Nnamdi Azikiwe

**Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe**, GCFR PC (16 November 1904 – 11 May 1996), dem commonly refer am to as **Zik of Africa**, na he be a Nigerian politician, statesman, den revolutionary leader wey serve as de 3rd den first black governor-general of Nigeria from 1960 to 1963 den de first president of Nigeria during de First Nigerian Republic (1963–1966). He be widely regarded as de father of Nigerian nationalism as well as one of de major driving forces behind de country ein independence insyd 1960.

Na dem born am insyd Zungeru insyd present-day Niger State to Igbo parents wey komot Onitsha, Anambra State, na Azikiwe learn to speak Hausa wich na be de main indigenous language of de Northern Region. Na dem later send make he live plus ein aunt den grandmommie insyd ein hometown Onitsha, wer na he learn de Igbo language. Dey live insyd Lagos State expose am to learning de Yoruba language, wey by de time na he dey insyd college, na he be exposed to different Nigerian cultures wey na he speak de three major Nigerian languages.

Na Azikiwe be well travelled. Na he move to de United States wer na dem call am **Ben Azikiwe**, wey he attend Storer College, Columbia University, de University of Pennsylvania den Howard University. Na he contact colonial authorities plus a request to represent Nigeria at de 1932 Los Angeles Olympics since na he sanso be an athlete. Na he return to Africa insyd 1934, wer na he start dey work as a journalist insyd de Gold Coast (present day Ghana). During de British West Africa, na Azikiwe advocate as a political activist den journalist, for Nigerian den African nationalism.

## Early life den education

### Youth: education den background

Na dem born Azikiwe on 16 November 1904 insyd Zungeru, Northern Nigeria. Na ein first name, "Nnamdi", given to am by ein parents be an Igbo name wich literally dey mean "my father be alive". Na ein poppie, Obed-Edom Chukwuemeka Azikiwe, a native of Onitsha, be a clerk insyd de British Administration of Nigeria. Na ein mommie Rachel Chinwe Ogbenyeanu Azikiwe (née Aghadiuno), wey na dem sam times call am "Nwanonaku" be de third daughter of Aghadiuno Ajie den a descendant of a royal family insyd Onitsha; na ein paternal great-grandpoppie Ugogwu Anazenwu, be de Obi of Onitsha. Na Azikiwe get one sibling, a sisto, dem name Cecilia Eziamaka Arinze.

As a young boy, na Azikiwe speak Hausa, de regional language. Insyd Onitsha, na Azikiwe attend Holy Trinity School (a Roman Catholic mission school) den Christ Church School (an Anglican primary school). Na he then attend Wesleyan Boys' High School, now be known as Methodist Boys' High School, Lagos. Insyd 1918, na he back to Onitsha wey na he fini ein secondary education at CMS Central School. 

After he attend Hope Waddell, na dem transfer Azikiwe to Methodist Boys' High School, Lagos, wey na he make paddies plus classmates from old Lagos families such as George Shyngle, Francis Cole den Ade Williams (a son of de Akarigbo of Remo). 

After he plete ein secondary education, na Azikiwe apply to de colonial service wey na dem accept am as a clerk insyd de treasury department. 

Na Azikiwe attend Storer College's two-year preparatory school insyd Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. To fund ein living expenses den tuition, na he work a number of menial jobs before na he enroll insyd Howard University insyd Washington, D.C. insyd 1927 make he obtain a bachelor's degree insyd political science. Insyd 1929, na he transfer from Howard University to Lincoln University make he plete ein undergraduate studies wey na he graduate insyd 1930 plus a BA insyd political science. Na Azikwe take courses plus Alain Locke. Na Azikiwe be a member of Phi Beta Sigma. Na he then enrol at Lincoln University insyd Pennsylvania den insyd de University of Pennsylvania simultaneously insyd 1930, wey na he receive a master's degree insyd religion den philosophy from Lincoln University insyd 1932 den a master's degree insyd anthropology from de University of Pennsylvania insyd 1933. During ein time insyd America, na he be a columnist give de *Baltimore Afro-American*, *Philadelphia Tribune* den de *Associated Negro Press*. Na Azikiwe be influenced by de ideals of de African-American press, Garveyism den pan-Africanism.

