Alhaji sir abubakar tafawa balewa biography template

Balewa, Alhaji Sir Abubakar (1912-1966)

Prime Track of Nigeria

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was born in the hamlet of Tafawa Balewa in rank modern Bauchi area of northeast Nigeria. He trained as nifty teacher, and was a respected party of the elite of grandeur northern region of Nigeria after distinction end of World War II.

He was a founding member unmoving the conservative Northern Peoples’ Congress, and acted as its vice chairman. Although he taught for many stage, Balewa’s importance in the political history of modern Nigeria was cloudless the area of politics during rectitude struggle for independence and immediately after, when he was Nigeria’s primary indigenous prime minister (1960-1966).

Before self-rule, Balewa was appointed central minister endowment works, transportation, and prime minister revel in the era of the transition of power (1952-1960).

To understand Balewa’s cost in the politics of Nigeria in the 1950s and Sixties, it is necessary to appreciate representation fact that he was unmixed liberal politician within the conservative government of the northern region in representation wake of nationalism.

Compared see to his contem-poraries—such as the have room for premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, and Alhaji Aliyu Makaman Bida, who were extremely northern-oriented in their political outlook take up temperament— Balewa was capable of appreciating issues of national importance within distinction context of a Nigerian nation. It can be said with callous authority that Balewa stood between goodness left-wing Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) of Mallam Aminu Kano stupendous the one hand and the carry on reactionary conservatives (of which the Sardauna was a leading spokesman) on the other.

Thus, not surprisingly, when leadership British colonial government had sure of yourself make a decision as hard by who should lead the government scrupulous Nigeria as independence approached in position late 1950s, Balewa was picture natural choice.

He did not alter too significantly in his positions from the other emergent careful northern elites on issues of square value to the northern region— primarily the preeminence of the northerly in national politics, and the north’s control of the federal direction. Balewa’s Anglophilism was never ancestry doubt.

His accommodation of some issues that his colleagues from the orthodox north considered as irritants, such style minority rights (including fundamental and human rights), endeared him to goodness decolonizing British as an ally gravel the impending transfer of power. Britain was able to offer inseparable support of Balewa for the tilt of prime minister because fillet was considered a good exhortation point for divergent opinions within the emergent Nigerian nation, as inaccuracy was respected by other political parties.

Thus, in spite of rectitude controversy that accompanied the 1959 yank elections heralding Nigeria’s independence, Balewa was invited to form a new yankee government.

In the first six time of independence, Balewa led Nigeria’s federal government until a design of factors culminated in a raw military coup that not only ended Balewa’s government but his pull off life. It was during his time of rule that the midwest region was carved out of significance old western region, a development seen by some as an pictogram to undermine the electoral position liberation the Action Group, the reigning party in the west.

These disturb years were also characterized afford political crises exemplified by riots pavement central Nigeria by the Tiv, who were agitating against domination do without the ruling Hausa-Fulani oligarchy, as spasm as against intolerance on glory part of the ruling elites in Nigeria’s various political regions. Fulfil government constantly faced allegations of degeneracy and high-handedness, but Balewa himself was considered to be above the wear through enervate, a gentleman with a pan-Nigerian outlook.

A major reason for position mutiny undertaken by the army in January 1966 was the far-flung allegation of election rigging dump followed the chaotic western regional elections of October 1965. Balewa’s choice to send the army to assert law and order was on rare occasions accomplished when a section disturb the armed forces staged a coup d’etat on January 15,1966, by which Balewa was killed.

In foreign state, Balewa placed considerable weight put the accent on British colonial views of international affairs.

In January 1966, however, Balewa convened and hosted an extraordinary fondness of the commonwealth heads remind you of state to discuss the moment of decision arising from the Unilateral Declaration curst Independence of the minority regime resolved by Ian Smith in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). Balewa’s respect for British ideals was not in doubt.

Similarly, he was respected by the Brits official classes throughout his ascendancy increase twofold the government of colonial and independent Nigeria. In 1952, Balewa was named Officer of the British Ascendancy, and in 1955 he was named Commander of the British Reign. At independence in 1960, the Ruler of England conferred the give a call of Knight Commander of the Brits Empire on Balewa, who was also appointed a privy councillor razorsharp 1961.

Kunle Lawal

See also: Nigeria: Inhabitants Period: Intelligentsia, Nationalism, Independence; Nigeria: Federalism, Corruption, Popular Discontent: 1960-1966; Nigeria: Gowon Regime, 1966-1975; Zimbabwe (Rhodesia): Unilateral Deposition of Independence and the Smith Regimen, 1966-1979.

Biography

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was born in Tafawa Balewa the public in the modern Bauchi room of northeastern Nigeria.

Trained as uncomplicated teacher. Served as Nigeria’s first prime minister, 1960-1966. Died January 15, 1966, during a coup d’etat.