Shehu Shagari
Shehu Shagari | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Shagari in 1980 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6th President of Nigeria | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 October 1979 – 31 December 1983 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice President | Alex Ekwueme | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Olusegun Obasanjo as Military Head of State of Nigeria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Muhammadu Buhari as Military Head of State of Nigeria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 25 February 1925 Shagari, Northern Region, British Nigeria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 28 December 2018 (aged 93) Abuja, Nigeria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | National Party of Nigeria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | Northern People's Congress (1951–1966) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Children | Muhammad Bala Shagari Aminu Shehu Shagari Abdulrahman Shehu Shagari, amongst others | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relatives | Mukhtar Shehu Shagari (Nephew) Bello Bala Shagari (grandson) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari GCFR (ⓘ; 25 February 1925 – 28 December 2018) was a Nigerian politician who was the first democratically elected president of Nigeria, after the transfer of power by military head of state General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1979, which gave rise to the Second Nigerian Republic.
An experienced politician, he briefly worked as a teacher before entering politics in 1951; and was elected into the House of Representatives in 1954. At various times between 1958 through independence of Nigeria in 1960 and 1975, he held a cabinet post as a federal commissioner. During these periods, Shagari made significant contributions to various sectors of the Nigerian economy. As Minister of Works, he played a key role in infrastructure development. As Minister of Economic Development, he was instrumental in formulating Nigeria’s post-independence National Economic Plan, and as Federal Commissioner (now Minister) for Finance, he oversaw the launch of the Naira. As president, he prioritized economic development, infrastructure expansion, and industrialization, commissioning the Ajaokuta Steel Mill, the largest steel project in Africa, to lay the foundation for Nigeria’s industrial growth. However, his administration faced challenges, including economic downturns and political instability. His tenure ended with a military coup in 1983.”