histoire

L'HISTOIRE DU NIGER

Prehistory

One can never disregard all this period when one visits Niger, because it appears in all respects from its territory: in Aïr and Djado where one finds surprising carvings, in Ténéré where were found the shards of potteries of the Neolithic... The impressive Museum of Niamey testifies of this wealth in vestiges and objects of the Prehistory. The first people appeared in Niger 60 000 years ago (in Paleolithic Lower). During this period, they knew successively periods when Sahara was dry, then growing green, with big rivers and immense lakes. 2500 years BC Sahara begins its progressive land reclamation and is going to provoke the exodus of the populations of fishermen and farmer southward, where lands are more fertile. Sahara so left will become the fief of the big populations nomads: on West the Moors in Atlantic Sahara, in the centre in the Saharan central massif (Tassili, Hoggar, Adrar des Iforans, Aïr) the Touaregs, and around the lake Chad Toubou. Both first ones being of Berber tree stump and coming from North Africa.

The history of the 5 first centuries of Niger is badly known

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Appearance of the camel

The appearance of the camel, means of transport the most adapted by the desert, near the V-th century, is completely going to change the use of the desert. Coming east, it spreads in Fezzan, then in Saharan central massif. Thanks to the camel, the communications between North (Berbers) and Sudan are going to become possible and very fast caravans are going to get organized around the business of gold and salt produced in the South and forwarded to the north of Africa of the IV-th and V-th centuries.

From the end of the VII ième century, a new religion coming from North gains more and more influence on the Saharan population: Islam. The expedition led by the Arabic conqueror Uqba Ibn Nafi diffuse it until Bilma. It is in this time also that two influential states of Niger are going to build up themselves: Songhaï, to Gao and in the buckle of the river Niger, and Kanem towards the lake Chad which will become later worsens Bornou. In the South, small states Haoussa establish.

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Empires.

The XV-th and the XVI-th century mark a real bend in the history of Niger. Touaregs creates the Sultanate of Aïr in 1405. Songhaï escapes the touareg dominion and mandingue and form the big empire of Mali under the command of Sonni Ali Ber ( 1464-1492 ). A little later Askia Mohammed ( 1493-1528 ) big sovereign of the Shongaï, gives influence and prosperity to the empire. He is divided current Niger with the empire of Bornou which, under the influence of Idris Alaoma ( 1571-1603 ), dominates all the region of the lake. The Shongaï Empire goes out nevertheless with century. The Moroccan pasha Djouder imposes an austere defeat in radiant realm (battle of Tonbidi in 1591). Haoussa states take advantage of it then to get back the businesses of Shongaï and base their influence. Among these states, Gobir, Bawa Jan Gwarzo ( 1771-1798 ), becomes particularly important. Agadez becomes at this moment a big commercial and cultural crossroads.

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Holy war

Moslem fervents, Peul play an original role on the political scene. Native of Fouta Toro Sénégalais, Ousmane Dan Fodio creates a Islamic peul State from Sokoto in the North of Nigeria. Commander of the faith he starts the holy war (jihad) at the beginning of the XIX-th century against States Haoussa and converts to Islam an important part of western Africa. His son, Mohammed Belo, continues the fight against the heathen States. His victories on the sultan of Gobir do not reproduce against Zarma which, under Issa Korombé's behaviour, terminate the expansionism of the Empire of Sokoto. While the first western explorers penetrate to Niger (Mungo Park, Monteil, Barth), the sultan Tanimoune transforms into major power the Haoussa du Damagaram state the capital of which Zinder is. He is at the origin of factories and of new agricultural cultures and leaves his imprint with the city, both with the level administrative and cultural.

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Colonial period

From the XIX-th century, with the big European travelers, the colonial conquest got organized militarily, after agreement, notably as regards Niger, between French and British major powers. French army had then the free hands to occupy territories which set a wild resistance. So during the first world war Aïr lifted up itself against French, to the appeal of Kaocen and of its forces Sénoussistes. At first military territory with as capital Zinder, then colony of 1922 (Niamey capital in 1926) in 1946, the country became overseas territory of the French Republic within the French Union in 1946. Niger obtained its independence within the framework of the Community on December 18, 1958, then it reached the total independence on August 3, 1960, with as first president M.Diori Amani. This one was knocked down on April 15, 1974 by the lieutenant-colonel Seyni Kountché who became military supreme a president of council of the Republic of Niger. During the first year, several attempts of coup d'état try to destabilize the new regime. Seyni Kountché stands firm and opens gradually his government to the civilians. In November 10, 1987 he dies in Paris, he was 56 years old. In November 14, 1987, the Supreme Military council appoints the Colonel Ali Saïbou to succeed him. He is elected President of the republic of Niger on December 10, 1989.

February 27, 1993 take place presidential elections. On March 27, Mahamame Ousmane is the first President to be democratically elected.

January, 1995: general election.

January 27, 1997, military coup d'état, creation of a council of National Safety of 12 members steered by the colonel Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara.

May 12, 1997: referendum for the Constitution: YES: 90 % (and 67 % of abstinences)

Presidential election: the Colonel Baré Maïnassara is elected President of the Republic of Niger with 52.3 % of votes.

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Bibliography :

"Le Niger aujourd'hui" Jean Claude Klotchkoff, Editions J.A

"Le Niger" Guide touristique Air Afrique

Tarek Hammou

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