The Nigerian Press and June 12: Pressure and Performance During a Political Crisis

Abstract

The Nigerian press faced its most turbulent years to date between 1993 and 1998, a span that has been described as the “darkest period of its 140-year history.” This was the period during which the military annulled a national election and sought to perpetuate itself, a development that precipitated a political crisis that brought Nigeria close to another civil war. This study examines the fate of the Nigerian press during the crisis, which Nigerians refer to simply as June 12 in reference to the date of the annulled election in 1993. Specifically, the study examines the dynamics of a press system in which the forces of repression and the forces of freedom manifest strong oppositional trends. In this case, an illegitimate (and therefore insecure) military government sought to repress a press that was growing in size and independence in a volatile political context and difficult economic circumstances. The paper analyzes the interplay of the various factors and trends in engendering repression while also facilitating press resistance. The paper notes the implications for press systems analysis.