Nigerian History Series – Sir Tafawa Balewa

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa: 1912 – 1966

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was born in December 1912 in Bauchi State, in the Northern Nigeria Protectorate.

Education

Balewa began his education at a Koranic School in Bauchi; after which he attended Elementary School – Bauchi Provincial School.Like many of his contemporaries, he studied at Barewa College, then known as Katsina College.

Katsina College was also a training ground for teachers to be posted to the provincial and middle schools within the Northern Provinces of Nigeria.

Balewa completed his five-year education in 1933 and returned to Bauchi to teach at Bauchi Middle School. He rose to become a senior schoolmaster. After a student unrest, investigations into student grievances indicted the headmaster, and in 1941 Balewa was nominated as the new headmaster.

In 1944, Balewa and some others were chosen to study at the University of London’s Institute of Education. Upon returning to Nigeria, he became an Inspector of Schools for the colonial administration and later entered politics.

Politics

He was elected in 1946 to the Northern House of Assembly, and to the Legislative Council in 1947. As a legislator, he was a vocal advocate of the rights of Northern Nigeria and also sought more roles and responsibility in the Native Administration for the educated members of the emirates.

Together with Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello, who held the hereditary title of Sardauna of Sokoto, they proposed the transformation of the cultural organization, Jam’iyyar Mutanen Arewa, which means Northern People’s Congress (NPC), to become a political platform for use as a campaign platform during the elections of 1951.

Balewa was elected Vice President of the new party and subsequently resigned his post as headmaster. NPC won the plurality of votes to the regional House of Assembly in 1951.

Under a new constitution, an electoral college system was implemented whereby, some regional legislators were elected to the Federal House of Representatives in Lagos, of which three members from each region would be appointed federal ministers with portfolio. Balewa was among those nominated to become ministers.

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Appointments

Balewa entered the government in 1952 as Minister of Works, and later served as Minister of Transport during a time Nigeria was moving towards self-government.

During his tenure at the transport ministry, both the Marine and Railway departments were transformed to corporations and the designs for a bridge over the Niger and plans for the Kainji Dam were developed.

Regional Political Framework

In 1954 Nigeria adopted a regional political framework for the country, with all regions given a considerable amount of political freedom, aimed at guiding their regions against political encroachment from other regional leaders.

This political environment later influenced the Balewa administration. His term in office was turbulent, with regional factionalism constantly threatening his government.

In 1957, NPC won the plurality of votes in the Federal House of Representatives and Balewa became the Chief Minister and designated Prime Minister.

Must watch video of when Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa visited the US… 1/2 pic.twitter.com/mKtClWJuOQ

— News Round The Clock (@NRTCNigeria) August 14, 2022

Independence

As part of his plans to unify the country towards the move for independence in 1960, he formed a coalition government between the NPC and the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), led by Nnamdi Azikiwe and also invited the Action Group (A.G.). The 1957 cabinet was constituted as an all party cabinet. .

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

As Prime Minister of Nigeria, he 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.

Congo Crisis of the 1960’s

Sir Abubakar was also instrumental in negotiations during the Congo Crisis of 1960–1964. Tafawa Balewa 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. 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.

As Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, from 1960 to 1961, doubled as Foreign Affairs advocate of Nigeria.

Knighthood

In January 1960, Balewa was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Sheffield in May 1960. The University of New York also awarded him an honorary doctorate of laws in July 1961.

Sir 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.