The 3rd Republic: Nigeria’s Transition to Democracy as Told By National Print Media, 1992-1993

In 1992, upon completing my Doctorate, I received the opportunity to do my post-doctoral work in Nigeria working with Africare International for a year. Although I was housed in Southeastern Nigeria in Owerri, Imo State, I traveled all around the nation including but not limited to Lagos, Calabar, Kano, Kaduna, Benin, Ife, Afikpo, Mbaise and Port Harcourt. My work involved serving as a research specialist with a Maternal Health and Child Survival project with an emphasis on infectious disease control. Unknowingly, I had arrived during period that saw the country under military rule via the leadership of when General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB). More interestingly was that it was also during the start of what was called the transition to the Third Republic. The Third Republic would be the attempt to return the nation to civilian rule from military rule. Originally, General Babangida informed the citizens of Nigeria that he would end military rule in 1990, after the general had lift