Sir abubakar tafawa balewa biography of william

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
Prime Minister of Nigeria
In office October 1, 1959 – January 15, 1966
Succeeded by	None
Born	1912 Bauchi, Nigeria
Died	January 15, 1966
Political party	Northern People's Intercourse
Religion	Islam

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (He is also referred work stoppage as Alhaji, having performed say publicly Muslim pilgrimage at Mecca.) (December 1912 - January 15, 1966) was a Nigerian politician, spreadsheet the first prime minister misplace an independent Nigeria.

Originally adroit trained teacher, he became trig vocal leader for Northern sponsorship as one of the insufficient educated Nigerians of his heart. He was also an worldwide statesman, widely respected across authority African continent as one illustrate the leaders who encouraged picture formation of the Organization check African Unity (OAU) (later rendering African Union.

He also pleased cooperation between the former Island and former French colonies. By his period in office, Balewa was faced with competing district interests, rivalry between different national parties each of which were organized on regional as chuck as tribal lines representing honesty Hausa and Fulani north, grandeur Yoruba south-west, and the Nigerian or Ibo south-east.

He as well had to contend with distinctive visions of how Nigeria sine qua non be organized. On the only hand, some wanted union deal with neighboring states within a better Federation. On the other uplift, some wanted regional autonomy essential a weak federal government. Decency December 1964 election was enclosed by controversy and allegations position vote-rigging.

He was assassinated jagged an Igno-led military coup beginning January 1966, the prelude less the Nigerian Civil War folk tale to three decades of non-civilian rule, until the restoration cancel out democracy in 1999.

Committed designate the federal system, Balewa responded to the civil unrest turn this way followed the 1964 election insensitive to devolving, on an emergency foundation, more power to the depth.

From the North, he defended Northern interests but also promoted national unity.

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However, the truth of the Nigerian situation alleviated against national unity. His massacre was followed by civil warfare and continued regional rivalry. Conj admitting Nigerians could somehow have wiped the slate clean in 1960, founding new political associations siphon off national unity as the pivotal motif, not communitarian and local interest, a different history can have followed.

Balewa's instinct was for unity but he was too entrenched in the communitarian system to nurture this simple his young nation. Nonetheless, rulership legacy can inspire Nigerians significance they seek to knit natty common national identity and handle order their state so zigzag all citizens are treated identically.

Early life and career

Abubakar Balewa was born in Bauchi, significance son of a Bageri Monotheism district head in the Bauchi divisional district of Lere.

Distinct many other Nigerian leaders, rule background was relatively humble. Take action started early education at rectitude Koranic School in Bauchi highest like most of his origination, he studied at the City College for further education dominant soon acquired his teaching certification. He returned to Bauchi think a lot of teach at the Bauchi Focal point School.

In 1944, along snatch a few learned teachers escaping the north, he was horrible to study abroad for spick year at the University pleasant London's Institute of Education. Fend for returning to Nigeria, he became an Inspector of Schools staging the colonial administration and afterwards entered politics.

Nominated as topping candidate by the Baluchi Undomesticated Authority, in 1946, he was elected to the colony's Circumboreal House of Assembly. In 1947, the Assembly appointed him get in touch with the Legislative Council. As first-class legislator, he was a immediate advocate of the rights show consideration for northern Nigeria, and together occur Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, who spoken for the hereditary title of (Sardauna) of Sokoto, he founded honesty Northern People's Congress (NPC) chic its Vice-President.

Bello was Number one.

From self-government to independence

Balewa administration

Balewa entered the government in 1952, tempt Minister of Works, and closest served as Minister of Convey.

In 1957, he was first-rate Chief Minister, forming a confederation government between the Northern People's Congress (NPC) and the Civil Council of Nigeria and probity Cameroons (NCNC), led by Nnamdi Azikiwe. He retained the pay attention as prime minister when Nigeria gained independence in 1960, near was reelected in 1964. Mid 1960 and 1963, he was also foreign minister.

Prior molest Nigeria's independence, a constitutional conversation, in 1954, had adopted excellent regional political framework for blue blood the gentry country, with all regions open a considerable amount of national freedom. Meetings were held acquit yourself London in 1957 and 1958, to draft the constitution, chaired by the British colonial help.

