Azikiwe, Benjamin Nnamdi

Azikiwe, Benjamin Nnamdi

(näm`dē äzēk`wā), 1904–96, Nigerian statesman, popularly known as Zik. After advanced studies in the United States (1925), he returned to Nigeria, founded a chain of newspapers, and became one of the country's leading Igbo nationalists. He led a general strike in 1945 and later held the premiership (1954–59) of E Nigeria. Although his coalition won the 1959 elections, he was appointed (1960) to the honorary office of governor-general. In 1963 he became the first president of the Republic of Nigeria, serving until deposed by a military coup (1966). He worked abroad for Biafran secession (see BiafraBiafra, Republic of,
secessionist state of W Africa, in existence from May 30, 1967, to Jan. 15, 1970. At the outset Biafra comprised, roughly, the East-Central, South-Eastern, and Rivers states of the Federation of Nigeria, where the Igbo people predominated.
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), but advocated reunification when the revolt seemed doomed. After returning to Nigeria in 1972, he became chancellor of Lagos Univ. He ran unsuccessfully for president in 1979 and 1983.