Wp/mrt/Abubakar Tafawa Balewa

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa

human

Sex or gender	male
Country of citizenship	Nigeria
Name in native language	Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
Given name	Abubakar, Tafawa Balewa
Date of birth	1912, December 1912
Place of birth	Bauchi, Tafawa Balewa
Date of death	15 January 1966
Place of death	Lagos
Manner of death	homicide
Place of burial	Bauchi
Native language	Hausa
Languages spoken, written or signed	English, Hausa, Nigerian Pidgin
Writing language	English
Occupation	politician, diplomat, writer, official, teacher
Field of work	writer, politician, Diplom, official, teacher
Position held	Prime Minister of Nigeria
Educated at	University of London, Barewa College
Member of political party	Northern People's Congress
Religion or worldview	Islam
Award received	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa KBE PC (kupou sudan 1912 – 15 hya tan 1966) ndgya Nigerian politician ndgya kraji ih thurau ba ji daga aga ndau tangurma prime minister ni Nigeria upon independence.[3] A conservative Anglophile, he favoured maintaining close ties with the British. Pichira ji ir fa kushu or office ni prime minister, Nigeria was a constitutional monarchy ingya Elizabeth II pichiraja Queen niNigeria, har Nigeria daga republic or fa 1963.[4] najangyapu defender ni Northern special interests ba an advocate ni Nigerian reform ba century.

Prime Minister of Nigeria

Balewa at the White House with President Kennedy, 1961

Balewa retained the post as Prime Minister of Nigeria when Nigeria gained independence in 1960 and was reelected in 1964.

He announced independence in a motion to Parliament on 18 January 1959:

Domestic policy

The Republic

Nigeria adopted a new constitution in 1963 which abolished the monarchy and the office of governor-general, with Nigeria becoming a parliamentary republic within the Commonwealth with the Nnamdi Azikiwe as President of Nigeria and head of state.

Regional policy

Prior to Nigeria's independence, a constitutional conference in 1954 had adopted a regional political framework for the country, with all regions given a considerable amount of political freedom. The three regions then were composed of diverse cultural groups. The premiers and some prominent leaders of the regions later took on a policy of guiding their regions against political encroachment from other regional leaders. Later on, this political environment influenced the Balewa administration. His term in office was turbulent, with regional factionalism constantly threatening his government.

However, a treason charge and conviction against one of the western region's leaders, Obafemi Awolowo, led to protest and condemnation from many of his supporters. The 1965 election in the region later produced violent protests. Rioting and violence were soon synchronous with what was perceived as inordinate political encroachment and an over-exuberant election outcome for Awolowo's western opponents.

Foreign policy

As Prime Minister of Nigeria, Balewa, from 1960 to 1961, doubled as Foreign Affairs advocate of Nigeria. In 1961, the Balewa government created an official Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations ministerial position in favour of Jaja Wachuku who became, from 1961 to 1965, the first substantive Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations, later called External Affairs. A week after taking office, he arrived in the United States on his first foreign visit to address the United Nations.

Africa

However, as Prime Minister of Nigeria, Balewa played important roles in the continent's formative indigenous rule. He was an important leader in the formation of the Organisation of African Unity and creating a cooperative relationship with French speaking African countries. He was also instrumental in negotiations between Moise Tshombe and the Congolese authorities during the Congo Crisis of 1960–1964. He led a vocal protest against the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960 and also entered into an alliance with Commonwealth ministers who wanted South Africa to leave the Commonwealth in 1961.

United States

Prime Minister Balewa (2nd from right) talks to President Kennedy on the first live broadcast via the SYNCOM satellite from Lagos.

He visited the US in 1961 for eight days, four of which he spent in Washington at Blair House. During his visit, he became the first Nigerian leader to address a Joint session of the United States Congress and visited the Islamic Center of Washington. He had an enormous amount of respect for President John F. Kennedy, describing him, and his age in particular as "matured as that of any older statesman." He took part in the launch of the Syncom 2 NASA program, allowing him to phone for President Kennedy from the USNS Kingsport docked at Lagos Harbor via the SYNCOM satellite on 23 August 1963. It marked the first live two-way call between heads of government by satellite.

Commonwealth

Balewa, during his premiership, attached great importance to its Commonwealth membership, declaring in a UN speech, "we shall not forget our old friends."

Eastern Bloc

Balewa had a pro-West orientation in his foreign policy, which represented for abhorrence to USSR and other Eastern Bloc states. As a result, the circulation of communist literature in Nigeria was banned and students were discouraged from taking Soviet educational scholarship. Balewa had personally assured the British government "we shall use every means in our power to prevent the infiltration of communism and communist ideas into Nigeria." At one point, the Soviets were implicated in a plot to overthrow Balewa's government.

Overthrow and murder

Balewa was overthrown and murdered in a military coup on 15 January 1966, as were many other leaders, including his old companion Sir Ahmadu Bello. The circumstances of his death still remain unresolved. His body was discovered at a roadside near Lagos six days after he was ousted from office. Balewa was buried in Bauchi. News of his assassination spurred violent riots throughout Northern Nigeria and ultimately led to the bloody counter-coup of July 1966.

Grave of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa