Nnamdi Azikiwe, born in 1904, was pivotal in Nigeria’s nationalist movement, leading the country to independence through journalism, politics, and advocacy for unity.
He championed pan-Africanism, founded the West African Pilot, and played key roles as Premier of the Eastern Region, Governor-General, and Nigeria’s first President.
His contributions to education, sports, and economic development, including establishing the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, solidified his legacy. Azikiwe is honoured with numerous awards and traditional titles and symbolises national unity and African self-determination.
Early Life
Nnamdi Azikiwe was born on November 16, 1904, in Zungeru, Northern Nigeria, to Igbo parents from Onitsha, present-day Anambra State. His father, Obed-Edom Chukwuemeka Azikiwe (1879–1958), was a clerk in the British Administration of Nigeria, and his mother, Rachel Chinwe Ogbenyeanu Azikiwe (née Aghadiuno) (1883–1958), was a descendant of a royal family in Onitsha. Azikiwe had one sibling, a sister named Cecilia Eziamaka Arinze. His first name, “Nnamdi,” means “my father is alive” in Igbo.
Growing up, Azikiwe was exposed to Nigeria’s diverse cultures. He learned to speak Hausa, the primary language of Northern Nigeria, where he was born and later learned Igbo while living with his grandmother and aunt in Onitsha. Living in Lagos further exposed him to Yoruba culture, and by the time he was in college, Azikiwe was fluent in three Nigerian languages.
Education
Azikiwe attended several schools during his early years, including Holy Trinity School and Christ Church School in Onitsha. In 1914, he attended Wesleyan Boys’ High School (now Methodist Boys’ High School). He later completed his secondary education at CMS Central School in Onitsha, where he also worked as a student-teacher to support his family.
In 1920, Azikiwe joined his father in Calabar and began tertiary education at the Hope Waddell Training College, where he was introduced to Marcus Garvey’s teachings on Pan-Africanism. Inspired by James Aggrey, who emphasised the value of African students studying abroad, Azikiwe aspired to pursue higher education overseas.
After a brief stint as a clerk in the colonial treasury department, Azikiwe’s experience with racial bias solidified his desire to further his education abroad. He worked various jobs to fund his studies and eventually travelled to the United States in 1925. Azikiwe attended Storer College in West Virginia, followed by Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he studied political science. In 1929, he transferred to Lincoln University, graduating in 1930 with a BA in political science. He continued his education at Lincoln University and the University of Pennsylvania, earning master’s degrees in religion and philosophy (1932) and anthropology (1933).
While in the United States, Azikiwe worked as a columnist for prominent African-American newspapers, such as the Baltimore Afro-American and Philadelphia Tribune. The ideals of Pan-Africanism, Garveyism, and the African-American press influenced him. Azikiwe also became a graduate student instructor of history and political science at Lincoln University, where he developed a course on African history.
Azikiwe returned to West Africa in 1934 and began working as a journalist in the Gold Coast (now Ghana). His experiences abroad, combined with his exposure to Pan-Africanism and nationalism, shaped his advocacy for African self-determination and independence.
Career
Athletics
Young Nnamdi Azikiwe, as an athlete
At the start of his career, Nnamdi Azikiwe actively participated in boxing, athletics, swimming, football, and tennis. Football, introduced to Nigeria by the British during colonisation, was a segregated sport at the time, with leagues divided along racial lines.
Frustrated by racial and tribal discrimination in athletics, he founded Zik’s Athletic Club (ZAC) in 1934, an inclusive platform for athletes of all backgrounds. ZAC’s success, including winning the Lagos League and War Memorial Cup in 1942, inspired national unity. The club’s tours across Nigeria during World War II fostered a sense of nationalism and solidarity among Nigerians.
In 1949, ZAC players participated in a historic tour of England, marking the beginning of Nigeria’s national football team. By 1960, just before independence, Nigeria joined FIFA, symbolising its emergence on the global sports stage. His vision and leadership laid the foundation for Nigeria’s sporting achievements and growing unity.
As a pioneer of sporting activities in Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe served in various leadership roles, including Patron of Zik’s Athletic Club (since 1956), President of the Nigerian Cricket Association (1940–1944), President of the Nigerian Swimming Association (1938–1941), Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (since 1949), President of the Lagos District Amateur Football Association (1951–1954), President of the Amateur Athletic Association of Nigeria (since 1952), President of the Nigerian Table Tennis Association (since 1953), and Vice Patron and Committee Member of both the Nigerian Olympic Committee and the British Empire and Commonwealth Games Association (since 1951).
Journalism
Nnamdi Azikiwe was a prominent nationalist and journalist who championed African empowerment and independence through his writings, activism, and business ventures. While in the United States, he condemned colonial injustices in Nigeria and published his first book, Liberia in World Politics, in 1931.