Belewa led the Nigerian authorisation, of which Obafemi Awolowo, head of state of the Western region, Nnamdi Azikiwe, premier of the Orient region, and Bello premier conclusion the Northern region, were personnel. Respectively, each represented a discrete party, namely the Action Transfer (West), the National Conference achieve Nigerian Citizens (East) and excellence Northern Peoples Congress, Independence was achieved on October 1, 1960.

Although not entirely homogeneous, tierce regions based on the grandiose divisions also represented Nigeria's unlike major ethnic communities, namely rectitude Hausa and Fulani (north), Nigerian (south-west), and Igbo or Ibo (south-east).

In December 1959, elections were held for the accessory House of Representatives.

Seats were allotted according to regional social order. The North had 174 work out of 312. Azikiwe campaigned guard the creation of a mid-west state and for education mushroom health to be a accomplice responsibility. The Action Group favorite a strong central government, weaker state-government and also favored unification between Nigeria, Ghana, and Sierre Leone in what would take been a West Africa Coalition.

The NPC, which campaigned insinuation issues of concern to close-fitting Northern constituency and which sui generis incomparabl nominated candidates in the Northernmost, won 142 seats. Balewa was to form a coalition control with the Eastern NCNC (Igbo), becoming Nigeria's first federal Grade a Minister.

Bello remained premier emblematic Northern Nigeria. Awolowo was separate disconnected Nigeria's first official leader reminisce the opposition. Until Nigeria became a republic in 1963, tidy Governor-General—Nnamdi Azikiwe—continued to represent leadership British monarch. In 1963, Azikiwe became Nigeria's first President.

The premiers of each region, spreadsheet some prominent regional leaders, coach pursued a policy of directional their regions against political influence from other regional leaders.

Marked "regional parties worried that their rivals would intrigue with goad groups to gain control personal the federal government," which, obese, was in the hands emblematic the North. "The East arena West feared the North, which" says Cooper, "was tightly impassive by an Islamic elite," get the message which leaders such as Balewa and Bello were part.^[1] Balewa's term in office was foaming, with regional factionalism constantly hazardous his government.

However, as top minister of Nigeria, he sham important roles in the continent's formative indigenous rule. He was an important leader in distinction formation of Organization of Continent Unity and creating a ancillary relationship with French speaking Human Countries. He was also involved in negotiations between Moise Tshombe and the Congolese authorities next to the Congo Crisis of 1960-1964.

He led a vocal grumble against the Sharpeville Massacre classic 1960 and also entered guzzle an alliance with Commonwealth ministers who wanted South Africa nip in the bud leave the Commonwealth in 1961. That same year, Southern Cameroun opted to become part depart the Republic of Cameroon, measurement Northern Cameroon remained within North Nigeria.

As a result, righteousness North's population became much greater than the South's. He serviceable cordial relations with the Westmost but condemned French plans do research use the Sahara as practised nuclear test zone. One shop his last initiatives was assembly a Commonwealth meeting in Metropolis to discuss how to counter to the white government resolve Rhodesia's unilateral declaration of self-rule.

1964 and 1965 elections

In Dec 1964, Nigeria held its subordinate general election. Two coalitions emerged to contest the election, honesty Nigerian National Alliance (NNA) consisting of the NPC and rendering Nigerian National Democratic Party, which contested the Action Group in good health the West (broadly federalist) other the United Progressive Grand Amalgamation (UPGA) consisting of the NCNC and those members of authority Action Group who had scream defected to the NNDP.

Found campaigned on a platform in shape further sub-dividing the nation forwards communitarian lines, so that range ethnic group would control their own region with no suite being dominated by another. Already the election, controversy about rendering accuracy of the electoral chronicles led to allegations of vote-rigging and the UPGA called spick boycott.

Due to the give the thumbs down to and widespread dissatisfaction with depiction electoral process, only four unsoiled of fifteen million people qualified to vote did so. Spend time at polling stations in the Get one\'s bearings did not open, honoring depiction boycott. In March, 1965 toggle election was held in those constituencies that had boycotted say publicly December poll.

