K. O. Mbadiwe [electronic resource] : A Nigerian Political Biography, 1915–1990 /
Lynch, Hollis R.author.
This book offers a comprehensive political biography of Kingsley Ozuomba Mbadiwe, (1915-1990), a central figure in Nigerian political history for more than forty years. Starting in 1936 as a protégé of Nnamdi Azikiwe, then Nigeria's most renowned nationalist, Mbadiwe himself by the 1950s became a frontline nationalist. And next to Tafawa Balewa from the North who became Prime Minster in 1957, he was the most important figure in the Nigerian Federal Government between 1952 and Nigeria's first military coup in 1966. During this time he held a succession of important Cabinet positions and was Parliamentary Leader of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), which was in a ruling alliance with the Northern People's Congress (NPC). In contrast, his older prominent political contemporaries, Azikiwe of the Eastern Region, Igbo Leader of the NCNC; Obafemi Awolowo of the Western Region, Yoruba Leader of the Action Group (AG); and Ahmadu Bello of the Northern Region, Fulani Leader of the NPC, all carved out their political careers totally or largely at the regional level. Throughout his political career Mbadiwe's focus was always at the national level. Truly, it has been stated that Mbadiwe was one of the founding fathers of the Nigerian State. Nonetheless, Mbadiwe's ambition for himself to lead Nigeria and for his nation to set it on the path to greatness faced insuperable difficulties. In a country of widespread poverty, high illiteracy, and a grossly underdeveloped private sector, there were fierce ethnic and regional conflicts for the control of governments and resources, leading to massive corruption and serious instability. This in turn led to prolonged military rule twenty years in Mbadiwe's lifetime which was often more corrupt and repressive than civilian rule, and was bitterly deprecated by Mbadiwe.
Description based upon print version of record.
Cover; K. O. Mbadiwe: A Nigerian Political Biography, 1915-1990; Contents; Introduction; CHAPTER 1: Colonial Youth, 1915-1938; Trader; Youthful Nationalist; CHAPTER 2: Pan-African Student Activist in the United States, 1939-1947; Academic Career in the United States; Political Education in the United States; The African Students' Association; Birth of the African Academy; The Establishment of Africa House; Mbadiwe, the Academy, and Africa; CHAPTER 3: An Independent Nationalist Base: The African Academy in West Africa, 1948-1949
Academy Work in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togoland and the Gold CoastHome to Nigeria; Tour of the Eastern Region; Tour of the Northern Region; CHAPTER 4:The Academy in Nigeria: Educational and Nationalist Issues, 1949-1951; Debate on American Education; Visit of an African-American University President; The Academy Conference of October 6-10, 1950; Visit to the Gold Coast; The Demise of the Nigerian Academy; Mbadiwe's Marriage; The Enugu "Massacre" and the National Emergency Committee, November 1949 to December 1950; The Committee for National Rebirth, March-April 1951
CHAPTER 5: Nationalist and Legislator, 1951-1953Regional Legislator; Federal Legislator; CHAPTER 6: Colonial Cabinet Minister, 1954-1958; Federal Elections of 1954; Minister of Communications and Aviation; Visit to England and Germany, June 23-August 8, 1955; Visit of Queen Elizabeth II , January 28 to February 17, 1956; Visit to the United States and England, June/July 1956; Visit to Ghana March 1957, for Independence Ceremony; Mbadiwe and the Nigerian Constitutional Conferences of 1957; Minister of Commerce and Industry; Nigerian Trade Exhibition
CHAPTER 7: Rupture and Reconciliation: Mbadiwe and Azikiwe, 1955-1960Mbadiwe's Counter-Offensive, June/July 1958; Mbadiwe, Balogun and the 1958 Nigerian Constitution in London; CHAPTER 8: At the Center of the Storm: A Struggle for Unity and Greatness in a Fragile Nigeria, 1961-1966; All-Nigeria Peoples Conference; National Census; The Ojike Memorial Project; K.O. and Dick Tiger; Minister of Aviation; The Ijora Land Controversy; Minister of Trade; CHAPTER 9: The Civil War: Mediator and Fundraiser, 1967-1970; CHAPTER 10: Elder Politician and Statesman, 1970-1990; Notes; Bibliography; Index
Includes bibliographical references and index.
This book offers a comprehensive political biography of Kingsley Ozuomba Mbadiwe, (1915-1990), a central figure in Nigerian political history for more than forty years. Starting in 1936 as a protégé of Nnamdi Azikiwe, then Nigeria's most renowned nationalist, Mbadiwe himself by the 1950s became a frontline nationalist. And next to Tafawa Balewa from the North who became Prime Minster in 1957, he was the most important figure in the Nigerian Federal Government between 1952 and Nigeria's first military coup in 1966. During this time he held a succession of important Cabinet positions and was Parliamentary Leader of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), which was in a ruling alliance with the Northern People's Congress (NPC). In contrast, his older prominent political contemporaries, Azikiwe of the Eastern Region, Igbo Leader of the NCNC; Obafemi Awolowo of the Western Region, Yoruba Leader of the Action Group (AG); and Ahmadu Bello of the Northern Region, Fulani Leader of the NPC, all carved out their political careers totally or largely at the regional level. Throughout his political career Mbadiwe's focus was always at the national level. Truly, it has been stated that Mbadiwe was one of the founding fathers of the Nigerian State. Nonetheless, Mbadiwe's ambition for himself to lead Nigeria and for his nation to set it on the path to greatness faced insuperable difficulties. In a country of widespread poverty, high illiteracy, and a grossly underdeveloped private sector, there were fierce ethnic and regional conflicts for the control of governments and resources, leading to massive corruption and serious instability. This in turn led to prolonged military rule twenty years in Mbadiwe's lifetime which was often more corrupt and repressive than civilian rule, and was bitterly deprecated by Mbadiwe.
Mbadiwe, K. O.
Africa—History.
History, Modern.
World politics.
Literature.
Political science.
African History.
Modern History.
Political History.
Literature, general.
Political Science.