Everything about Nigerian First Republic totally explained
The
First Republic was the
republican government of
Nigeria between
1963 and
1966 governed by the first republican
Constitution.
The founding of the First Republic (1963)
Nigeria gained independence from
Britain on
October 1 1960, and declared itself a
republic three years later on
October 1 1963. The constitution and
Westminster system of government were inherited from the
British colonialists.
Presidents
Prime Ministers
Political Parties
Politics of the First Republic
The country was split into three geopolitical regions —
Western Region,
Eastern Region and
Northern Region — and its political parties took on the identities and ideologies of each region. The
Northern People's Party (NPC) represented the interests of the predominantly
Hausa/
Fulani Northern Region, the
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) (later renamed to
National Council of Nigerian Citizens) represented the predominantly
Igbo Eastern Region, and the
Action Group (AG) dominated the
Yoruba Western Region. The NPC took control of the federal parliament, and formed a coalition government with the NCNC.
Ahmadu Bello, leader of the NPC, was poised to become the Prime Minister, but instead he chose to become the
Premier of the Northern Region, and supported his deputy
Tafawa Balewa's candidacy for Prime Minister. This raised suspicions amongst the southern politicians, who resented the idea of a federal government controlled by a regional leader through his designated proxy. In the end,
Tafawa Balewa of NPC was named Prime Minister and Head of Government, and
Nnamdi Azikiwe of NCNC was named
President. At Nigeria's independence, the Northern Region gained more seats in parliarment than both Eastern and Western regions combined—this would cement Northern dominance in Nigerian politics for years to come. Resentment amongst southern politicians precipitated into political chaos in the country.
Obafemi Awolowo, Premier of Western Region, was charged with
sedition and convicted in a controversial trial. With incarceration of Awolowo,
Samuel Akintola was elected as the Premier of Western Region. Akintola was widely seen as a tool of the North, and he presided over the most chaotic era in Western Region—one which earned it the nickname "
the Wild-Wild West". This forced the Balewa government to crack-down on lawlessness in the West using military might.
Notable politicians in the First Republic
Image:Michael-Okpara.JPG|
Michael Okpara
Premier of Eastern Nigeria
(1960 - 1966)
Image:Osadebay.jpg|
Dennis Osadebay
Premier of Mid-Western Nigeria
(1964 - 1966)
Image:JajaWachuku01.jpg|
Jaja Wachuku
Foreign Minister
(1961 - 1965)
The Coup
The political unrest during the mid-sixties culminated into Nigeria's first military
coup d'état. On
15 January 1966,
Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and his fellow rebel soldiers (mostly of southern extraction) in the
Nigerian Army, executed a bloody takeover of all institutions of government. Prime Minister
Tafawa Balewa, was assassinated along with the premier of Northern Nigeria,
Ahmadu Bello, and the
Finance Minister,
Festus Okotie-Eboh (External Link
). It isn't clear whether President
Azikiwe's life was spared because he was out of the country at the time, or whether he'd been informed about the impending coup and was out of the country so his life could be spared.
Major-General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi took control as the first
Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria on
January 16 1966.
Further Information
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