 October 1979. The legal system is generally a copy of the English legal system.

International Organisations of which it is a member: UN, Organisation of African Unity, OPEC, Economic Community of West African States, African Antilles and Pacific Convention, British Commonwealth, IMF. OIC[2]

Political Parties: Republican National Congress: It is a right-wing, conservative and liberal party. Social Democratic Party: It is a leftist party advocating social democracy.

History: Islam reached the northern parts only in the 7th century. In the 10th century, the Kingdom of Bornu was established in the south-west of Lake Chad in the eastern part of the region that constitutes today's Nigerian territory, and the kingdom of Kano in the north. The kingdom of Bornu, which had important services in the Islamisation of Nigeria and Cameroon, was connected to the Ottoman state in 1550, but later the relationship was severed. The Bornu Empire survived until the British occupation of this region. Various Muslim emirates have been established in Northern Nigeria since the 18th century. Among the states established in Nigeria, the most important state is the Sokoto Caliphate, which emerged after the jihad initiated by Osman dan Fodio. This caliphate was founded in 1804 with the city of Sokoto in the northwest of Nigeria as its centre and remained an independent state until the British occupation. After the British occupation, it continued its existence as a state administration. Today, this region is one of the thirty federal states that make up Nigeria. The Portuguese and British colonisers first became interested in Nigeria in the 18th century. They used to take local people on ships and transport them to Europe as slaves. From the beginning of the 19th century, the British began to settle in this country through the commercial organisations they established. In August 1861, they captured the Lagos pier. In 1866, a colonial district was created under the name of "Lagos colony and protectorate". By 1900, the entire territory of Nigeria was under British occupation. Until 1 October 1960, it remained under British occupation. After independence, Sir Abu Bakr Tafeva Baleva was appointed as the first head of state. Sir Abu Bakr's rule lasted until 15 January 1966. On this date he was assassinated by those who had started a military uprising. However, Major-General Johnson Aguiyi - Ironsi, then chief of staff, suppressed the uprising and assumed the presidency. His rule lasted until 29 July 1966. On this date, a second military coup took place and Major General Jhonson was replaced by the coup plotter Lieutenant General Yakub Gawon. Yakub Gawon held the presidency until 29 June 1975. Buhari's rule was also ended by a military coup on 27 August 1985 and he was replaced by Major General Ibrahim Babangida. Babangida was forced to form an Interim Governing Council on 4 January 1993. Ernest Shonekan, chairman of the Interim Governing Council, was appointed to this position. However, Ibrahim Babangida, who became the chairman of the National Defence and Security Council, again had the primary say in the administration. On 12 June 1993, Babangida cancelled the elections 11 days later after the opposition Social Democratic Party candidate Moshood Abiola won the elections. However, the people opposed the cancellation and hundreds of people were killed in the incidents that broke out. On 17 November 1993, the Minister of Defence, General Sani Abasha, seized power. After free general elections in June 1994, civilian rule was restored.

Internal Problems: The most important internal problem in the country is political instability. Nigeria, which has experienced many military revolutions, was the scene of serious turmoil and events in 1993. The oppressive policy of the military regime also played a role in this. The second internal problem is the efforts of the Christian minority to be more effective in the administration of the country and to put the Muslim majority under pressure. Christians want to have more say in the administration than Muslims by overestimating their proportion in Nigeria. Christians also oppose Nigeria's entry into the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The attitude of Christians leads to various conflicts and incidents in the country from time to time.

External Problems: Nigeria has a border issue with Cameroon.

Islam in the country: The colonial period in Nigeria was also a period of ignorance and impoverishment. For this reason, Muslims did not have the opportunity to learn their religion, and they were made to give less importance to religious issues by being forced to worry about their livelihood. Former dictator Babangida also constantly oppressed Muslims and did not allow Islamic studies. Many Muslims were imprisoned during his reign. Nevertheless, many people who were devoted to Islam did not stop working sincerely for their beliefs by enduring all the pressures. Ibrahim Zakzaki, one of the leading figures of the Islamic movement in the country, stated that the court was not fair when he was brought before the court accused of establishing an Islamic state in Nigeria and causing incidents for this purpose, and that he would give everything for his faith. Islamic activities are more effective in Northern Nigeria where Muslims are concentrated. Islamic activities are mostly carried out in mosques. Islamic education is also generally carried out in mosques or in madrasas connected to mosques. The state does not give much opportunity to Islamic organisations and political activities. The pressure of the Christian and Jewish masses on the state also has an effect on this. The Jews, who number only 4 thousand, are very influential in the political sphere and they utilise this influence to the detriment of Muslims. Christians constantly harass Muslims and sometimes provoke them and lead to conflicts.

Ethnic and tribal conflicts initiated by the colonial powers have a negative impact on Islamic activities and prevent Muslims from acting in unity. Osman dan Fodyo was born in Maratta in North Hausaland in 1754. He belonged to a family of scholars. He became a hafiz at a young age. He declared the establishment of the Sokoto caliphate and waged jihad against the Gobir state on 21 February 1804. He waged a successful jihad for four years, establishing Islamic rule over the whole of Sokoto province. Osman dan Fodyo died on 20 April 1817. After his death, his son Muhammadu Bello, who was also a scholar like him, took over the Sokoto state.[3]

Economy: Oil takes the first place in the Nigerian economy. After the agreement between OPEC countries in 1993, it was decided that the daily oil production would be 1 million 870 thousand barrels. Nigeria also has rich natural gas deposits. Despite the importance of oil in Nigeria's economy, the country is still an agricultural country. The share of agricultural products in gross domestic product is 40 per cent. 43% of the working population is employed in agriculture. The main agricultural products are cocoa, rubber, peanuts, maize, millet, sugar cane, rice, cereals, cotton lint, kola nut, palm seed, cassava and various vegetables and fruits. Livestock and fisheries also make an important contribution to the economy. Forest products are also an important source of income in Nigeria, which has large forests.

Currency: Naira

National Income per Capita: 2,432 USD[4]

Foreign Trade: The main exports are crude oil (96%), cocoa, rubber, forest products and palm seeds. Imports include machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, transport equipment, defence equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles and paper. The USA ranks first in exports and the UK ranks first in imports. France, Japan, the Netherlands and Italy follow. Since it has rich oil and natural gas deposits, there is no deficit in foreign trade.

Industry: The most important industrial organisations are oil refining plants. Large capacity petro-chemical plants have also been established. There are two iron and steel factories. Medium and small industrial enterprises are mainly engaged in the production of food, soft drinks, textiles, cigarettes, leather, garments, furniture, paper, chemical industry, cement and construction materials, plastics, rubber, office equipment, electrical equipment, spare parts.

Energy: 78% of the electricity is obtained from thermal power plants and 22% from hydroelectric power plants. Annual electricity consumption per capita is 80 kw/hour.

Transportation: The capital Lagos, Ibadan and Kano have one airport open to international traffic. There are 11 airports other than these. There is a harbour used for export and import in the capital Lagos. It has 3500 km of railway and 124,000 km of road network, of which 60,000 km are asphalted.

Health: Nigeria has 11,660 hospitals, 18,650 doctors, 950 dentists, 60,000 nurses. There is one doctor for 4.933 people.

Education:

Administrative division: A capital city administration consists of 30 states with the status of federated states and 589 local units.

[1]   www.ticaret.gov.tr(November-2021 Access)

[2]     www.oic-oci.org

[3]    www.enfal.de(November-2021 Access)

[4]    www.ticaret.gov.tr(November-2021 Access)