1960 Independence Day Speech by Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa

TODAY is Independence Day. The First of October 1960 is a date to which for two years every Nigerian has been eagerly looking forward. At last our great day has arrived, and Nigeria is now indeed an independent sovereign nation.

Words cannot adequately express my joy and pride at being the Nigerian citizen privileged to accept from Her Royal Highness these Constitutional Instruments which are the symbols of Nigeria's independence. It is a unique privilege, which I shall remember forever, and it gives me strength and courage as I dedicate my life to the service of our country.

This is a wonderful day, and it is all the more wonderful because we have awaited it with increasing impatience compelled to watch one country after another overtaking us on the road when we had so nearly reached our goal. But now we have acquired our rightful status and I feel sure that history will show that the building of our nation proceeded at the wisest pace: It has been thorough, and Nigeria now stands well built upon firm foundations.

Current Service Chiefs in Nigeria: Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff

Following a little reshuffling of Nigeria’s defence team by President Goodluck Jonathan, the following is the updated list of current service chiefs.

Chief of Army Staff: Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika, the incumbent
Ihejirika was born in Ovim in Isuikwato Local Government Area of Abia State on 13 February, 1956. Gen Ihejirika has held many appointments in the staff, instructor and command categories. He was a Directing Staff (DS) at both the junior and senior divisions of the Command and Staff College, Jaji where he earn the prestigious psc(+). At the staff level, he was Staff Officer Grade 1 at the Army Faculty, Command and Lt Gen Ihejirika a former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division in Lagos and later Chief of Defence Logistics before his became army chief on 8 September 2010.

Jonathan: Appoints new service chiefs

Nigerian Leaders since Independence: Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (2010 to 2015)

Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON (born 20 November 1957) is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria. Prior to his role as President, he served as Governor of Bayelsa State and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Jonathan is a member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Dr. Jonathan was born in what is now Bayelsa State to a family of canoe makers. Jonathan holds a BSc degree in Zoology in which he attained Second Class Honours. He holds an MSc degree in Hydrobiology and Fisheries biology, and a PhD degree in Zoology from the University of PortHarcourt. He worked as an education inspector, lecturer, and environmental-protection officer and entered politics in 1998. He is married to Patience and they have two children.

When President Umaru Yar'Adua died on 5 May 2010, Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as Nigeria's 14th Head of State. He cited anti-corruption, power and electoral reforms as focuses of his administration. Goodluck Jonathan appointed then Kaduna State Governor, Architect Namadi Sambo as Vice President.
In the 2011 general elections, President Jonathan ran and won, thus beginning a fresh term in office as President.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodluck_Jonathan

Nigerian Leaders since Independence: Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (2007-2010)

Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (16 August 1951 – 5 May 2010) was the President of Nigeria and the 13th Head of State. He served as Governor of Katsina State in Northern Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 28 May 2007. He was declared the winner of the April 21, 2007 presidential elections on the platform of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, and was sworn in on 29 May 2007.

Early life
Yar'Adua was born into an aristocratic Fulani family in Katsina. His father, a former Minister for Lagos during the First Republic, held the royal title of Mutawalli (custodian of the treasury) of the Katsina Emirate, a title which Yar'Adua inherited. He started his education at Rafukka Primary School in 1958, and moved to Dutsinma Boarding Primary School in 1962. He attended the Government College at Keffi from 1965 until 1969. In 1971, he received a Higher School Certificate from Barewa College. He attended Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria from 1972 to 1975, obtaining a BSc degree in Education and Chemistry. In 1978, he returned to the university to pursue an MSc degree in Analytical Chemistry.

Nigerian Leaders since Independence: Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007)

Oluṣẹgun Mathew Okikiọla Arẹmu Ọbasanjọ, GCFR has ruled Nigeria as a military Head of State from 13 February 1976 to 1 October 1979; and as elected President from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007, following Abdulsalami Abubakar's transition programme. Since 2007 when he handed over to Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Obasanjo has remained in active politics as Chairman, Board of Trustees of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP until April 2012 when he resigned the position, citing personal reasons.

More on his political exploits as a military ruler are contained here 

In December 2008, he was appointed the United Nations special envoy to the Congo to mediate in the conflict in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

His current home is Abeokuta, the Capital City of Ogun State, where he is a nobleman as the holder of the titles of the Balogun of the Owu Lineage and the Ekerin Balogun of the Egba Clan of Yorubaland.

Source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olusegun_Obasanjo

Nigerian Leaders since Independence: General Abdulsalami Abubakar (1998-1999)

General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar (born June 13, 1942) was President of Nigeria from June 9, 1998 until May 29, 1999. He succeeded General Sani Abacha upon Abacha's death. Abubakar transferred power to President-elect Olusegun Obasanjo on May 29, 1999.

Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar hails from the Gwarii ethnic group and was born in Minna, Niger State. He was educated at Native Authority Primary School in that city, the Provincial Secondary School in Bida, and finally the Technical Institute, Kaduna. After this, he joined the Military. General Abubakar led Nigeria's contingent in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon and eventually rose to the role of Chief of Defence Staff. His wife's name is Fati and they have six children.

Nigerian Leaders since Independence: General Sani Abacha (1993-1998)

General Sani Abacha (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998) was military ruler and politician. He ruled Nigeria from 1993 to 1998. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, Abacha was born and brought up in Kano State. He attended the Nigerian Military School, Kaduna and Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot, England before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1963.

Political involvements
General Abacha took part in the countercoup of July 1967, from the conceptual stage, and might have been a participant in the Lagos or Abeokuta phases of the January 1966 coup. He was also a prominent figure in three coup d’etats of later decades, the first two of which brought and removed General General Muhammadu Buhari from power in 1983. When General Ibrahim Babangida was named President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1985, Abacha was named Chief of Army Staff. He was later appointed Minister of Defence in 1990.
Abacha took over power from the interim government of Chief Ernest Shonekan, who was put into place by General Ibrahim Babangida after his annulment of the 12 June 1993.
Alleged human rights abuses.

Nigerian Leaders since Independence: Chief Ernest Shonekan (1983)

Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan (born 9 May 1936 in Lagos, south-west Nigeria) is a British -trained Nigerian lawyer, industrialist, politician and traditional chieftain.He was appointed as interim President of Nigeria by General Ibrahim Babangida on 26 August 1993. Shonekan's transitional administration only lasted three months, as a palace coup led by General Sani Abacha forcefully dismantled the remaining democratic institutions and brought the government back under military control on 17 November 1993.
The son of an Abeokuta -born civil servant, he was one of six children born into the family. Shonekan was educated at Church Missionary Society Grammar School. He also attended and received a law degree from the University of London.

Nigerian Leaders since Independence: Ibrahim Babangida (1985-1993)

Image: http://babajidesalu.wordpress.com
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and Military Head of State. He ruled Nigeria from his coup against Major General Muhammadu Buhari on August 27, 1985 until his departure from office on August 27, 1993 after his annulment of elections held on June 12 that year.
He married Maryam (1948–2009), who later became First Lady of Nigeria. They have four children: Muhammadu, Aminu, Aishatu, and Halimatu. Maryam Babangida died from ovarian cancer complications on December 27, 2009.

Ibrahim Babangida was born in 1941 in Minna, Niger State. He hails from the Gwari ethnic group. Babangida studied at the India Military School in 1964, the Royal Armoured Centre from January 1966 until April 1966. He attended Advanced Armoured Officers' course at Armored School from August 1972 to June 1973. He also underwent the Senior Officers' course, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji from January 1977 until July 1977, and the Senior International Defence Management Course, Naval Post graduate School, U.S in 1980.

Nigerian Leaders since Independence: General Muhammadu Buhari (1983-1985)

Muhammadu Buhari (born December 17, 1942) is a Major General in the Nigerian Army and a former military ruler of Nigeria from December 31, 1983 to August 27, 1985.. His ethnic background is Fulani, and his faith is Islam. He is a native of Daura in Katsina State of Nigeria.

First involvement in Politics
Having joined the army in 1962, Buhari first came to widespread public attention in 1976 when he became the Minister or Federal Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources under then Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo. Before then he served as Governor of the newly created North Eastern State during the regime of Murtala Mohammed. He later became head of the newly created Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC in 1977.

President Buhari
Major-General Buhari was selected to lead the country by middle and high-ranking military officers after a successful military coup d’etat that overthrew civilian President Shehu Shagari on December 31, 1983. At the time, Buhari was head of the Third Armored Division of Jos. Buhari was appointed Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and Tunde Idiagbon was appointed Chief of General Staff (the de facto No. 2 in the administration). Buhari justified the military's seizure of power by castigating the civilian government as hopelessly corrupt, and his administration subsequently initiated a public campaign against indiscipline known as "War Against Indiscipline" (WAI). Aspects of this campaign included public humiliation of civil servants who arrived late for work whilst guards were armed with whips to ensure orderly queues at bus stops.

Nigerian Leaders since Independence: Alhaji Shehu Shagari (1979-1983)

Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, (born February 25, 1925) was Nigeria’s President from 1979–1983, after General Obasanjo handed power to civilians.
Shehu Shagari was born in Shagari Village to the family of Magaji Aliyu and Mariamu in 1925. He was raised in a polygamous family, and was the sixth child. Prior to becoming Magajin Shagari, his father was a farmer, trader and herder. However, due to traditional rites that prevented rulers from participating in business, he relinquished some of his trading interest when he became the Magaji, or village head, of Shagari village. Shagari’s father died five years after Shehu's birth.
Shagari was taught recitals at home and later went to a Quranic school at the age of four. However, he was obliged to attend elementary school at Yabo, a town close by. He subsequently attended the Sokoto Middle School and later to Kaduna College.