Biographical overview
1951-56: He attended a British Council study tour ofUJC., in 1953. He was elected into the Federal House of Representatives for Sokoto West in 1954* and attended the Com monwealth Parliamentary Association's Conference at Westminster, London, 1 1958. ' When he was elected member of House of Representatives (1954-66), he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister 1958/59. He wasappointed Minister of Commerce and Industry (October-November 1959) Economic Development (1959) and Federal Minister of Pensions Establishments and Training in 1960 after his re-election in 1959 to Parliament. The President became Federal Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications 1962-65, and Federal Minister of Works 1965-66; the portfolio he was holding before the army seized power in 1966. When the Army took over power, Alhaji Shagari retired to his farm in Sokoto. He later served as Secretary, Sokoto Provincial Education Development Fund, 196768; appointed Commissioner for Establishments, North-West State. He became Federal Commis sionerforEconomicDevelopment, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in October 1971 July 1975, in succession to Chief Obafemi Awolowo who resigned in June 1971. Alhaji Shagari went back to his farm in Sokoto in 1975 when General Murtala Muhammed's government came to power but was later elected into the Constituent Assembly. Alhaji Shehu holds the traditional title Turankin Sokoto. He is married with six children, three sons, and three daughters. Alhaji Shehu died on December 28, 2018.
Biographical record
- Surname
- SHAGARI
- First Name
- Shehu
- Other Names
- Usman Aliyu
- Gender
- Male
- Date of Birth
- May, 1924
- Date of Death
- Died on December 28, 2018 in Abuja, Nigeria
- State of Origin
- Sokoto
- Place of Birth
- Shagari, Yabo
- Profession
- Elder statesman, first executive president of Nigeria, Administrator, Teacher, Farmer
- Schools Attended with Dates
- Yabo Elementary School, 1931-35; Middle School, Sokoto, 1935-41; Kaduna College (now Barewa College), Kaduna, 1941-44; Teacher Training College, Zaria, 1944-45.
- Previous Appointments
- Science Teacher, Sokoto Middle School, 1945-50; Headmaster, Argungu Senior Primary School, 1951-52; Senior visiting Teacher, Sokoto Pro-vince, 1953-56; Elected Member,House of Representatives for Sokoto West, Lagos, 1954-58; Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister , Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, 1958-59; ActingFederal Minister Commerce and Industry, 1959; Economic Development, 1959-60; Pensions and Establishment, 1960-62; Internal Affairs, 1962-65, Works, 1965-66; Secretary, Sokoto Province Education Development Fund, 1967-68; Commissioner,Establishment, North Western (now Sokoto) State, 1968-69; Federal Commissioner,(now Minister ) for Economic Development, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, 1970-71; Federal Commissioner for Finance, 1971-75; former Chairman Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited; Constituent Assembly, 1977-78; First Executive President and Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, October 1979-83; Proprietor, Shagari Farms, Janzomo, Yabo; Federal Scholarship Board, 1954-58; Governor,World Bank, 1971-75; International Monetary Fund Committee of 20, 1971-75; Armed Forces Ruling Council, 1985.
- Have you ever been a member of any political party?
- Yes
- If "Yes", please state the party(ies) and offices you have held with dates
- Secretary, defunct Northern Peoples’ Congress, Sokoto, 1951-56; foundation mem/presidential candidate, banned National Party of Nigeria, 1978-83.
- Traditional Titles
- Turakin Sokoto.
- Awards and Honours
- Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic, 1992, GCFR;
- Honourary Degrees and Awarding Institutions
- Honorary Doctor of Laws (Hon. LL.D), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1976; Doctor of Philosophy, 1998; honorary fellow, Nigerian Institute of Architects, 2005;
- Creative Work/Major Exhibitions
- Wakar Nigeria (Song of Nigeria), Gaskiya Corporation, Zaria, 1983; Shehu Usman Dan-Fodio: Ideas and Ideals of His Leadership.
- Hobbies
- Reading, writing poetry, gardening, table tennis, farming
Last Update Wed 20, Mar 2019
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