Returning to Africa, he became the editor of Ghana’s African Morning Post, promoting nationalist ideals and his New Africa philosophy. In 1937, he founded Nigeria’s West African Pilot, a newspaper that revolutionised journalism, mobilised political awareness, and supported the fight against colonial oppression.
Beyond journalism, Azikiwe ventured into business, founding enterprises like the African Continental Bank and the Penny Restaurant, which his newspapers helped promote. Azikiwe’s publications criticised colonial injustices advocated for independence, and introduced innovative coverage of local stories, sports, and women’s issues. Despite facing bans and a sedition trial, his influence grew, and his enterprises, including the African Continental Bank, furthered his vision for African empowerment.
Political Career
Nnamdi Azikiwe became an active member of the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM), Nigeria’s first nationalist organisation, but resigned in 1941 after accusing its Yoruba leadership of ethnic discrimination against Ijebu-Yoruba and Igbo members. This split the NYM along ethnic lines.
1944, Azikiwe co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) with Herbert Macaulay, becoming its secretary-general in 1946. The NCNC united various nationalist parties, labour movements, and cultural associations, with notable members including Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Margaret Ekpo, and Michael Okpara.
During the 1945 general strike, Azikiwe supported workers and criticised the colonial government, temporarily suspending his newspaper, the West African Pilot.
Amid the unrest, Azikiwe alleged an assassination plot by colonial agents, which increased his popularity and boosted his newspaper’s circulation. However, some sceptics, mainly from the NYM, dismissed the claims as self-promotion, fueling a press war between Azikiwe’s Pilot and the NYM’s Daily Service. Despite these controversies, Azikiwe’s influence as a nationalist leader grew during this period.
Formation of the Zikist Movement
The Zikist Movement, founded in 1946 by young nationalists like Kola Balogun, Raji Abdallah, and Osita Agwuna, emerged as a non-violent youth organisation inspired by Nnamdi Azikiwe’s ideals of self-governance. Balogun served as its first president before Raji Abdallah succeeded him in 1948. The movement also absorbed the Anti-Colour Bar Movement, further expanding its influence. Abdallah’s fiery rhetoric, particularly during his trial for sedition in 1948, resonated widely and was even adopted by Kwame Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party in Ghana.
The Zikists’ radical stance, including Abdallah’s refusal to recognise colonial authority and calls for direct action, alarmed the colonial government. This led to the arrest of key leaders and, ultimately, the movement’s banning in 1950. Despite its dissolution, the Zikist Movement played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s nationalist struggle, with many of its members later transitioning into politics, business, and traditional leadership.
Resistance to Richards’s Constitution
In 1945, British Governor Arthur Richards proposed constitutional reforms that nationalists, including Nnamdi Azikiwe and the NCNC, opposed for limiting elected African representation to four and favouring colonial loyalists. Azikiwe succeeded Herbert Macaulay as NCNC leader and led a delegation to the UK to advocate for constitutional amendments, though the Richards Constitution was still implemented in 1947.
Under the subsequent Macpherson Constitution (1951), Azikiwe contested elections in the Western Region but failed to secure a federal role, becoming the Leader of the Opposition against Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group government. Disputes within the NCNC and dissatisfaction with the constitution caused unrest.
In 1952, Azikiwe moved to the Eastern Region, where political restructuring allowed him to become the Chief Minister. By 1954, he had become the premier of the Eastern Region, solidifying his leadership in Nigeria’s nationalist movement.
Premier of Eastern Region
In 1954, Nnamdi Azikiwe became the premier of Nigeria’s Eastern Region, driving significant economic and educational development. His administration fostered investments in industries such as textiles, steel, and chemicals and established key institutions, including the Nigeria Cement Company, Niger Gas, and the African Continental Bank (ACB). Azikiwe also spearheaded the creation of Nigeria’s first indigenous university, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, founded in 1960.
Azikiwe played a key role in Nigeria’s path to independence. He addressed constitutional reforms at the 1957 Lancaster House Conference and welcomed Ghanaian Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah to Nigeria in 1959, strengthening Pan-African solidarity. That same year, parliamentary elections resulted in a coalition government between the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) and the NCNC.
Governor-General and President
In 1960, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan recommended Nnamdi Azikiwe to succeed Sir James Robertson as Nigeria’s Governor-General, making him the British Queen’s representative in Nigeria. His inauguration in November 1960 was attended by prominent figures, including Martin Luther King Jr., Langston Hughes, Nina Simone, and W.E.B. Du Bois. Azikiwe’s inaugural speech emphasised restoring dignity to Africa, preserving national unity, and sacrificing personal comfort for the country’s progress.
Azikiwe participated in significant events, such as the First International Labour Organization African Regional Conference in December 1960 and a 1961 cultural festival hosted by the American Society of African Culture. He also advocated for a republican constitution while maintaining Commonwealth membership and championed the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), formalised in 1963.
