Bello, Ahmadu
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| − | '''Al-[[Haji]] [[Sir]] Ahmadu Bello''' (1910 - 1966) was a [[Nigeria]]n [[politician]], and was the first [[premier]] of the Northern Nigeria region from 1954-1966. He was one of the prominent leaders in Northern Nigeria alongside [[Abubakar Tafawa Balewa]], both of whom where prominent in negotiations about the region's place in an independent Nigeria. As leader of the [[Northern People's Congress]], the party was able to win the 1959 parliamentary elections. He worked hard to unify the peoples of Northern Nigeria. He is considered to be a founding father of the Nigerian nation. He was assassinated on January 15, 1966. | + | '''Al-[[Haji]] [[Sir]] Ahmadu Bello''' (1910 - 1966) was a [[Nigeria]]n [[politician]], and was the first [[premier]] of the Northern Nigeria region from 1954-1966. He was one of the prominent leaders in Northern Nigeria alongside [[Abubakar Tafawa Balewa]], both of whom where prominent in negotiations about the region's place in an independent Nigeria. As leader of the [[Northern People's Congress]], the party was able to win the 1959 parliamentary elections. He worked hard to unify the peoples of Northern Nigeria. He is considered to be a founding father of the Nigerian nation. Despite his popularity and political support, Bello chose to remain in the North instead of accepting the post of national Prime Minister, which would have required living in the South. He was a strong advocate of a federal system, which he believed was best suited to Nigeria's needs. He combined traditional leadership qualities with knowledge of Western governance. He was assassinated on January 15, 1966, having been knighted the same year by [[Elizabeth II of Great Britain]]. |
==Early Life== | ==Early Life== | ||
| − | He was born on June 12, 1910, in [[Rabbah, Nigeria|Rabbah]], [[Sokoto State]]. The son of a district head and heir to the [[Sokoto]] Emirate. His great-grandfather was Sultan Bello, | + | He was born on June 12, 1910, in [[Rabbah, Nigeria|Rabbah]], [[Sokoto State]]. The son of a district head and heir to the [[Sokoto]] Emirate. His great-grandfather was Sultan Bello, son of the revered [[Usman Dan Fodio]] who founded the [[Fulani Empire]]. Ahmadu Bello received his education first at the Sokoto Provincial School, the only modern school at the time in the Sokoto province. He then proceeded to the Katsina Teacher's Training College. After spending five years at Katsina, he was appointed by the Sultan as a teacher in his own former school in Sokoto. In 1934, he was made the district head of Rabbah within the Sultan's administration. Four years later, he was promoted and sent to [[Gusau]] to become a divisional head. In 1938, he made an unsuccessful bid to become the new [[Sultan]] of Sokoto. The successful sultan immediately conferred on him the traditional, now honorary, title of "Sarduna" and elevated him to the Sokoto Native Authority Council. He first became politically active in 1945, when he helped to form a Youth Social Circle, which later (1948) affiliated with the NPC (Northern Peoples Congress) of which he became President. In 1948, he was offered a scholarship to study local government administration in England. Ahmadu Bello took the scholarship sensing he needed to develop his knowledge about the process of [[governance]]. |
==Nigerian politics== | ==Nigerian politics== | ||
| − | After returning from England, he was nominated to represent the province of Sokoto in the regional House of Assembly. As a member of the assembly, he was a notable voice for northern interest and embraced a style of consultation and consensus with the major representatives of the northern emirates: Kano, Bornu and Sokoto. As the movement for independence from the [[British Empire]] gathered momentum, Bello emerged as a strong advocate of federalism as the system of government that in his view was most suitable for Nigeria. This was especially attractive to Northern Nigerians, who had a [[history]] of sharing power. | + | After returning from England, he was nominated to represent the province of Sokoto in the regional House of Assembly. As a member of the assembly, he was a notable voice for northern interest and embraced a style of consultation and consensus with the major representatives of the northern emirates: Kano, Bornu and Sokoto. As the movement for independence from the [[British Empire]] gathered momentum, Bello emerged as a strong advocate of federalism as the system of government that in his view was most suitable for Nigeria. This was especially attractive to Northern Nigerians, who had a [[history]] of sharing power. Nigeria has some 300 clan groups. He may also have wanted to protect the North from what he perceived as the possibility of Southern domination. |
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Bello's greatest legacy was the modernization and unification of the diverse people of Northern Nigeria. He was assassinated during a 15 January, 1966 [[coup d'état|military coup]] which toppled Nigeria's post-independence government. He was still serving as premier of Northern Nigeria at the time. | Bello's greatest legacy was the modernization and unification of the diverse people of Northern Nigeria. He was assassinated during a 15 January, 1966 [[coup d'état|military coup]] which toppled Nigeria's post-independence government. He was still serving as premier of Northern Nigeria at the time. | ||
| − | The [[Ahmadu Bello University]] (founded 1962) is named after him. His portrait adorns Nigeria's 200 [[Nigerian naira|naira]] note, and he is survived by one child. There is a 1995 biography about his wife, Hafsatu Ahmadu Bello. | + | The [[Ahmadu Bello University]] (founded 1962) is named after him. His portrait adorns Nigeria's 200 [[Nigerian naira|naira]] note, and he is survived by one child. There is a 1995 biography about his wife, Hafsatu Ahmadu Bello. His assassination, for which members of the Igbo tribe were responsible, was one of the factors that led to the subsequent Civil War (1967-1970) when the Southern province of Biafra attempted to secede. |
Revision as of 03:34, 21 April 2008
| Ahmadu Bello | |
| Ahmadu Bello
| |
Premier of Northern Nigeria
| |
| In office 1954 – 1966 | |
| Succeeded by | Hassan Katsina |
|---|---|
| Born | June 12, 1910 Rabbah, Sokoto State. |
| Died | January 14, 1966 |
| Political party | Northern People's Congress |
| Religion | Muslim |
Al-Haji Sir Ahmadu Bello (1910 - 1966) was a Nigerian politician, and was the first premier of the Northern Nigeria region from 1954-1966. He was one of the prominent leaders in Northern Nigeria alongside Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, both of whom where prominent in negotiations about the region's place in an independent Nigeria. As leader of the Northern People's Congress, the party was able to win the 1959 parliamentary elections. He worked hard to unify the peoples of Northern Nigeria. He is considered to be a founding father of the Nigerian nation. Despite his popularity and political support, Bello chose to remain in the North instead of accepting the post of national Prime Minister, which would have required living in the South. He was a strong advocate of a federal system, which he believed was best suited to Nigeria's needs. He combined traditional leadership qualities with knowledge of Western governance. He was assassinated on January 15, 1966, having been knighted the same year by Elizabeth II of Great Britain.
