Nigerian History Series – Sir Ahmadu Bello (Premier of the North) 

Ahmadu Ibrahim Bello was the first and only Northern Nigerian premier. During his reign, he dominated state affairs for over 10 years. He was the leader of the ruling party at the time which consisted of the Hausa-Fulani elite. Ahmadu Bello was a member of the Sokoto Caliphate Dynasty, as such he sought the position of Sultan of Sokoto.

Early life

Ahmadu Bello was born in Rabah to late Sarkin Rabah. He is a direct descendant of Uthman dan Fodio, founder of the Sokoto Caliphate. Bello received Islamic education at home, where he learnt the Qur’an and Islamic jurisprudence. He later attended Sokoto Provincial School and the Katsina Training College (now Barewa college).

During his school days, he was known as Ahmadu Rabah. Some also called him Gamji, growing up. He finished school in 1931 and subsequently became the English teacher in Sokoto Middle School.

Bello was made the District Head of Rabah by Sultan Hassan dan Mu’azu, succeeding his brother. In 1938, he was promoted to the position of Divisional Head of Gusau and became a member of the Sultan’s council. Later, at the age of just 28, he made attempts to become the Sultan of Sokoto but was not successful.

The new Sultan appointed Sir Ahmadu Bello the Sardauna (Crown Prince) of Sokoto and promoted him to the Sokoto Native Authority Council.

Political career

Later, he travelled to England on a Scholarship to study Local Government Administration. After returning, he was nominated to represent the province of Sokoto in the regional House of Assembly. He was selected among with others as a member of a committee that redrafted the Richards Constitution. His work at the assembly and in the constitution drafting committee brought him prominence in the north and he was asked to take on leadership positions within Jamiyyar Mutanen Arewa.

In 1954, Bello became the first Premier of Northern Nigeria. In the 1959 independence elections, Bello led the NPC to win a plurality of the parliamentary seats. Thereafter, an alliance was formed with Azikiwe’s NCNC.

Northernisation

Bello originally accepted the Indirect rule of colonial Nigeria before gradually embracing reforms. During his period of premiership, his biographer, John Paden described him as a progressive conservative, because he was an agent of change and also of the traditional elites. Bello’s leadership qualities were a blend of religious, traditional and modern values and his obligation in colonial and post-independence Nigeria was performing these different roles in the northern region.

Western education was not considered very important in many parts of Northern Nigeria at the time. Bello attempted to modernise traditional Quranic education in Northern Nigeria. Due to political considerations, leaders in the North limited the recruitment of Southerners into the Northern regional service and found ways to push up the ranks of northerners.

Read also: Nigerian History Series – Sir Tafawa Balewa

Death

On 15 January 1966, Bello was assassinated by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogu, an Igbo military officer in a coup which overthrew Nigeria’s post-independence government. Meanwhile, this was the first coup in the history of Nigeria, which sparked the rise of the military in the country’s politics. Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, his longtime friend, was also assassinated in the coup alongside many political elites in the north and in the west.

The premier of the North had three wives at the time of his death. Hafsatu, his first wife, died alongside him.