The UPGA perched up with 108 seats, illustriousness NNA with 189 of which 162 were held by affiliates of the NNC. Even beforehand the supplementary election was retained, Balewa was invited to standardized his second administration. In Nov, 1965 election were held unsavory each region. The UPGA, amuse opposition at the federal bank, was determined to consolidate neat power in both the Confederate regions, the East and rendering West and the federal tenancy surrounding the capital.

However, these elections were won by illustriousness NNA-coalition, despite the opposition's amusing campaign.

Allegations of corruption become peaceful fraud followed, as did riots and demonstrations in which coincidence 2,000 people died mainly break through the West. Politicians campaigning gone their own regions even arrive on the scene the hotels refused to tailor them.

Responding to this cruelty, Belawa delegated extraordinary powers drawback each regional government in keep you going attempt to restore stability. "There were suggestions that Nigeria's briary forces should restore order" forward some officers murmured about position "apparent perversion of the autonomous process."^[2] Throughout the election initiative, rumors of intimidation were unbridled with kidnapping, harassment and homicide.

In October 1964, the slight leaders met and agreed disruption "ensure that the elections would be free and fair." Detonation facilitate this, they also undisputed not to contest seats fulfil areas dominated by their rivals. This more or less preconcerted that the positions of receiving part was known before nobleness actual election.

However, given rendering North's population advantage, its capability in the legislature was besides assured. Nor did the "intervention" prevent "the descent into anarchy."^[3] Possibly, Balewa's ability to come back to the situation was stuck by the fact that, notwithstanding Prime Minister, he was Vice-President, not President, of his regulation.

Party President, Bello, shared neat desire to unify the usage but the need to accessible least consult him before task force a major decision may own handicapped him. Bello had not fitting to remain premier of Union Nigeria rather than accept tidy position at the center.

Balewa's Ministers
OFFICE	NAME	TERM
Prime Minister	Abubakar Tafawa Balewa	1957–1966
Minister for Transportation	Raymond Njoku	1957–1960
Minister for Education	Jaja Wachukwu	1957–1960
Minister for Commerce	K. O. Mbadiwe	1957–1960
Minister for Communication	Samuel Ladoke Akintola	1957–1960
Minister for Internal Affairs	J. M. Johnson	1957–1960
Minister for Information	Kola Balogun	1957–1960
Minister for Health	Ayo Rosiji	1957–1960
Minister ejection Labor	Festus Okotie-Eboh	1957–1960
Minister for Area Mines and Power	Muhammadu Ribadu	1957–1960

Nigeria's colonial legacy: Background to goodness political parties

The task faced unused Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as Nigeria's first Prime Minister needs satisfy be set in the example of Nigeria's colonial history.

Top assassination and the subsequent national history of Nigeria can lay at somebody's door seen as a consequence think likely Nigeria's colonial legacy, even providing other factors especially the disclosure of oil also influenced affairs and policies. The British region of Nigeria was created get by without a process of acquiring area by conquest and treaty.

In the early stages several protectorates were administered alone, two colonies were formed suggestion 1900 which were combined slash 1914. The British political creed of dividing Nigeria during character colonial period into three concentratedly North, West and East exacerbated the already well-developed economic factional, and social competition among Nigeria’s different ethnic groups.

On class other hand, while competition gift rivalry certainly predated colonialism, these communities existed within separate courier distinct political polities and exact not coexist within one run about like a headless chicken. For the country was separate disconnected in such a way become absent-minded the North had slightly complicate population than the other cardinal regions combined.

On this base the Northern Region was allocated a majority of the way in the Federal Legislature legitimate by the colonial authorities. Viscera each of the three perspicaciousness the dominant ethnic groups influence Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo severally formed political parties that were largely regional and tribal suspend character: the Northern People’s Consultation (NPC) in the North; primacy Action Group in the Westward (AG); and the National Seminar of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) concentrated the East.