Early Life
He was born on June 12, 1910, in Rabbah, Sokoto State. The son of a district head and heir to the Sokoto Emirate. His great-grandfather was Sultan Bello, son of the revered Usman Dan Fodio who founded the Fulani Empire. Ahmadu Bello received his education first at the Sokoto Provincial School, the only modern school at the time in the Sokoto province. He then proceeded to the Katsina Teacher's Training College. After spending five years at Katsina, he was appointed by the Sultan as a teacher in his own former school in Sokoto. In 1934, he was made the district head of Rabbah within the Sultan's administration. Four years later, he was promoted and sent to Gusau to become a divisional head. In 1938, he made an unsuccessful bid to become the new Sultan of Sokoto. The successful sultan immediately conferred on him the traditional, now honorary, title of "Sarduna" and elevated him to the Sokoto Native Authority Council. He first became politically active in 1945, when he helped to form a Youth Social Circle, which later (1948) affiliated with the NPC (Northern Peoples Congress) of which he became President. In 1948, he was offered a scholarship to study local government administration in England. Ahmadu Bello took the scholarship sensing he needed to develop his knowledge about the process of governance.
Nigerian politics
After returning from England, he was nominated to represent the province of Sokoto in the regional House of Assembly. As a member of the assembly, he was a notable voice for northern interest and embraced a style of consultation and consensus with the major representatives of the northern emirates: Kano, Bornu and Sokoto. As the movement for independence from the British Empire gathered momentum, Bello emerged as a strong advocate of federalism as the system of government that in his view was most suitable for Nigeria. This was especially attractive to Northern Nigerians, who had a history of sharing power. Nigeria has some 300 clan groups. He may also have wanted to protect the North from what he perceived as the possibility of Southern domination.
In the first elections held in Northern Nigeria in 1952, Ahmadu Bello won a seat in the Northern House of Assembly, and became a member of the regional executive council as minister of works. Bello was successively minister of Works, of Local Government, and of Community Development in the Northern Region of Nigeria.
In 1954, Bello became the first Premier of Northern Nigeria. In the 1959 independence elections, he led the NPC to win a plurality of the parliamentary seats. Bello's NPC forged an alliance with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe's NCNC (National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons) to form Nigeria's first indigenous federal government which led to independence from Britain. In forming the 1960 independence federal government of the Nigeria, Bello as president of the NPC, chose - although arguably one of the most influential politicians in Nigereia - to remain Premier of Northern Nigeria and devolved the position of Prime Minister of the Federation to the deputy president of the NPC, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. He apparently did not want to live in Lagos and preferred the political climate of the North from that of the South. [1] His disinclination to head the national government also suggests that he was not interested in power for the sake of power but in public service.
Legacy
Bello's greatest legacy was the modernization and unification of the diverse people of Northern Nigeria. He was assassinated during a 15 January, 1966 military coup which toppled Nigeria's post-independence government. He was still serving as premier of Northern Nigeria at the time.
The Ahmadu Bello University (founded 1962) is named after him. His portrait adorns Nigeria's 200 naira note, and he is survived by one child. There is a 1995 biography about his wife, Hafsatu Ahmadu Bello. His assassination, for which members of the Igbo tribe were responsible, was one of the factors that led to the subsequent Civil War (1967-1970) when the Southern province of Biafra attempted to secede.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Bello, Ahmadu. 1962. My Life. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Adamu, Ladi S. 1995. Hafsatu Ahmadu Bello: the unsung heroine. Kaduna, Nigeria: Adams Books ISBN 9789783197725
- Olaniyan, Richard. 1985. Nigerian history and culture. Harlow, Essex, England: Longman ISBN 9780582644328
- Paden, John N. 1986. Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto: values and leadership in Nigeria, London: Hodder and Stoughton; Portsmouth, N.H.: Distributed in the U.S.A. by Heinemann Educational Books ISBN 9780340389683
External Links
- 200 Naira note. Retrieved April 20, 2008.
- Biography at answers.com Retrieved April 20, 2008
Credits
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- ↑ "Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello", Answers.Com Alhaji Sir Ahmad Bello Retrieved April 20, 2008
