Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
(b. 4 Nov. 1933).Leader of Biafra 1967–70 Born in Zungeru, he studied at Oxford (1952–5) and then joined the Nigerian army. He had reached the rank of lieutenant‐colonel by 1966. He became military ...
Nigeria
Nigeria's democratic government is struggling to reverse decades of economic and social declineNigeria can be divided into four main regions. The humid coastal belt includes extensive swamplands and ...
Nnamdi Azikiwe
(1904–96)Nigerian statesman, President (1963–66). Azikiwe founded (1944) the anti‐colonial National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons, a gathering of forty political, labour, and educational ...
Obafemi Awolowo
(b. Ikenne, Nigeria, 6 Mar. 1909; d. Ikenne, 8 May 1987)Nigerian; leader of the Opposition 1960–2, leader of Unity Party of Nigeria 1978–83 A member of the Yoruba ethnic group, Awolowo graduated from ...
Yakubu Gowon
(1934– )Nigerian general and statesman, head of state (1966–75). He seized power in 1966, ousting the leader of an earlier military coup. Following the Biafran civil war (1967–70) he maintained a ...
