From Tafawa Balewa To Tinubu, Nigeria’s 63 Years Journey

Nigeria gained independence in 1960, and since then, the country has had 17 heads of state and presidents ruling over it.

On May 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu became the sixth democratically elected President of the country.

OSUN DEFENDER takes a look at the past and present heads of state as we celebrate 63 years of independence.

1: Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1960 – 1966)

Born in December 1912, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa served as the first a only Prime Minister of Nigeria after independence.

During his first few years in office as prime minister, Nigeria was a constitutional monarchy with Elizabeth II reigning as Queen of Nigeria, until Nigeria became a republic in 1963. He died in 1966.

2: Nnamdi Azikwe GCFR (1963- 1966)

Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe was born in 1904 in Niger state and was usually referred to as “Zik”.

He was the first Nigerian ceremonial president during the First Nigerian Republic which existed from 1963 to 1966.

He is considered to be a driving force behind the nation’s independence, he came to be known as the “father of Nigerian nationalism”.

3: Major General Aguiyi Ironsi January 166, 1966 – July 29, 1966)

General Ironsi was born in Umuana Ndume Ibeku in Umahia, Abia state in 1924.

He was the first Nigerian military ruler.

Ironsi seized power during the ensuing chaos after the 15 January 1966 military coup, which decapitated the country’s leadership.

He died in 1966.

4: General Yakubu Gowon( August 1, 1966 – July 29, 1975)

The youngest military ruler in Nigeria was born on 19 October 1934.

As head of state of Nigeria, Gowon presided over a controversial Nigerian Civil War and delivered the famous “no victor, no vanquished” speech at the war’s end to promote healing and reconciliation.

The Nigerian Civil War is listed as one of the deadliest in modern history, with some accusing Gowon of crimes against humanity and genocide.

5: General Murtala Muhammed (July 29, 1975 – February 13, 1976)

General Murtala Muhammed was born in 1938.

He ruled Nigeria as military head of state from 29 July 1975 – 13 February 1976 before he was assassinated during a failed coup.

General Muritala was on his way to his office at Dodan Barracks when he was ambushed and killed inside his Mercedes car.

6: General Olusegun Obasanjo (February 13, 1976- October 1, 1979)

After General Muritala’s death, General Olusegun Obasanjo was his second in command and became the head of state at the age of 39.

He was born on March 05, 1937 in Ogun state.

He handed over to an elected president after chairing the 1979 election.

7: Shehu Shagari (October 1, 19799 – December 31, 1983)

Shagari became the first democratically elected president after the military rule of General Obasanjo and his government began the second republic.

His government introduced a 6-3-3-5 education system in Nigeria.

8:Major General Muhammadu Buhari (December 31, 1983 – August 27, 1985)

General Muhammadu Buhari was born on December 17, 194,2 in Daura, Katsina state. He became head of state in 1983 after a military coup which removed Sheu Shagari from office.

He was seen as an authoritarian during his regime. He banned importation which led to losses and business closure.

9: General Ibrahim Babangida (August 27, 1985 – August 27, 1993)

General Ibrahim Babangida was born on August 17, 1941. He ruled the country from 27 August 1985 – 27 August 1993 as military head of State.

He cancelled the June 12, 19933 election considered the most peaceful election in Nigeria.

10: Chief Ernest Shonekan (August 26, 1993 – November 17, 1993)

Shonekan was the interim head of government between August 26, 1993 and November 17, 1993.

General Babangida appointed him as the head of interim government but he was removed through a coup by General Sani Abacha.

11: General Sani Abacha (November 17, 1993 – June 8, 1998)

After outsting Shonekan, General Sani Abacha took over in 1993.

His government was accused of human rights abuse. After the execution of human rights activists in 1995, Nigeria was suspended Commonwealth.

He died on June 8, 199,8 at the age of 54.

12:General Abulsalami Abubakar (June 9, 1998 – May 29, 1999)

General Abdulsalami Abubakar took over after the death of General Sani Abacha in 1998.

He left office in 1999 after the general election and handed over power to a civilian President in 1999.

He was the one who established the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) which oversaw the election.

13: Olusegun Obasanjo (May 29, 1999 – May 29, 2007)

The second time of coming of Obasanjo was as a civilian president after winning the 1999 election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He was the first civilian president to use two terms and during his tenure, he proposed a third-term agenda to the National Assembly but it was unsuccessful.

Baba Iyabo as fondly called is in the eye of the world recently after ordering some Yoruba monarchs in Oyo state to stand up and sit down.

14: Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (29 May, 2007 – May 5, 2010)

Elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Musa Yar’adua took over from Olusegun Obasanjo after the 2007 general election.

He once said the election that brought him in was power was “massively rigged”.

Yar’adua died in 2010 after some sickness. His deputy, Goodluck Jonathan took over the leadership of the country after his death.

His government is regarded as the best civilian government Nigeria ever had in some quarters.

15: Goodluck Jonathan (6 May, 2010 – May 29, 2015)

After taking over when his principal died, Jonathan was voted in as president in 2011.

He is the first person from the South-South to become a president in Nigeria.

He wanted to remove the fuel subsidy during his time but was unsuccessfully due to the pressure from the opposition party.

In 2015, he lost his reelection bid to Muhammadu Buhari and was hailed for conceding defeat to Buhari.

16: Muhammadu Buhari: 29 May, 2015 – May 29 2023

Buhari is the first opposition candidate to win the presidential election, He defeated Jonathan in 2015 under the All Progressives Congress.

After his victory, he promised changes and promised to fight corruption and insecurity.

He was reelected into power in 2019 and his second term was seen in some quarters as the worst in the country.

17: Bola Ahmed Tinubu (May 29, 2023 – Till Date)

President Bola Tinubu was sworn in on May 29 2023.

Jagaban as popularly called, Tinubu is the 16th current President of Nigeria.

He announced during his swearing-in ceremony that the country will no longer be subsidising fuel and the country has been buying fuel for over N580 since then.

• Kazeem Badmus