Evening star., 1961-07-23
BY ROBERT N. LINDSAY
Associated Press Staff Writer

Associated Press stair Writer
LAGOS, Nigeria-The middle
name Of Sir Abubaker Tafawa
Balewa, Prime Minister of Nigeria,
means rock. 1t fits.
His friends say it symholizes
Balewa's firmness in the shifting
moods of African politics. His
critics argue Balewa, like a rock,
can't move with the times.
These are two homegrown
views of the man Americans will
be able to see for themselves when
he arrives in Washington on a
state visit on Tuesday.
Some observers consider that
Balewa shows promise Of becom-
ing leader of Black Africa. His
Nigerian opponents concede that
he has a breadth of vision unusual
in a comparatively young states
man, but argue he lacks dynamism.
Balewa is not ambitious by ma
ture. Whereas Ghana's President
Kwame Nkrumah often tries to
project himself as the leader of
Pan-Africanism, Balewa is con-
tent to concentrate on economic
development.
Faith in Mons Goodness
His greatest assets are a faith
In the essential goodness of hu-
man beings, a genuine honesty in
a land where corruption is rife, a
sincere modesty and an innate
kindness towards friends and OPP
ponents alike.
He detests all types Of race dis
elimination. When Africans here
we're clamoring for the removal Of
his efficient British secretary be-
cause he was not a Nigerian, the
Prime Minister resolutely de-
Tended him. That's not how we
treat our friends" he said.
However, Balewa has warned,
Don't mistake tolerance for
weakness. We are determined to
govern"
After anti-white demonstrations
In the Nigerian capital early this
year by angry young NigerianS
protesting the death Of Congolese
Premier Patrice Lumumba, he said
the police should have used rough
er methods to diSperse the demon
strators.
Officially Balewa's foreign pol
fey is based on strict "nonalign-
ment with any power bloc as a
matter of routine" Privately he is
known to favor the West, but in
sists on international friendships
and foreign aid having absolutely
no strings attached.
Holding Federation Together
Within his own country he has
troubles enough. Extremists ac-
cuse him of being a Western
5stooge, of failing to give Nigeria
a forceful lead in cleansing the
continent of all traces of colonial
ism, particularly in Portuguese An
COLA, and of allowing Nkrumah to
outpoint him on the major issues
facing Africa.
Internally his most difficult po-
litical problem is to hold together
the present Nigerian federation
Aof the progressive west, the enter
prising east and the less developed
north.
Balewa is happiest in his family
circle and among his children. At
one time he was almost a chain
smoker. When he decided ciga-
'rettes were not good for his not
very robust health, he abruptly
cut them out. AS a Muslin and
by choice, he abstains from
alcohol.
Balewa's rise to power in Africa
is something of a mud hut-to-
mansion saga. Born in 1912 in
the predominantly Muslin north
his father had the good sense to
send him to a village school in
Tafawa Balewa at a time when
northerners regarded western
education with suspicion and
hostility.
Teacher in Old School
Qualifying as a teacher at 81
he returned as a teacher to hi,
old school, specializing in geogra-
ply. history and English, and ir
1914 was appointed headmaster.
He was almost fanatical in hi