Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe

An haifi Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe a ranar 16 ga watan Nuwamba, shekara ta 1904. Dr. Azikiwe, wanda ake yi wa laƙabi da “Zik of Africa”, ya kasance babban jigo a siyasar ƙasa Najeriya, shi ne shugaban ƙasa Najeriya na farko daga 1963 zuwa 1966. Ya taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen samun ‘yancin kan Najeriya, Zik ya zama sanannen ɗan kishin Nijeriya.

Mahaifin Zik, Obed-Edom Chukwuemeka Azikiwe, an haife shi a 1879 kuma ya rasu a ranar 3 ga Maris, 1958 (watanni biyu bayan rasuwar matarsa). Mahaifin Zik magatakarda ne a lokacin mulkin mallakar Burtaniya a Najeriya. Ya yi tafiye-tafiye da yawa a matsayin wani ɓangare na aikinsa. Mahaifiyar Nnamdi Azikiwe ita ce Rachel Chinwe Ogbenyeanu Azikiwe, an haife ta a shekarar 1883 kuma ta rasu a watan Janairun 1958. An fi kiranta da Nwanonaku kuma ita ce diyar Aghadiuno Ajie ta III. Iyayenta sun fito daga gidan sarauta a Onitsha, kuma kakan mahaifinta shi ne Obi Ugogwu Anazenwu. Nnamdi Azikiwe yana da ‘yar’uwa ɗaya mai suna Cecilia Eziamaka Arinze.

Karatunsa

Kasancewar ba Onitsha aka haifi Nnamdi ba, an haife shi ne a Zungero da ke cikin jihar Neja ta yanzu, sai tashi yana jin harshen Hausa sosai tun yana ƙarami. Mahaifinsa, ya damu matuƙa da yadda ɗansa yake jin harshen Hausa ba Inyamuranci ba, sai ya tura shi Onitsha a shekarar 1912 don ya zauna tare da kakarsa da kakansa. A Onitsha, Nnamdi Azikiwe ya halarci makarantar Holy Trinity (makarantar mishan ta Roman Katolika) da Christ Church School (makarantar firamare ta Anglican).

A shekarar 1914, a lokacin da mahaifinsa ke aiki a Legas, sai kare ya ciji Nnamdi; hakan ya sa mahaifin ya damu ya nemi da ya dawo Legas don ya samu lafiya kuma ya yi karatu a cikin garin. A shekarar 1918, ya dawo Onitsha kuma ya kammala karatunsa na firamare a CMS Central School. Zik ya yi aiki a makarantar a matsayin malami-dalibi, yana tallafa wa mahaifiyarsa da kuɗin da yake samu.

A shekarar 1920, aka mayar da mahaifinsa zuwa kudancin Najeriya jihar Calabar. Nnamdi ya bi mahaifinsa Calabar, inda ya fara sakandire a Kwalejin Horar da Hope Waddell.

Bayan ya halarci Hope Waddell, Nnamdi Azikiwe ya koma makarantar Methodist Boys’ High School, Legas. A can, ya yi abokantakar karatu da ‘yan asalin Legas irin su George Shyngle, Francis Cole da Ade Williams. Wannan abokantakar ta kasance mai amfani ga rayuwarsa ta siyasa a Legas.

Nnamdi Azikiwe ya kuduri aniyar tafiya ƙasashe waje domin neman ilimi, ya nemi jami’o’i a ƙasar Amurka, inda ya samu gurbin karatu daga Storer College. Da isar Amurka, ya tuntubi wani mai jirgin ruwa suka kulla yarjejeniya da shi don ya zama ɗan kasuwa.

Zik ya halarci makarantar share fage ta Kwalejin Storer na shekaru biyu a Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Don biyan kuɗin karatunsa, ya yi ayyuka da yawa na ƙarfi kafin ya shiga Jami’ar Howard a Washington, D.C. a shekarar 1927 don samun digiri na farko a Kimiyyar Siyasa.

