As Nigeria celebrates its 63rd Independence anniversary, Pulse presents six key figures who paved the way for the feat in 1960.
1. Herbert Olayinka Macaulay
Often referred to as the “father of Nigerian nationalism,” Herbert Macaulay was a grandson of Ajayi Crowther, the first African Anglican bishop of West Africa.
Macaulay was one of the political leaders who strongly opposed colonial policies in Nigeria
In a bid to further his political views, Macaulay co-founded the Nigerian Daily News, a platform he used to express his opinions and advocated for self-governance.
In 1923, he founded Nigeria’s first political party, the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), and in 1944, he co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) together with Nnamdi Azikiwe.
He died in 1946 at 81 and was buried at Ikoyi Cemetery.
2. Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe:
Like Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, a prominent nationalist leader, was one of the driving forces behind Nigeria’s independence attainment in 1960.
Azikiwe played a crucial role in inspiring nationalist sentiments through his writings and speeches. He used his chain of newspapers- the first of which was the West African Pilot- to promote nationalism and pro-African agenda.
Before venturing into politics fully, Azikiwe joined the Nigerian Youth Movement and became an active member of the country's first nationalist organisation.
After resigning from the NYM, he co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), a political party that campaigned for independence and self-governance.
Azikiwe became Nigeria’s first President in 1960, he died in 1996 at 91 in Enugu.
3. Obafemi Jeremiah Awolowo:
Obafemi Awolowo was a popular nationalist and statement, who contributed significantly to Nigeria’s independence struggle.
As a member of the Nigerian Youth Movement, Awolowo represented Nigeria at the fifth Pan-African Congress in Manchester, a platform dedicated to advancing conversations on the decolonisation of Africa.
Awolowo also committed his skill as a young journalist and resources as the founder of a national newspaper, Nigerian Tribune, in mobilizing support for the independence movement, especially in the western region of Nigeria.
He was a key political figure and the leader of the Action Group, a political party, which together with his newspaper served as his vehicles to launder his political philosophies and ambition.
From 1952 to 1959, Awolowo served as the first Premier of the Western Region under Nigeria’s parliamentary system. He was the official Leader of the opposition in the federal parliament to the Balewa government from 1959 to 1963.
He died in 1987, at Ikenne, in Ogun State, at the age of 78.
4. Ahmadu Ibrahim Bello
Ahmadu Bello was a prominent leader from Northern Nigeria fondly referred to as the Sardauna of Sokoto.
Bello’s political knowledge and understanding were broadened after he travelled to England on a government scholarship to study Local Government Administration in 1948.
He was the leader of the Northern People’s Congress (NPC), a political party that represented the interests of the northern region.
After his return from England, he was nominated to represent the province of Sokoto in the regional House of Assembly and subsequently became the first Premier of Northern Nigeria in 1954.
Bello was instrumental in negotiating the terms of independence and ensuring the concerns of the northern part were addressed
As President of the NPC, Bello had the power to present himself to join the 1960 independence federal government of Nigeria as Nigeria’s Prime Minister, but instead, he chose to remain Premier of Northern Nigeria and devolved the position to his deputy, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
Bello was killed in January 1966 at the age of 55 in Nigeria’s first military coup.
5. Anthony Eromosele Enahoro
Anthony Enahoro was a fearless anti-colonial and nationalist activist cum politician with a distinguished career in the press, politics and civil service.
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