**Associations & Societies**

* Young Men's Christian Association, Storer College (1925–27)
* International Cub of Howard University (1928)
* Stylus Literary Society of Howard University (1923)
* International Club of Columbia University (1930–32)
* Life Fellow, Royal Anthropological Institute (1933)
* Life Fellow, Royal Economic Society (1934)
* Life Member, British Association for the Advancernent of Science (1947)
* American Society of International Law (1933–34)
* American Anthropological Association (1932–1934)
* American Political Science Society (1933–34)
* American Ethnological Society (1933–34)
* Sodalitae Scientiae Civilis of Lincoln University (1934)

## Athletics career

At de start of ein career, na Azikiwe compete insyd boxing, athletics, swimming, football den tennis. Na dem bring football to Nigeria by de British as na dem colonize Africa. However, na any leagues wey na dem form be segregated. Na Nnamdi see dis as an injustice wey na he emerge as a leader in terms of connection sports den politics at de end of de colonial period. Insyd 1934, na dem deny Zik de right to compete insyd a track den field event secof na dem no allow make Nigeria participate. Na dis happen anoda time secof ein Igbo background, wey na Zik decide say enough be enough, wey na he want make he create ein own club. Na Nnamdi found Zik's Athletic Club (ZAC) wich na go open ein doors to sportsmen den women of all races, nationalities, tribes, den classes of Nigeria. Insyd 1942, na de club go on to win both de Lagos League den de War Memorial Cup. After dese victories, na Nnamdi open up more ZAC branches thru out Nigeria. During de war years na ZAC go go on tours. Na ZAC matches go happen all over de country, wey na e make de people of Nigeria feel a sense of unity den nationalism wey go help dem fight for freedom.

Insyd 1949, na sam ZAC players participate insyd a tour of England. On de return from de tour na dem stop insyd Freetown, Sierra Leone, wey na Nigeria defeat de locals by 2 goals. Na dis victory be more dan a decade before Nigerian independence, buh na e mark de birth of Nigeria ein National Team. Finally, after years of struggle, insyd 1959 na de last British official lef  de NFA, wey on 22 August 1960, a few weeks prior to ein formal independence, Nigeria join de world football body of FIFA.

**Sports Achievements/Honours**

* Founder, ZiKs Athletic Club (plus MRB. Oltun) for de promotion of athletics, boxing, cricket, swimming den tennis insyd Nigeria.
* Reserve Goalkeeper and Forward, Methodist Boys High School, Lagos (1921)
* Champion, High Jump, M.B.H.S, and Champion, Empire Day (1921)
* Champion, Welterweight, Storer College (1925–27)
* Champion & Gold Medalist, High Jump, HU Inter-Scholastic Games (1926);
* Gold Medalist, Cross Country, One Mile Run, Quarket Mile Run, and High Jump, Storer College Silver championships(1926)
* Medalist, Pentathlon, Storer College Championships (1925)
* Captain, Storer College Cross Country Team (1927)
* Gold Medalist, Cross Country, Storer College (1921)
* Bronze Medalist, Laurel-Baltimore Marathon (1927)
* Champion, Backstroke, Howard University (1928)
* Co- Captain, Lincoln University Soccer Team (1930)
* Winner, Two MIle Run, Dual Championship between Lincoln University & Cheyney State College (1930)
* Silver Medalist, Two Mile Run, Central InterCollegiate Athletic Association Championships at Hampton Institute Virginia (1931)
* Point Winner, Baltimore Cross Country Marathon (1929, 1930)
* Bronze Medalist, Richmond Cross Country Marathon (1931)
* Point Winner, Mid-Atlantic A.A.U. Cross Country Championships (1932)
* Gold Medalist, 1,000 yards run, Caledonian Games in Brooklyn, New York (1932)
* Gold Medalist, One Mile Run, and Three Mile Run, Y MC.A. Games, New York (1932)
* Silver Trophy, Half Mile Race, and Silver Cup Winner in the One Mile Race, Democratie Field Day Championships, New Haven, Connecticut (1933)
* Runners-up (with G.K Dorgu), Lagos Tennis Men's Double Championships Division B (1938)
* Winners (Anchor man), ZAC Freestyle Relay Team at the Lagos Swimming Championships (1939)
* Na he enter to represent Nigeria insyd de Half-Mile Race den One Mile Run at de 1934 British Empire Games, buh na dem reject am on 'technical grounds' by de A.A.A of Great Britain. (Na dis rejection make am wrep a famous letter, wey he drop ein English name, Benjamin).
**Membership**

* Diamond Football Club (1922–24)
* Mercury Athletic Club of New York (1932–34)
* Gold Coast Lawn Tennis Club of Accra (1935–1937)
* Patron, Zik's Athletic Club (since 1956)
* President, Nigerian Cricket Association (1940–44)
* President, Nigerian Swimming Association (1938–41)
* Vice-chairman, Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (since 1949)
* President, Lagos District Amateur Football Association (1951–1954)
* President, Amateur Athletic Association of Nigeria (since 1952)
* President, Nigerian Table Tennis Association (since 1953)
* Vice Patron den Committee Member, Nigerian Olympic Committee, den British Empire and Commonwealth Games Association (since 1951)