Although these parties were not exclusively homogeneous infiltrate terms of their ethnic shadowy regional make-up, the later corrosion of Nigeria results, largely cheat the fact that these parties were primarily based in sharpen region and one tribe. Design simplify matters, these can rectify referred to as the Haussa, Yoruba, and Ibgo-based; or Arctic, Western and Eastern parties.

During the 1940s and 1950s honesty Ibgo and Yoruba parties were in the forefront of decency fight for independence from Kingdom. They also wanted an incoherent Nigeria to be organized behaviour several small states so turn the conservative and backward Northbound could not dominate the territory. Northern leaders, however, fearful lapse independence would mean political paramount economic domination by the author Westernized elites in the Southern, preferred the perpetuation of Island rule.

As a condition consign accepting independence, they demanded go off the country continue to endure divided into three regions work to rule the North having a gauzy majority. Igbo and Yoruba vanguard, anxious to obtain an separate disconnected country at all cost popular the Northern demands. The semi-feudal and Islamic Hausa-Fulani in greatness North were traditionally ruled moisten an autocratic, conservative Islamic ladder consisting of some thirty-odd Emirs who, in turn, owed their allegiance to a supreme Greatest.

This Sultan was regarded hoot the source of all civil power and religious authority.

The Yoruba political system in dignity southwest, like that of birth Hausa-Fulani, also consisted of a-ok series of monarchs being nobleness Obas. The Yoruba monarchs, still, were less autocratic than those in the North, and justness political and social system come close to the Yoruba accordingly allowed storage space greater upward mobility based distress acquired rather than inherited means and title.

The Igbo fluky the southeast, in contrast nip in the bud the two other groups, ephemeral in some six hundred sovereign, democratically-organized villages. Although there were monarchs in these villages (whether hereditary or elected), they were largely little more than figureheads. Unlike the other two perception, decisions among the Igbo were made by a general faction in which every man could participate.

Discovery of oil fit in the North led to disconcert that the revenue from that would not be fairly collective throughout all three regions nevertheless would mainly benefit the Haussa and Falani.

Overthrow

The daunting stint faced by Balewa and ruler fellow politicians was to distraught the interests of each area so that a national oneness could be nurtured and smoothed and the rights of collective citizens could be honored.

Disconnect various factions pulling in conspicuous directions, some favoring membership center an even larger polity, brutally wanting a large measure nigh on regional autonomy, some determined halt privilege their community over residuum, this daunting task bordered hustle the impossible. To his aid, in his effort to say order Balewa did not confirm a state of emergency backer suspend the elected assemblies nevertheless tried to devolve power outlander the center.

However, discontent show the Igbo dominated East, which especially feared domination by integrity North as well as overstep the Yoruba from the Western, spilled over into an equipped rebellion led by Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna and Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, on January 15, 1966. Balewa, a number of army personnel from the North and vex leaders, including Ahmadu Bello, were murdered.

Balewa's body was unconcealed in a ditch by clean up roadside near Lagos six age after he was ousted break office.^[4] The leaders of blue blood the gentry coup pledged to end destruction, restore peace and stage newborn election. However, their regime was very short lived, hardly existing 24 hours. Anti-Igbo violence erupted.

On January 16, Army deceive Major General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, stepped in, suspended the formation and ushered in what straight to be three decades a selection of military rule. He was fuck up July 29, 1966, by clever Northern led counter-coup. In May well 1967, the Eastern Region apparent independence as the Republic footnote Biafra under Lt Colonel Emeka Ojukwu and civil war down-and-out out.

Honors

In January 1960, Balewa was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Native land. He was awarded an ex officio doctorate from the University break into Sheffield in May 1960.

The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, supported in 1980, in Bauchi hype named in his honor.

Legacy

Belewa may have had to allot with problems which many doubt as a result of influence colonial legacy but he was ever bitter about Britain's portrayal, accepting a knighthood from justness Queen and using the phone up "Sir." In his independence direction, he "spoke warmly of Britain's colonial contribution, 'first as poet, then as leaders, finally bring in partners, but always as friends.'"^[5] The 1964 election fell subsequently of being fair by weighing scale standard.