In 1963, Nigeria became a republic, and Azikiwe transitioned from Governor-General to the country’s first ceremonial president under a constitution honouring his contributions to nationalism. During his presidency, he commissioned notable projects, including Guinness’s first brewery in Lagos. However, Nigeria’s political climate grew turbulent. The 1964 federal elections were delayed due to irregularities, and subsequent violence in the Western Region claimed thousands of lives.
Reactions to the War
Rising tensions and violence, especially after the 1965 Western Region elections, culminated in Nigeria’s first military coup on January 15, 1966, where Prime Minister Balewa, regional leaders, and others were assassinated, resulting in General Aguiyi-Ironsi’s assumption of power. A counter-coup in July 1966, led by Lt. Colonel Murtala Muhammed, resulted in Aguiyi-Ironsi’s death and further ethnic violence, particularly against Igbos in the North. This led to mass migration to the East and the eventual declaration of Biafra’s independence on May 30, 1967, by Lt. Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu.
Nnamdi Azikiwe supported Biafra’s independence but later urged negotiations to end the war, though unsuccessfully.
Last Years
After the war, he served as chancellor of the University of Lagos from 1972 to 1976. Returning to politics with the Nigerian People’s Party, he ran unsuccessfully for president in 1979 and 1983 before retiring after the 1983 military coup.
Nnamdi Azikiwe refuted false death rumours in 1989 and continued to make public appearances, including the launch of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Centre in Zungeru in 1991. He passed away on 11 May 1996 at age 91, receiving a state funeral with national tributes before being buried in Onitsha. Celebrated as a unifying national hero, his legacy was honoured in 2019 when his mausoleum was completed and declared a national monument by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Contributions to Nation-Building
Nnamdi Azikiwe led the movement for Nigeria’s independence from British colonial rule. He co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) in 1944 alongside Herbert Macaulay, uniting various nationalist groups, labour unions, and cultural organisations under one platform.
Azikiwe’s leadership was marked by his advocacy for constitutional reforms and his ability to mobilise the masses through public speeches and newspapers to demand self-governance. His peaceful approach emphasised negotiations and diplomacy, establishing him as a unifying and visionary leader. He also led the NCNC delegation to the UK to present Nigeria’s case for self-determination despite initial resistance from the British colonial authorities.
- Promoting National Unity
Nnamdi Azikiwe strongly advocated for a de-ethnicized and unified sense of Nigerian nationalism, emphasising the need to integrate the country’s diverse cultural and ethnic groups into a cohesive national identity.
- Journalism and Media Influence
In 1937, Nnamdi Azikiwe founded the West African Pilot, a powerful tool for anti-colonial activism. He revolutionised journalism in West Africa by establishing over 12 African-run newspapers under the Zik Group, using his publications to promote nationalist ideals, criticise colonial systems, and mobilise public opinion.
- Education and Intellectual Leadership
Nnamdi Azikiwe advocated for African education as a means of liberation and development. 1960, he established the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria’s first Indigenous university. He also championed Pan-Africanism and inspired young African nationalists, including Kwame Nkrumah and Julius Nyerere.
- Political Leadership
Nnamdi Azikiwe was the Premier of Nigeria’s Eastern Region from 1954 to 1959, fostering economic and educational development. He became Nigeria’s first Governor-General from 1960 to 1963 and subsequently the first ceremonial President from 1963 to 1966 under the republican constitution. Azikiwe focused on promoting national unity, economic progress, and regional cooperation throughout his tenure.
- Support for Pan-Africanism
Inspired by Marcus Garvey’s Pan-Africanism, Nnamdi Azikiwe passionately promoted African empowerment and self-determination. His commitment to fostering unity across the continent culminated in his active contribution to establishing the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1963.
- Athletic Contributions
Nnamdi Azikiwe founded Zik’s Athletic Club (ZAC) to promote inclusivity in sports and break racial and tribal barriers. He played a pioneering role in Nigeria’s sporting development, including supporting the foundation of the national football team.
- Entrepreneurship and Economic Development
Nnamdi Azikiwe established the African Continental Bank to promote African economic independence and fostered industrial growth in the Eastern Region by supporting ventures such as the Nigeria Cement Company and Niger Gas.
- Cultural and Social Advocacy
Nnamdi Azikiwe advocated for the dignity and empowerment of the black race on a global scale, vehemently criticising racial discrimination in athletics, colonial policies, and governance.
- Role in Post-Independence Governance
Nnamdi Azikiwe encouraged Nigeria’s membership in the Commonwealth, advocated for preserving national unity, and supported constitutional negotiations and political dialogue during crises.