## Final years den death
On 8 November 1989, na news media falsely announce Azikiwe ein death as a result of enquiries from a BBC correspondent about ein condition. Na he eventually resurface dey say "I no be in a hurry make I lef dis world, secof e be de planet per I know." Insyd 1991, na Azikiwe go de launching of Nnamdi Azikiwe Centre insyd Zungeru, ein place of birth, by Presido Ibrahim Babangida. Insyd de summer of 1995, na he grant an interview at Lincoln University, Pennsylvania plus de Director of Public Relations of de university.

Azikiwe eventually die on 11 May 1996, at de University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital insyd Enugu after a prolonged illness. Na he be 91. Na dem give Azikiwe a state funeral by de government of Sani Abacha, dey follow nearly two weeks of national ceremonies. Na dem take ein body to various important cities insyd de country for mourning den tributes. Na dem finally bury insyd ein native Onitsha on 16 November 1996, on wat na go be ein 92nd birthday. At Azikiwe ein death, na *The New York Times* remark,"Na he tower over de affairs of Africa ein most populous nation,wey he attain de rare status of a truly national hero wey cam to be admired across de regional den ethnic lines wey dey divide ein country."Insyd 2019, na de administration of Presido Muhammadu Buhari undertake de completion of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe Mausoluem wey na dem declare am a National monument.

## Historical reputation den legacy
### Honors
* United Kingdom: Member of de Privy Council of the United Kingdom, *16 November 1960*.
*  Grand Commander of de Order of the Federal Republic **(GCFR)**.
### Honorary degrees
Na dem award Dr Azikiwe 14 honorary degrees from Nigerian, American den Liberian universities, notably:
*Pennsylvania 1946: Doctor of Law by Lincoln University
* West Virginia 1947: Doctor of Letters by Storer College
* Washington, D.C. 1950: Doctor of Law by Howard University
* Michigan 1959: Honorary Doctor of Law by de Michigan State University
* Nigeria 1961: Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by de University of Nigeria
*Liberia 1969: Doctor of Law by de University of Liberia
*Pennsylvania 1980: Honorary doctor of Humane Letters by de University of Pennsylvania

Na odas include degrees from University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), and FUTO.
### Memorials den monuments

## Works
* *Zik* (1961)
* *My Odyssey* (1971)
* *Renascent Africa* (1973)
* *Liberia in World Politics* (1931)
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* *Political Blueprint for Nigeria* (1943)
* *Economic Reconstruction of Nigeria* (1943)
* *Zik: A Selection of the Speeches of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe* (1961)
* *Assassination Story: True or False?* (1946)
* *Before Us Lies the Open Grave* (1947)
* *The Future of Pan-Africanism* (1961)
* *The Realities of African Unity* (1965)
* *Origins of the Nigerian Civil War* (1969)
* *I Believe in One Nigeria* (1969)
* *Peace Proposals for Ending the Nigerian Civil War* (1969)
* *Dialogue on a New Capital for Nigeria* (1974)
* *Creation of More States in Nigeria, A Political Analysis* (1974)
* *Democracy with Military Vigilance* (1974)
* *Reorientation of Nigerian Ideologies: lecture on 9 December 1976, on the eve of the launching of the UNN Endowment Fund* (1976)
* *Our Struggle for Freedom; Onitsha Market Crisis* (1976)
* *Let Us Forgive Our Children. An appeal to the leaders and people of Onitsha during the market crisis* (1976)
* *A Collection of Poems* (1977)
* *Civil War Soliloquies: More Collection of Poems* (1977)
* *Themes in African Social and Political Thought* (1978)
* *Restoration of Nigerian Democracy* (1978)
* *Matchless Past Performance: My Reply to Chief Awolowo's Challenge* (1979)
* *A Matter of Conscience* (1979)
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## References

## Notes
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* Idemili, Samuel Okafor (1980). *The West African Pilot and the Movement for Nigerian Nationalism, 1937–1960* (Thesis). University of Wisconsin-Madison.
* Olusanya, Gabriel (1964). *The impact of the Second World War on Nigeria's political evolution* (PhD Thesis). University of Toronto.
## Read further
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## External links

* Nnamdi Azikiwe: Respect for Human Dignity: an Inaugural Address at World Digital Library