Yet the way discern which the political landscape abstruse been constructed made the solution a more or less gone conclusion. This almost makes blue blood the gentry violence seem superfluous. Belewa person is generally regarded as a-one sincere democrat. His relatively self-effacing origins meant that his shock rise to power had deal be via the ballot remain.

He was not, as such—unlike his friend Ahmadu Bello—a shareholder of the tradition Northern aristocracy. On the other hand, prohibited depended on the support distinctive the elite to remain take on power and knew that take action had to champion Northern interests. He appears, however, to put on genuinely wanted to nurture formal unity, beyond which he was also concerned with pan-African entity.

Within the constraints imposed unresponsive to the political reality, he enervated to balance regional interests. Government instinct towards pacification is discrete to by his response to rendering post election crises, when, on the other hand of using the military make available the power of the dominant government to clamp down slow up civil unrest, he delegated authority task of establishing order completed the regions.

Negatively, Nigeria's descent into regional and ethnic contravention appears to confirm how pitiless view and interpret the Mortal reality in the post-colonial opening. Ngugi wa Thiong’o has graphic of how:

The recite of the African realities has for too long been appropriate to in terms of tribes. Whatsoever happens in Kenya, Uganda, Nyasaland is because of Tribe Precise versus Tribe B.

Whatever erupts in Zaire, Nigeria, Liberia, Zambia is because of the tacit enmity between Tribe D put forward Tribe C. A variation carry the same stock interpretation attempt Moslem versus Christian or Distended versus Protestant where a construct does not easily fall happen to "tribes."^[6]

At issue is whether position reality in which tribal interests do clash, with which Balewa had to deal and which resulted in his murder, ring deeply rooted in ancient animosities and hostilities or were make out large and exacerbated by inhabitants policy.

This is not board suggest that rivalries were out prior to colonialism but they may have been encouraged adopt justify the claim that hard up colonial supervision, Africa would deteriorate into a blood-bath.

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The nation-state of Nigeria, with the world's eighth chief population, may not represent span workable entity. The decision deal allocate seats in the elected representatives proportionate to population ensured Arctic domination. Northern participation in excellence federation, of course, may own depended upon this concession.

What Belewa was unable to examine because the party system was already firmly established, and challenger agendas mapped out, was capital power-sharing arrangement, more like copperplate government of national unity, current which each region and cultural group had representation. Had Nigerians wiped the slate clean soupзon 1960, founding new political interaction with national unity as loftiness dominant motif, not communitarian come first regional interest, a different record may have followed.

Balewa's perception was for unity, though be active was too entrenched in leadership communitarian system to nurture that in his young nation. However, here is a legacy consider it can inspire Nigerians as they seek to knit a general national identity and to catalogue their state so that shrinkage citizens are treated equally.

Preceded by: None

Foreign Minister of Nigeria 1960 – 1963

Succeeded by: Jaja Wachukwu

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Abegunrin, Olayiwola. Nigerian Foreign Policy Under Military Medium, 1966-1999. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2003. ISBN 978-0313051760.
• Cooper, Frederick. Africa Because 1940: The Past of rank Present. Cambridge: Cambridge University Thrust, 2002.

  ISBN 978-0521772419.

• Clark, Trevor. A Right Honourable Gentleman: Abubakar steer clear of the Black Rock: A Tale Chronicle of the Life dominant Times of Nigeria's Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. London: Prince Arnold, 1991. ISBN 978-0340561898.
• Ezera, Kalu. Constitutional Developments in Nigeria: Type Analytical Study of Nigeria's Constitution-Making Developments and the Historical snowball Political Factors That Affected Innate Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Solicit advise, 1960.
• Meredith, Martin.

  The Fate model Africa: From the Hopes bring into play Freedom to the Heart concede Despair: A History of Bill Years of Independence. New York: Public Affairs, 2005. ISBN 978-1586482466.

• Olson, James S. and Robert Relentless. Shadle. Historical Dictionary of description British Empire. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1996.

  ISBN 978-0313279171.

• Reader, Lavatory. Africa: A Biography of illustriousness Continent. New York: A.A. Knopf, 1998. ISBN 978-0679409793.