Nnamdi Azikiwe

Who is Nnamdi Azikiwe?

Nnamdi Azikiwe, affectionately known as 'Zik of Africa', was a Nigerian statesman and one of the foremost leaders of the country's independence movement. Born in Zungeru in northern Nigeria to Igbo parents, he studied in the United States at Lincoln University and Howard University, absorbing Pan-Africanist ideas. On returning to West Africa he became a pioneering journalist, founding the West African Pilot in 1937 and building a chain of newspapers that galvanised nationalist opinion. He co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) and rose to become Premier of the Eastern Region. When Nigeria gained independence in 1960 he served as Governor-General, and upon the country becoming a republic in 1963 he became its first President, holding office until the military coup of 1966. Widely honoured as a founding father of the Nigerian nation, he remained an influential political figure until his death in 1996.

Sources: Nnamdi Azikiwe, My Odyssey: An Autobiography (1970) · Encyclopaedia Britannica, 'Nnamdi Azikiwe' · Nigeria independence records, 1960-1963