- Symbol of Nationalism and African Liberation
Nnamdi Azikiwe inspired the Zikist Movement, which mobilised young nationalists for self-governance and radical activism and continued to support Nigerian unity and reconciliation after the civil war.
Honours and Recognitions
Nnamdi Azikiwe received numerous prestigious honours and awards throughout his lifetime. On November 16, 1960, he was appointed a Member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom and conferred the title of Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR).
Honorary Degrees
Dr. Azikiwe was awarded 14 honorary degrees by various institutions in Nigeria, the United States, and Liberia. Some notable examples include:
- 1946: Doctor of Law by Lincoln University
- 1947: Doctor of Letters by Storer College
- 1950: Doctor of Law by Howard University
- 1959: Honorary Doctor of Law by Michigan State University
- 1961: Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) by the University of Nigeria
- 1969: Doctor of Law by the University of Liberia
- 1980: Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the University of Pennsylvania
Institutions such as the University of Ibadan, the University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) conferred additional honorary degrees.
Traditional Honours
Azikiwe received several traditional honours in Onitsha, including induction into the Agbalanze society as Nnanyelugo in 1946, the title of Oziziani Obi (second-rank red cap chieftain) in 1962, and the prestigious Owelle-Osowa-Anya title in 1972, making him a first-rank hereditary red cap nobleman.
Memorials and Monuments
Currency and Postage Stamps
Nnamdi Azikiwe’s portrait has been featured on Nigeria’s ₦500 banknote since 2001. His image first appeared on postage stamps in 1964 during the first anniversary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and has been included in other stamps over the years.
Personal Life
In 1934, he married Flora Ogbenyeanu Ogoegbunam Azikiwe, who died in 1983. Azikiwe had seven children and was deeply committed to his family despite his busy political life. He valued education and ensured his children had access to good schooling.
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Conclusion
Nnamdi Azikiwe remains an enduring symbol of Nigeria’s nationalist struggle, Pan-Africanism, and dedication to nation-building. From his early life and education, which exposed him to Nigeria’s cultural diversity and ignited his passion for African self-determination, to his pivotal roles in journalism, politics, and economic development, Azikiwe’s contributions were transformative.
He championed unity, equality, and independence, bridging ethnic divides and fostering a shared national identity. As a journalist, he used his publications to challenge colonial rule and advocate for liberation. As a political leader, he guided Nigeria through critical periods of its history, including its transition to independence and early years as a republic. His entrepreneurial ventures and educational initiatives further underscore his commitment to African empowerment and self-reliance.
Recognised globally for his visionary leadership, Azikiwe was honoured with numerous awards and degrees, symbolising the respect he garnered across Africa and beyond. His legacy is a unifying force, a pioneer of African progress, and a beacon of hope for future generations striving for equality, justice, and self-determination.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was Nnamdi Azikiwe, and why was he essential in Nigerian history?
Nnamdi Azikiwe, also known as “Zik of Africa,” was a Nigerian nationalist, journalist, and political leader who played a key role in Nigeria’s independence movement. He co-founded the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) and later became Nigeria’s first Governor-General (1960-1963) and first ceremonial President (1963-1966). His contributions to politics, journalism, and education helped shape Nigeria’s national identity and progress.
- What were Nnamdi Azikiwe’s contributions to Nigerian journalism?
Nnamdi Azikiwe revolutionised journalism in Nigeria by establishing the West African Pilot in 1937. The Pilot became a powerful tool for anti-colonial activism. Azikiwe founded over 12 newspapers under the Zik Group, using them to promote nationalist ideals, challenge colonial policies, and mobilise public support for independence. His media influence played a significant role in Nigeria’s fight for self-governance.
- How did Nnamdi Azikiwe contribute to sports development in Nigeria?
Azikiwe pioneered Nigerian sports. In 1934, he founded Zik’s Athletic Club (ZAC) to promote inclusivity in athletics. His club played a significant role in breaking racial and tribal barriers in Nigerian sports. Azikiwe also held leadership roles in various sports associations, including football, cricket, swimming, and boxing, laying the foundation for Nigeria’s sporting achievements.
- What role did Nnamdi Azikiwe play in Nigeria’s independence?
As a nationalist leader, Azikiwe was instrumental in Nigeria’s independence movement. He co-founded the NCNC in 1944, united nationalist groups, and led delegations to the UK to advocate for constitutional reforms. His leadership, activism, and strategic negotiations helped Nigeria achieve independence from British rule on October 1, 1960.
- What was Nnamdi Azikiwe’s legacy in education and economic development?
Nnamdi Azikiwe championed education as a tool for African empowerment. He founded Nigeria’s first indigenous university, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1960. In economic development, he established the African Continental Bank and supported industrial initiatives like the Nigeria Cement Company and Niger Gas, promoting self-reliance and economic growth in Nigeria.
