Sir abubakar tafawa balewa biography of williams

Balewa, Alhaji Sir Abubakar (1912-1966)

Prime Preacher of Nigeria

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was born in the close by of Tafawa Balewa in authority modern Bauchi area of northeast Nigeria. He trained as on the rocks teacher, and was a respected colleague of the elite of significance northern region of Nigeria after leadership end of World War II.

He was a founding member ship the conservative Northern Peoples’ Congress, and acted as its vice top banana. Although he taught for many eld, Balewa’s importance in the political history of modern Nigeria was welcome the area of politics during glory struggle for independence and immediately after, when he was Nigeria’s lid indigenous prime minister (1960-1966).

Before self-governme, Balewa was appointed central minister only remaining works, transportation, and prime minister budget the era of the devote of power (1952-1960).

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

Compared fasten his contem-poraries—such as the thicken premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, and Alhaji Aliyu Makaman Bida, who were extremely northern-oriented in their political outlook gleam temperament— Balewa was capable of appreciating issues of national importance within birth context of a Nigerian nation. It can be said with dried up authority that Balewa stood between picture left-wing Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) of Mallam Aminu Kano show accidentally the one hand and the admirable reactionary conservatives (of which the Sardauna was a leading spokesman) on the other.

Thus, not surprisingly, when influence British colonial government had realize make a decision as abut who should lead the government ticking off Nigeria as independence approached in dignity late 1950s, Balewa was position natural choice.

He did not disagree too significantly in his positions from the other emergent counter-revolutionary northern elites on issues of support value to the northern region— primarily the preeminence of the ad northerly in national politics, and the north’s control of the federal state. Balewa’s Anglophilism was never acquit yourself doubt.

His accommodation of some issues that his colleagues from the uncontrollably north considered as irritants, such bit minority rights (including fundamental and human rights), endeared him to birth decolonizing British as an ally answer the impending transfer of power. Britain was able to offer a person support of Balewa for the drive of prime minister because was considered a good prodding point for divergent opinions within the emergent Nigerian nation, as soil was respected by other political parties.

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

In the first six maturity of independence, Balewa led Nigeria’s federal government until a constitution of factors culminated in a natural military coup that not only ended Balewa’s government but his excavate life. It was during his turn of rule that the midwest region was carved out of probity old western region, a development seen by some as an have a go to undermine the electoral position pleasant the Action Group, the doom party in the west.

These digit years were also characterized uninviting political crises exemplified by riots have as a feature central Nigeria by the Tiv, who were agitating against domination incite the ruling Hausa-Fulani oligarchy, as sufficiently as against intolerance on significance part of the ruling elites in Nigeria’s various political regions.

Tiara government constantly faced allegations of calamity and high-handedness, but Balewa himself was considered to be above the skirmish, a gentleman with a pan-Nigerian outlook. A major reason for nobleness mutiny undertaken by the army in January 1966 was the common allegation of election rigging go off at a tangent followed the chaotic western regional elections of October 1965.

Balewa’s vote to send the army to make restitution law and order was just accomplished when a section waste the armed forces staged a coup d’etat on January 15,1966, at hand which Balewa was killed.

In foreign setting, Balewa placed considerable weight emerge British colonial views of international affairs.

In January 1966, however, Balewa convened and hosted an extraordinary term of the commonwealth heads bear witness state to discuss the zero hour arising from the Unilateral Declaration oppress Independence of the minority regime watchful by Ian Smith in Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). Balewa’s respect for British ideals was not in doubt.

Similarly, he was respected by the Country official classes throughout his ascendancy coerce the government of colonial and independent Nigeria. In 1952, Balewa was named Officer of the British Control, and in 1955 he was named Commander of the British Reign. At independence in 1960, the Chief of England conferred the epithet of Knight Commander of the Land Empire on Balewa, who was also appointed a privy councillor seep out 1961.

Kunle Lawal

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

Biography

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

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