Profile
Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari GCFR was born on February 25, 1925 served as the first and only President of Nigeria’s Second Republic from 1979 to 1983, after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military government. Shagari also served seven times in a ministerial or cabinet post as a federal minister and federal commissioner from 1958–1975.
Personal Life
Shehu Shagari married three wives: Amina, Aishatu, and Hadiza Shagari. He has many children. However, His most popular children are Captain Muhammad Bala Shagari Rtd. and Aminu Shehu Shagari. On 24 August 2001, his wife, Aisha Shagari, died in a London hospital from a brief illness. On 28 December 2018 at about 6:30 pm, Shehu Shagari died from a brief illness at the National Hospital, Abuja. And in August 2021, one of his wives Hadiza Shagari died at the age of 80, from COVID-19 complications.
During his lifetime, Shagari wrote 4 books.
Education
| School | Degree | Date |
| Yabo elementary school | Primary School certificate | 1931-195 |
| Kaduna College | High school Cert | 1941- 1944 |
| Teachers Training College, in Zaria, Kaduna, Nigeria | Teachers Training Certificate | 1944 and 1952 |
Work History
| Place | Position | Date |
| visiting teacher | 1953-1958 | |
| Federal Scholarship Board | Member of Board | 1954-1958 |
Political History
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- Shehu Usman Shagari entered politics in 1951, when he became the secretary of the Northern People’s Congress in Sokoto, Nigeria, a position he held until 1956.In 1954, Shehu Shagari was elected into his first public office as a member of the federal House of Representative for Sokoto west. In 1958, Shagari was appointed as parliamentary secretary (he left the post in 1959) to the Nigerian Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and that year he also served as the Federal Minister for commerce and Industries.From 1959-1960, Shagari was redeployed to the ministry for economic development, as the Federal Minister for Economic Development. In 1960-1962, he was moved to the Pensions ministry as the Federal Minister for Pensions. From 1962-1965, Shagari was made the Federal minister for internal affairs. From 1965 up until the first military coup in January 1966, Shagari was the Federal minister for works.In 1967 he was appointed as the secretary for Sokoto province education development fund. From 1968-1969, Shagari was given a state position in the North Western State as commissioner for establishments.After the Nigerian civil war, from 1970-1971, Shagari was appointed by the military head of state General Yakubu Gowon as the federal commissioner for economic development, rehabilitation and reconstruction.From 1971-75 he served as the Federal commissioner (position now called minister) of finance. During his tenure as the commissioner of finance for Nigeria, Shagari was also a governor for the world bank and a member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) committee of twenty.In 1978, Shehu Shagari was a founding member of the National People’s Party. In 1979 Shagari was chosen by the party as the presidential candidate for general election that year, which he won becoming the president and head of state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Shagari ran for a second four-year term in 1983 and won the general election, however, on 31 December 1983, Shagari was overthrown by major general Muhammadu Buhari.
- Shehu Usman Shagari entered politics in 1951, when he became the secretary of the Northern People’s Congress in Sokoto, Nigeria, a position he held until 1956.In 1954, Shehu Shagari was elected into his first public office as a member of the federal House of Representative for Sokoto west. In 1958, Shagari was appointed as parliamentary secretary (he left the post in 1959) to the Nigerian Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and that year he also served as the Federal Minister for commerce and Industries.From 1959-1960, Shagari was redeployed to the ministry for economic development, as the Federal Minister for Economic Development. In 1960-1962, he was moved to the Pensions ministry as the Federal Minister for Pensions. From 1962-1965, Shagari was made the Federal minister for internal affairs. From 1965 up until the first military coup in January 1966, Shagari was the Federal minister for works.In 1967 he was appointed as the secretary for Sokoto province education development fund. From 1968-1969, Shagari was given a state position in the North Western State as commissioner for establishments.After the Nigerian civil war, from 1970-1971, Shagari was appointed by the military head of state General Yakubu Gowon as the federal commissioner for economic development, rehabilitation and reconstruction.From 1971-75 he served as the Federal commissioner (position now called minister) of finance. During his tenure as the commissioner of finance for Nigeria, Shagari was also a governor for the world bank and a member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) committee of twenty.In 1978, Shehu Shagari was a founding member of the National People’s Party. In 1979 Shagari was chosen by the party as the presidential candidate for general election that year, which he won becoming the president and head of state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Leadership Style/Philosophy
Awards & Honours
- Turaki of the Sokoto Sultanate
- Ochiebuzo of Ogbaland
- The Ezediale of Aboucha
- The Baba Korede of Ado Ekiti
- Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR)
- Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON)
Project
- The Green Revolution – distributing seed and fertilizer to farmers to increase nationwide productivity in farming. He also commissioned The Bakalori Dam in Sokoto State, South Chad Irrigation Scheme, Borno State, Kafin Zaki Dam Bauchi State, Ogun River Dam, Ogun State, Dadin Kowa Dam Bauchi State, Goronyo Dam Sokoto State, and Zobe Dam, Katsina State
- In 1980, Shagari finished building the Kaduna refinery, which started operating that year. He also started the construction of the Ajaokuta Steel Mill which was near completion by 1983. It is the biggest steel project ever embarked in Africa at the time of its construction. The steelworks has been called the “bedrock of Nigeria’s industrialization.
- He completed the Delta Steel complex in 1982.
- In 1983, Shagari created the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria at Ikot Abasi. Three other Steel Rolling Mills were built, including the ones in Osogbo, Katsina and Jos.
- There we also motor vehicle plants such as ANAMMCO in Anambra commissioned in 1980, The Volkswagen Assembly Plantvin Oyo State, Peugeot Automobile in Kaduna State, FIAT in Kano State and Styer in Bauchi State.
- He launched many road networks across the country including the ones leading to the new Federal Capital Abuja. Other notable road networks constructed include: Badagry-Sokoto, Lagos-Kano, Port Harcourt-Enugu, Kano-Bauchi, Warri-Okene, Abuja-Kaduna, Calabar-Ikom, Yola-Maiduguri, Mokwa-Bidda, Abuja-Keffi, Effurun-Patani-Kaiama, Jibia-Katsina, Kano-Kari and Potiskum-Maiduguri
- Shagari also built and improved some seaports including Sapele Ports Complex and started the Federal Ocean Terminal in Port Harcourt. Inland ports were also built and modernized and a new river port was commissioned at Onitsha and another modern river port to serve the Ajaokuta Steel Mill.
- In aviation, Shagari created the Ministry of Aviation and built three airports in Minna, Bauchi and Akure. New passenger aircraft were also acquired for Nigerian Airways including eight B.737 and four Airbus 310 during which Nigeria had the largest airline network in Africa.
