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Shehu Shagari

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Shehu Shagari
Shagari in 1980.
6th President of Nigeria
In office
October 1, 1979 – December 31, 1983
Vice PresidentAlex Ekwueme
Preceded byOlusegun Obasanjo as Military Head of State
Succeeded byMuhammadu Buhari as Military Head of State
Federal Commissioner for Finance
In office
1971–1975
Preceded byObafemi Awolowo
Succeeded byAsumoh Ete Ekukinam
Federal Commissioner for Economic Development, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction
In office
1970–1971
Federal Minister for Works
In office
1965–1966
Succeeded byS.O. Williams as Minister of Works and Housing[1]
Federal Minister for internal affairs
In office
1962–1965
Federal Minister for Pensions
In office
1960–1962
Federal Minister for Economic Development
In office
1959–1960
Federal Minister for Commerce and Industries
In office
1958–1959
Personal details
Born (1925-02-25) 25 February 1925 (age 99)
Shagari, Sokoto State, Nigeria Protectorate
Political partyNational Party of Nigeria
ChildrenMuhammad Bala Shagari
Aminu Shehu Shagari
RelativesBello Shagari (Grandson) Muktar Shagari (Nephew)

Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari GCFR, (born February 25, 1925[2][3]) served as the first and only President of Nigeria's Second Republic (1979–1983), after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo's military government. Shagari also served seven times in a ministerial or cabinet post as a federal minister and federal commissioner from 1958–1975.

Shagari was made the Turaki of the Fula Sokoto Caliphate in 1962 by the Sultan of Sokoto Siddiq Abubakar III. Turaki means an officer at court, in this case referring to the sultan's court at the palace of Sokoto. In addition, he also holds the chieftaincy titles of the Ochiebuzo of Ogbaland, the Ezediale of Aboucha and the Baba Korede of Ado Ekiti.

He worked as a teacher for a brief period before entering politics in 1951 and in 1954 was elected to the federal House of Representatives. At 99, he is currently the oldest living former Nigerian president.

Early life

Shehu Usman Shagari was born in 1925 in the northern Shagari village founded by his great-grandfather, Ahmadu Rufa'i, who was also the Village Head, and took the name Shagari as his family name. His father's name is Aliyu and his mother's name is Mariamu.[4]

His name, Usman, means "companion".[5] He was raised in a polygamous family, and was the sixth child born into the family. Prior to becoming Magajin (magajin means village head) Shagari, Aliyu, Shehu's father was a farmer, trader and herder. However, due to traditional rites that prevented rulers from participating in business, Aliyu relinquished some of his trading interest when he became the Magaji, or village head, of Shagari village.[4] Aliyu died five years after Shehu's birth, and Shehu's elder brother, Bello, briefly took on his father's mantle as Magajin Shagari.

Shagari started his education in a Quranic school and then went to live with relatives at a nearby town, where from 1931-1935 he attended Yabo elementary school. In 1936-1940, he went to Sokoto for middle school, and then from 1941-1944 he attended Kaduna College.[4]

Teaching career

Between 1944 and 1952, Shehu Shagari, matriculated at the Teachers Training College, in Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria. From 1953-1958, Shagari got a job as a visiting teacher at Sokoto Province. He was also a member of the Federal Scholarship Board from 1954-1958.[4]

Political career

Shehu Usman Shagari entered politics in 1951, when he became the secretary of the Northern People’s Congress in Sokoto, Nigeria, a position he held until 1956.

In 1954, Shehu Shagari was elected into his first public office as a member of the federal House of Representative for Sokoto west. In 1958, Shagari was appointed as parliamentary secretary (he left the post in 1959) to the Nigerian Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and that year he also served as the Federal Minister for commerce and Industries.

From 1959-1960, Shagari was redeployed to the ministry for economic development, as the Federal Minister for Economic Development. In 1960-1962, he was moved to the Pensions ministry as the Federal Minister for Pensions. From 1962-1965, Shagari was made the Federal minister for internal affairs. From 1965 up until the first military coup in January 1966, Shagari was the Federal minister for works.

In 1967 he was appointed as the secretary for Sokoto province education development fund. From 1968-1969, Shagari was given a state position in the North Western State as commissioner for establishments.

