1. Nnamdi Azikiwe is widely regarded as the father of Nigerian nationalism as well as one of the major driving forces behind the country's independence in 1960.
99 Facts About Nnamdi Azikiwe
1. 2.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was later sent to live with his aunt and grandmother in his hometown Onitsha, where he learnt the Igbo language.
3.
Nnamdi Azikiwe moved to the United States where he was called Ben Azikiwe, and attended Storer College, Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania and Howard University.
4.
Nnamdi Azikiwe contacted colonial authorities with a request to represent Nigeria at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics since he was an athlete.
5.
Nnamdi Azikiwe returned to Africa in 1934, where he started working as a journalist in the Gold Coast.
6.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was born on 16 November 1904 in Zungeru, Northern Nigeria.
7.
Nnamdi Azikiwe's first name, "Nnamdi", given to him by his parents is an Igbo name which literally means "my father is alive".
8.
Nnamdi Azikiwe's father, Obed-Edom Chukwuemeka Azikiwe, a native of Onitsha, was a clerk in the British Administration of Nigeria.
9.
Nnamdi Azikiwe had one sibling, a sister, named Cecilia Eziamaka Arinze.
10.
In Onitsha, Nnamdi Azikiwe attended Holy Trinity School and Christ Church School.
11.
In 1914, while his father was working in Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe was bitten by a dog; this prompted his worried father to send him to Lagos, that he may heal and continue school in the city.
12.
Nnamdi Azikiwe then attended Wesleyan Boys' High School, now known as Methodist Boys' High School, Lagos.
13.
Nnamdi Azikiwe's father was sent to Kaduna two years later, and Azikiwe briefly lived with a relative who was married to a Muslim from Sierra Leone.
14.
Nnamdi Azikiwe then worked at the school as a student-teacher, supporting his mother with his earnings.
15.
Nnamdi Azikiwe joined his father in Calabar, beginning tertiary education at the Hope Waddell Training College.
16.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was introduced to the teachings of Marcus Garvey, Garveyism, which became an important part of his nationalistic rhetoric.
17.
Nnamdi Azikiwe heard a lecture by James Aggrey, an educator who believed that Africans should receive a college education abroad and return to effect change.
18.
In Ghana, Nnamdi Azikiwe worked as a police officer; his mother visited, and asked him to return to Nigeria.
19.
Nnamdi Azikiwe returned, and his father was willing to sponsor his trip to America.
20.
Nnamdi Azikiwe attended Storer College's two-year preparatory school in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
21.
Nnamdi Azikiwe then enrolled at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and in the University of Pennsylvania simultaneously in 1930, receiving a master's degree in religion and philosophy from Lincoln University in 1932 and a master's degree in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1933.
22.
Nnamdi Azikiwe became a graduate-student instructor in the history and political-science departments at Lincoln University, where he created a course in African history.
23.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was a candidate for a doctoral degree at Columbia University before returning to Nigeria in 1934.
24.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was influenced by the ideals of the African-American press, Garveyism and pan-Africanism.
25.
At the start of his career, Nnamdi Azikiwe competed in boxing, athletics, swimming, football and tennis.
26.
Nnamdi Azikiwe saw this as an injustice and he emerged as a leader in terms of connection sports and politics at the end of the colonial period.
27.
Nnamdi Azikiwe founded Zik's Athletic Club which would open its doors to sportsmen and women of all races, nationalities, tribes, and classes of Nigeria.
28.
Nnamdi Azikiwe united Nigeria through sport and brought about a sense of nationalism that was referred to as 'Nigerian-ness'.
29.
Nnamdi Azikiwe believes in the god whose name is spelt Deceit.
30.
Nnamdi Azikiwe believes in the god whose law is "Ye strong, you must weaken the weak".
31.
Nnamdi Azikiwe, hearing of the unruly event, wrote an article of condemnation titled 'Murdering women in Nigeria' while still studying in the United States in 1930 and a letter which he addressed to the then Pan-Africanist civil rights activist, WEB du bois.
32.
Nnamdi Azikiwe applied as a foreign-service official for Liberia, but was rejected because he was not a native of the country.
33.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was welcomed by a handful number of people, proving his writings in America evidently reached Nigeria.
34.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was given a free hand to run the newspaper, and recruited many of its original staff.
