Nnamdi Azikiwe aka Zik is a well-known personality in the Nigerian history. He was the first president of our country. You will observe his legacy in the names of some institutions and you will also see his face on Nigerian currency. But the main question is, what was his true role as the first president of Nigeria?
Nnamdi Azikiwe and his political career
Nnamdi Azikiwe political career started from his activity in the NYM — Nigerian Youth Movement, one of the first nationalist groups in Nigeria. In 1941, he became a part of a huge ethic scandal inside the movement, which split the NYM apart. Nnamdi was the co-founder of National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), which was created in 1944.
It took a while for Azikiwe to get to the top of the political career ladder. In 1963, when the Nigerian republic was proclaimed, he became the first president in the country’s history. He was also the Governor General.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was not only active as a president but was also performing other important duties. He was the chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka from 1961 to 1966. In addition, he was the president of a number of sports organizations for table tennis, boxing, and football.
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Nnamdi Azikiwe faced some difficult circumstances while he was a president. Three years into his reign, the first president and his colleagues were removed from their positions during a military coup.
The Biafran war of secession followed this period. It lasted for more than 3 years, from 1967 to 1970, and those days were the most dangerous for Azikiwe. He was a very prominent politician who managed to survive several assassination attempts.
He also had a role as the spokesman for Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the leader of the rebels. But during the war, he switched to the Nigerian side.
Nnamdi Azikiw's political career continued after the war even though he was no longer the Nigerian president. In fact, he tried to take back this post several times, but he was never successful. In 1983, he stopped all attempts after another military coup. In terms of politics, Azikiwe certainly made a difference in the country.
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Source: Naija.ng