Abstract

Since attaining independence on October 1, 1960, Nigeria has made some effort to follow the path of democracy. Yet, these efforts have been undermined by military interventions through coups d’état, corruption and leadership shortcomings. These practices have continued to undermine true democracy in Nigeria and seem to cater to the interests of the few elites at the exclusion of others. The legacies of the era of coups d’état continue to exert pressure on the new democratic dispensation. Our study seeks to draw attention to the overpowering after-effects of the legacies of the coups d’état and the corrupt practices which were the mainstay of the military regimes. The paper argues that the emerging political culture better described as “military democracy” is a proverbial ticking time bomb that, if not promptly checked has the potential to destroy the nation.