35.
Nnamdi Azikiwe wrote "The Inside Stuff by Zik", a column in which he wrote radical nationalism and black pride which raised some alarm in colonial circles.
36.
Nnamdi Azikiwe did not shy away from Gold Coast politics, and the paper supported the local Mambii party.
37.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was originally found guilty and sentenced to six months imprisonment.
38.
Nnamdi Azikiwe returned to Lagos in 1937 and founded the West African Pilot, a newspaper which he used to promote nationalism in Nigeria, while the Zik Group established newspapers treating topics in politics and economy in important cities throughout the country.
39.
Nnamdi Azikiwe's newspaper venture was a business, as well as a tool for politics and advocacy.
40.
Many of Nnamdi Azikiwe's newspapers emphasized sensationalism and human-interest stories; the Pilot introduced sports coverage and a women's section, increasing coverage of Nigerian events compared with the competing news source Daily Times.
41.
Nnamdi Azikiwe founded other business ventures at this time, and used his newspapers to advertise them.
42.
Nnamdi Azikiwe had a controlling interest in over 12 daily, African-run newspapers.
43.
Nnamdi Azikiwe revolutionized the West African newspaper industry, demonstrating that English-language journalism could be successful.
44.
Nnamdi Azikiwe led a 1945 general strike, and was the premier of East Nigeria from 1954 to 1959.
45.
Nnamdi Azikiwe took particular aim at political groups which advocated exclusion.
46.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was criticized by a Yoruba faction for using his newspaper to suppress opposition to his views.
47.
Nnamdi Azikiwe became active in the Nigerian Youth Movement, the country's first nationalist organization.
48.
Nnamdi Azikiwe resigned from the NYM, accusing the majority Yoruba leadership of discriminating against the Ijebu-Yoruba members and Igbos.
49.
Nnamdi Azikiwe entered politics, co-founding the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons with Herbert Macaulay in 1944.
50.
Nnamdi Azikiwe praised the striking workers and their leader, Michael Imoudu, accusing the colonial government of exploiting the working class.
51.
Nnamdi Azikiwe's basis for the allegation was a wireless message intercepted by a Pilot reporter.
52.
Nwafor Orizu coined the term 'Zikism' from Nnamdi Azikiwe which became the movement's name.
53.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was a non member of the movement but a close associate and admirer of Azikiwe, and one of the several youths Azikiwe inspired to study in the US, alongside Eyo Ita and KO Mbadiwe.
54.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was instrumental in getting northern support and membership for the movement.
55.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was fired because his involvement in the Zikist Movement was considered too overtly political for a civil servant.
56.
NCNC president Herbert Macaulay died during the tour, and Nnamdi Azikiwe assumed leadership of the party.
57.
Nnamdi Azikiwe led the delegation to London and, in preparation for the trip, traveled to the US to seek sympathy for the party's case.
58.
Nnamdi Azikiwe met Eleanor Roosevelt at Hyde Park, and spoke about the "emancipation of Nigeria from political thralldom, economic insecurity and social disabilities".
59.
The Richards constitution took effect in 1947, and Nnamdi Azikiwe contested one of the Lagos seats to delay its implementation.
60.
Under the Richards constitution, Nnamdi Azikiwe was elected to the Legislative Council in a Lagos municipal election from the National Democratic Party.
61.
Nnamdi Azikiwe opposed the changes, and contested for the chance to change the new constitution.
62.
Elections for the Western Regional Assembly were held in September and December 1951 because the constitution allowed an electoral college to choose members of the national legislature; an Action Group majority in the house might prevent Nnamdi Azikiwe from going to the House of Representatives.
63.
Nnamdi Azikiwe won a regional assembly seat from Lagos, but the opposition party claimed a majority in the House of Assembly and Azikiwe did not represent Lagos in the federal House of Representatives.
64.
Nnamdi Azikiwe moved to the Eastern Region in 1952, and the NCNC-dominated regional assembly made proposals to accommodate him.
65.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was selected as Chief Minister, and became premier of Nigeria's Eastern Region in 1954 when it became a federating unit.
66.
Nnamdi Azikiwe became the premier of the Eastern Region in 1954 after a new constitution was put into effect.
67.
