By Aderoju Israel
A sojourn down political memory lane, from 1960 till date, shows that Nigeria has had several leaders from the days of military jackboots to civilian rule.
In this piece, BlackBox Nigeria presents the profile of these men who have held the country’s mantle of leadership.
1) Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe (1960 to 1966)
He was first governor-general and then President of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966 before he was ousted by the first military coup. Zik was regarded as the father of Nigeria’s nationalism. He was a Pan-Africanist, newspaper editor and columnist. Zik died in May 1996.
2) Tafawa Balewa (1960 to 1966)
Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, entered the government in 1952 as Minister of Works. He later served as Minister of Transport. In 1957, he was elected Chief Minister, forming a coalition government between the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) and the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) led by the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe
Balewa was overthrown and murdered in a military coup on January 15, 1966. The mystery surrounding his death still remains unsolved till date.
3) General Agunyi-Ironsi (January – July 1966)
Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi was born on March 3, 1924.
He seized power in the chaos that ensued from the first military coup in Nigeria and served as the first Nigeria’s Head of State from January 16, 1966 until he was killed on July 29, 1966 by a group of Northern army officers who revolted against his perceived tribalistic government. Aguiyi-Ironsi is known as the leader that introduced unitary system of government into Nigeria.
4) General Yakubu Gowon (1966 to 1975)
General Yakubu “Jack” Gowon, who succeeded Aguiyi-Ironsi, was born on October 19, 1934. After the January 1966 coup, he was appointed Chief of Staff by Aguiyi-Ironsi. Northern soldiers staged a countercoup in July 1966, and Gowon emerged as the head of the new government.
His regime created 12 states but retained the military-command structure. Gowon oversaw the 30-month Nigerian Civil War between 1967 and 1970.
5) General Murtala Muhammad (1975 to 1976)
General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, was born on November 8, 1938. He came into power on July 30, 1975 when General Gowon was overthrown while at an Organisation of African Unity summit in Kampala, Uganda.
Muhammed’s policies won him broad popular support and his decisiveness elevated him to the status of a folk hero. Seen as a radical military officer, some of Muhammed’s policies were viewed as rash. He was later assassinated in a coup led by Lt. Col. Buka Suka Dimka.
6) Major-General Olusegun Obasanjo(1976 to 1979)
Obasanjo was born on March 5, 1938. Although he did not participate in the military coup of 29 July 1975, led by Murtala Muhammed, he supported it and was named Murtala’s deputy in the new government.
On 13 February, 1976, coup plotters, led by Lt. Col. Buka Suka Dimka, marked him, Murtala and other senior military officers for assassination. Muhammed Murtala was killed during the attempted coup, but Obasanjo escaped death.
After regaining control, Obasanjo would be named Head of State by the Supreme Military Council. He built major infrastructure, including roads, ports and refineries, and oversaw transition to civil rule in 1979.
7) Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (1979 to 1983)
Born February 25, 1925, Shagari emerged as the President of Nigeria’s Second Republic (1979-1983) after the handover of power by Obasanjo-led military government.
He worked as a teacher for a brief period before entering politics in 1954 when he was elected to the federal House of Representatives.
Despite the several efforts targeted at providing infrastructure, housing and agriculture, his administration was marred by widespread allegations of corruption.
8) Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (1983 to 1985)
The Daura-born soldier was one of the leaders of the military coup of December 1983 that overthrew the democratically elected government of President Shagari. At the time of the coup plot, Buhari was the General Officer Commanding Third Armoured Division of Jos.
Buhari justified the military’s seizure of power to the corruption of the civilian government. He then suspended Nigeria’s 1979 Constitution. His regime launched a war against corruption and indiscipline, jailed politicians and enforced strict military rule.
9) General Ibrahim Babangida (1985 to 1983)
General Babangida overthrew the Buhari administration in a coup on August 27, 1985. His administration threw the nation into confusion when he annulled the victory of Chief MKO Abiola, who won the June 12, 1993 presidential election. His era was seen as the peak point of corruption in the country’s history.
10) Ernest Shonekan (1993)
Born May 9, 1936 in Lagos, Shonekan is a British-trained lawyer, industrialist and politician who was appointed as the Head of the Interim National Government by General Ibrahim Babangida on 26 August 1993.
Shonekan’s administration only lasted three months as a palace coup led by General Sani Abacha forcefully dismantled the remaining democratic institutions and brought the government back under military control on November 17, 1993.
11) General Sani Abacha (1993 to 1998)
Sani Abacha was born on September 20, 1943. He served as the country’s military ruler from 1993 to 1998. Abacha’s administration witnessed state sponsored killings and human right abuses. He jailed winner of the June 12 presidential election, Abiola. His regime was accused of massive corruption (“Abacha Loot”) and state terrorism. Abacha died in the Presidential Villa in June 1988.
12) General Abdulsalami Abubakar (1998 to1999)
He was born on June 13, 1942. He led Nigeria from June 9, 1999 till May 29, 1999. Though shortlived, he organised a transition to civil rule.
Abubakar’s regime gave Nigeria her current constitution on May 5, 1999. The constitution provided the country for multiparty elections.
13) Gen Olusegun Obasanjo Rtd (1999 to 2007)
Abubakar transferred power to Obasanjo on May 29, 1999 after the latter won the country’s presidential election.
His adminstration launched GSM service, reformed telecoms, pensions and banking, privatised public entities, paid off Nigeria’s foreign debts and left healthy savings. His third term ambition failed.
14) Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (2007 to 2010)
Born August 16, 1951, Yar’Adua emerged as the country’s 13th leader on May 29, 2007. His inauguration marked the first time in the country’s history that an elected civilian head of state had transferred power to another.
His administration was quite short as he lost his life on May 5, 2010 after series of treatments of heart and kidney problems. Even as at that, many believe he’s the best president Nigeria has produced even up till present day.
15) Goodluck Jonathan (2010 to 2015)
Born November 20, 1957, Jonathan served as Vice President from 2007 till 2010 and President from 2010 till 2015.
He became Acting President after the death of Yar’Adua. He contested in and won in 2011 and served for 4 years till 2015 before loosing the 2015 election to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC). His government was accused of corruption and failing to tackle insecurity.
16) Muhammadu Buhari (2015 till date)
Born December 17, 1942, Muhammadu Buhari is Nigeria’s current president and was democratically elected president in 2015 and re-elected 2019. He served as the country’s head of state in 1984–85.
He had three unsuccessful attempts in the past before his victory in 2015. He is to serve as the president till 2023.
