Abubakar Tafawa Balewa

Sir **Abubakar Tafawa Balewa** KBE PC (December 1912 – 15 January 1966) na he be de first den only Prime Minister of Nigeria. A dominant figure of Nigerian Independence, na he be a conservative Anglophile. Na ein political career span almost half of a century.

## Early years, 1912–1947
Na dem born Abubakar Tafawa Balewa insyd de village of Tafawa Balewa insyd Lere district of Bauchi province, Northern Nigeria Protectorate, insyd December 1912. Na he be de eldest kiddie. Na ein poppie be Yakubu Dan Zalla, wey marry a Fulani woman, Fatima Inna. Na Balewa study insyd a Madrasa at Bauchi before he proceed to an elementary school insyd Tafawa Balewa village wey na he plete at Bauchi Government Provincial School. Na he study at Katsina Higher College (dem presently call Barewa College) from 1928 to 1932 wey na he cam be a secondary school teacher thereafter. Insyd 1944 na he cam be de headie of Bauchi middle school. After two years, he move go de University of London Institute of Education, wer na he obtain an overseas teacher's certificate. Returning to Nigeria, na he work as Bauchi native authority educational assistant den a member of de advisory council of Emir Yakubu III. Na dem later make Balewa de inspector of schools insyd Bauchi Province.

### Overthrow den murder
Na dem overthrow Balewa wey dem murder am insyd a military coup on 15 January 1966, as chaw oda leaders, wey dey include ein old companion Sir Ahmadu Bello. De circumstances of ein death still remain unresolved. Na dem discover ein body at a roadside near Lagos six days after dem oust am from office. Na dem bury Balewa insyd Bauchi. Na news of ein assassination spur violent riots thru out Northern Nigeria wey e ultimately lead to de bloody counter-coup of July 1966.

## Legacy den tributes

### Literary work
Insyd 1933, na Balewa wrep *Shaihu Umar*, a novella about a pious Muslim in response to a request by Rupert East, de head of de colonial Translation Bureau, make he promote Hausa literature. Na dem first publish *Shaihu Umar* insyd 1934. Na dem publish an English translation by Mervyn Hiskett insyd 1967. Na dem wrep insyd a prose homily structure, de protagonist, Shaihu Umar, dey recount ein events insyd ein life's history. Events den themes insyd de novel deal plus de trans-Saharan slave trade, familial relationships den Islamic themes of submission to de will of God. Na dem stage *Shaihu Umar* as a play insyd de 1970s wey e be filmed by Adamu Halilu insyd 1976.

### Political views
Na Balewa advocate for de creation of a Nigerian Privy Council make e domestically replace de Privy Council of the United Kingdom insyd a speech to de Legislative Council insyd April 1952. Na dis be secof ein judicial committee ein seemingly insensitivities to regional differences insyd court cases.

### Honours
Insyd January 1960, na Balewa be knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as a Knight Commander of de Order of the British Empire. Na dem award am an honorary doctorate from de University of Sheffield insyd May 1960. Na dem sanso award am an honorary doctorate of laws from de New York University insyd July 1961.

Na dem place Balewa ein portrait on de 5 Naira Note. Na dem name de Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University den de Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Bauchi State International Airport insyd Bauchi for ein honour.

## References



### Sources
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## Read further
*Kalu Ezera;, Constitutional Developments in Nigeria: An Analytical Study of Nigeria's Constitution-Making Developments and the Historical and Political Factors That Affected Constitutional Change, 1960
*James S. Olson, Robert S. Shadle; Historical Dictionary of the British Empire, Greenwood Press, 1996
*B. I. C. Ijomah, *The Enigma of Nigerian Nationalism*, Edo State University Publishing House, 1996, 
*Alh. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa official visit to USA in 25–28 July 1961, YouTube.
## External links