Nnamdi Azikiwe built the famous Nigeria Cement Company at Nkalagu in today's Ebonyi State, and it was commissioned on 1 January 1955.
68.
Nnamdi Azikiwe established Nigeria's first indigenous bank, African Continental Bank.
69.
Nnamdi Azikiwe instituted education program that enabled Nigeria becoming the leading exporter of study abroad in Africa.
70.
Nnamdi Azikiwe set up the Eastern Nigerian Development Corporation, which played a critical role in the building of the University of Nigeria at Nsukka, the country's first indigenous, full-fledged university, in 1960.
71.
In 1957, Nnamdi Azikiwe addressed British and Nigerian delegates at the 1957 Lancaster House Conference, where the federal constitution for an independent Nigeria was prepared.
72.
On 3 February 1959, Nnamdi Azikiwe received Kwame Nkrumah who toured eastern Nigeria.
73.
Nnamdi Azikiwe visited eastern region house of assembly with his entourage, Hon.
74.
Nnamdi Azikiwe used the occasion, at the eastern house of assembly, to give a speech honoring Prime Minister Nkrumah and recalled how Kwame has been dedicated to the African course.
75.
On 1 October 1959, Nnamdi Azikiwe was succeeded by Michael Okpara as the premier of eastern region.
76.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was recommended as the successor to Sir James Robertson, by the British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, during his visit to Lagos in early 1960.
77.
Nnamdi Azikiwe attended the First International Labour Organization African Regional Conference, that was held in Lagos, Nigeria in December 1960.
78.
In 1962, Nnamdi Azikiwe urged African leaders in a Lagos conference, to create an organization of African states.
79.
In 1963, Nnamdi Azikiwe commissioned the first brewery plant built by Guinness outside of Ireland and Great Britain in Lagos.
80.
Balewa suggested that Nnamdi Azikiwe be named president in the 1963 constitution because Nigeria can never adequately reward Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe for his nationalist activities and service to the nation.
81.
Nnamdi Azikiwe mentioned the usual unsurprising suspects such as Bello, Azikiwe, and Akintola.
82.
Nnamdi Azikiwe used his political influence to lead Biafra delegation abroad for recognition of the independent state.
83.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was chancellor of the University of Lagos from 1972 to 1976.
84.
Nnamdi Azikiwe joined the Nigerian People's Party in 1978, making unsuccessful bids for the presidency in 1979 and 1983.
85.
Nnamdi Azikiwe left politics permanently after the 31 December 1983 military coup led by Muhammadu Buhari.
86.
Nnamdi Azikiwe eventually died on 11 May 1996, at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu after a prolonged illness.
87.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was given a state funeral by the government of Sani Abacha, following nearly two weeks of national ceremonies.
88.
Nnamdi Azikiwe's body taken to various important cities in the country for mourning and tributes.
89.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was finally buried in his native Onitsha on 16 November 1996, on what would have become his 92nd birthday.
90.
Nnamdi Azikiwe gave nationalism and the independence struggle a new meaning.
91.
Nnamdi Azikiwe went to the USA where he studied and taught at various segregated universities in the South, experiencing the atmosphere of discrimination and the upsurge of radical `Negro' resistance.
92.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was inspired by the 19th century USA president, James A Garfield on grass to grace political ascendancy.
93.
Nnamdi Azikiwe's influence extended throughout British colonial territories and he was the motivating force of some African leaders like Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Dauda Jawara, Kenneth Kaunda and Milton Obote among others.
94.
Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe was awarded 14 honorary degrees from Nigerian, American and Liberian universities, notably:.
95.
Nnamdi Azikiwe's image was included in the postage stamps unveiled during the first anniversary of Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1964 and has since appeared in other stamps.
96.
The first biography of Nnamdi Azikiwe was authored by himself, published in 1970, titled My Odyssey: An Autobiography.
97.
The award was in honor of Nnamdi Azikiwe who partnered with MSU faculty to build a land-grant model university in Eastern Nigeria.
98.
Nnamdi Azikiwe was inducted into the Agbalanze society of Onitsha as Nnanyelugo in 1946, a recognition for Onitsha men with significant accomplishments.
99.
Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe was installed as the Owelle-Osowa-Anya of Onitsha in 1972, making him a first-rank hereditary red cap nobleman in the Igbo branch of the Nigerian chieftaincy system.