After the Nigerian civil war, from 1970-1971, Shagari was appointed by the military head of state General Yakubu Gowon as the federal commissioner for economic development, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

From 1971-75 he served as the Federal commissioner (position now called minister) of finance. During his tenure as the commissioner of finance for Nigeria, Shagari was also a governor for the world bank and a member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) committee of twenty.

In 1978, Shehu Shagari was a founding member of the National People’s Party. In 1979 Shagari was chosen by the party as the presidential candidate for general election that year, which he won becoming the president and head of state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Shagari ran for a second four-year term in 1983 and won the general election, however, on 31 December 1983, Shagari was overthrown by major general Muhammadu Buhari.[6]

Presidency

Shagari is greeted by BGEN Archer Durham upon his arrival for a visit. Location: Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, United States

Shagari won the 1979 election with the help of his campaign manager, Umaru Dikko. The campaign had the support of many prominent politicians in the North and among southern minorities. The party's motto was "One Nation, One Destiny" and was seen as the party best representing Nigeria's diversity.

Seal of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

Oil boom

During the oil boom, Shagari made Housing, Industries, Transportation and Agriculture as the major goals of his administration. In transportation, he launched some road networks across the country. He also initiated a program to foster the use of mechanical machinery in farming. It favored large scale farmers in order to produce mass products. Shagari created a low cost housing scheme.

In 1980, with the oil revenue, Shagari finished building the Kaduna refinery, which started operation that year. Also with the oil revenue, Shagari concluded the construction of an additional steel plant and three rolling mills at Ajaokuta, Nigeria. Shagari completed the Delta Steel complex in 1982. In 1983, Shagari created the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria at Ikot Abasi, Nigeria. However, Shagari reduced the share of oil royalties and rents to state of origin from 30 to 2 percent.[7]

Green Revolution

Shagari's government embarked on a "Green Revolution", distributing seed and fertilliser to farmers to increase nationwide productivity in farming.

Fall in oil prices, end of the Oil boom

The fall in oil prices that began in 1981 affected the finances of the Nigerian government. Shagari initiated an Economic Stabilization Program to help protect the country against a hard landing from prior highs of the 1970s and to steer the economy towards positive growth. Key objectives of the program were to limit import licenses, reduce government spending and raise custom duties. However, the result from the stabilization program was minimal.

Overthrown in a military coup on 31 December 1983

The Shagari administration was plagued by allegations of corruption, including allegations of electoral fraud in the 1983 election. This, coupled with a decline in world oil prices, and a deterioration in the national finances, hardship, lead to the regime becoming deeply unpopular with citizens. Shagari was overthrown by General Muhammadu Buhari in a military coup on December 31, 1983.

Personal life

Shehu Shagari married three wives: Amina, Aishatu, Hadiza Shagari.[4] He has many children. However, His most visible children are Captain Muhammad Bala Shagari Rtd. and Aminu Shehu Shagari.

On 24 August 2001, his wife, Aisha Shagari, died in a London hospital from a brief illness.

Award

Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR)

See also

References

  1. ^ "The old Bureaucracy is coming back – Eric Teniola". Nigerian Insight. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  2. ^ Pofile of Shehu Shagari
  3. ^ Nuhu-Koko, Abubakar Atiku (26 February 2008). "Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, GCFR, @ 83". Daily Triumph (Kano). Triumph Publishing Company Limited, via nigeriavillagesquare.com. Archived from the original on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2008. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e Shehu Shagari, Beckoned To Serve: An Autobiography.
  5. ^ Meaning of Usman in Nigerian.name
  6. ^ Obotetukudo, Solomon (2011). The Inaugural Addresses and Ascension Speeches of Nigerian Elected and Non elected presidents and prime minister from 1960 -2010. University Press of America. pp. 76–78.
  7. ^ "Leadership, Policy Making, and Economic Growth in African Countries: The Case of Nigeria" (PDF).

Further reading

  • Shehu Othman: "Classes, Crises and Coup: The Demise of Shagari's Regime". African Affairs. Vol. 83, No. 333.
  • "Special advisers to the Nigerian President", 1979. BBC.
  • "Nigerian Cabinet Changes", BBC, BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, February 17, 1982.
Political offices
Preceded by President of Nigeria
October 1, 1979 – December 31, 1983 		Succeeded by
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