A shekarar 1929, ya koma Jami’ar Howard zuwa Jami’ar Lincoln don kammala karatun digirinsa a shekarar 1930 inda ya samu digirin B.A a Kimiyyar Siyasa. Bayan haka, Zik ya shiga Jami’ar Lincoln da ke Pennsylvania da kuma Jami’ar Pennsylvania a lokaci guda a 1930, inda ya sami digiri na biyu a fannin Addini daga Jami’ar Lincoln sannan ya yi digiri na biyu a fannin Anthropology daga Jami’ar Pennsylvania a 1932. Daga baya ya zama malami mai koyar da daliban digiri na biyu a fannin tarihi da kimiyyar siyasa a jami’ar Lincoln, ya kuma kirkiro kwas a fannin tarihin Afirka. Ya kasance ɗalibin digiri na uku a Jami’ar Columbia kafin ya dawo Najeriya a shekarar 1934.

Binciken kammala digiri da Azikiwe ya yi, ya mayar da hankali ne kan Laberiya a siyasar duniya, kuma A. H. Stockwell ne ya buga kundin bincikensa a shekarar 1934. A lokacin da yake Amurka, ya kasance marubucin Baltimore Afro-American, Philadelphia Tribune da Associated Negro Press.
Zik ya nemi aiki a matsayin jami’in ma’aikatar harkokin wajen ƙasar ta Laberiya, amma aka ki amincewa da shi saboda shi ba ɗan asalin kasar ba ne.

Aikinsa na jarida

A Najeriya, burin farko na Zik shi ne ya samu matsayi da ya dace da iliminsa; bayan samun aikace-aikace da yawa da ba su yi masa ba, ciki har da aikin koyarwa a Kwalejin Kings, daga ƙarshe ya karɓi tayi daga wani ɗan kasuwar Ghana, mai suna Alfred Ocansey, don ya zama editan kafar African Morning Post (Jarida ce a Accra, Ghana). An bai wa Zik kyauta don iya tafiyar da aikin jaridar.

A matsayinsa na edita, ya tallata ajandar kishin ƙasa mai goyon bayan Afirka. A cikin ƙasidunsa na tozartawa da maganganun jama’a, ya soki tsarin mulkin mallaka: hani kan ‘yancin Afirka da bayyana ra’ayoyinsu, da nuna wariyar launin fata. Zik ya kuma soki wasu ‘yan Afirka da ke zaune a ƙasashen Turawan mulkin mallaka, suka kuma fifita riƙon tsarin Turawan.

Nnamdi Azikiwe ya koma Legas a shekarar 1937 ya kafa jaridar West African Pilot, wadda ya yi amfani da ita wajen bunƙasa kishin ƙasa a Najeriya. Baya ga jaridar Pilot, kungiyarsa ta Zik ta kafa jaridu a birane masu mahimmanci na siyasa da tattalin arziki a fadin kasar. Babbar jaridar ƙungiyar ita ce Pilot ta Yammacin Afirka.

Kafin yakin duniya na biyu, editocin Pilot na Yammacin Afirka da labaran siyasa sun mayar da hankali kan rashin adalci ga ‘yan Afirka, sukar mulkin mallaka da goyon bayan ra’ayoyin masu ilimi a Legas. A shekara ta 1940 an sami canji a hankali. Kamar yadda ya yi a cikin Jaridar Morning Post, Zik, ya fara rubuta wani shafi mai suna “Cikin Kaya” wanda a wasu lokuta ya yi ƙoƙari ya tayar da hankalin siyasa.

A cikin 1943, Majalisar Burtaniya ta dauki nauyin editocin Afirka ta Yamma guda takwas (ciki har da Azikiwe). Shi da wasu editoci shida sun yi amfani da damar wajen wayar da kan jama’a game da yiwuwar ‘yancin kai na siyasa. ‘Yan jaridar sun rattaba hannu kan wata takarda ta yin kira da a yi gyare-gyare a hankali na zamantakewa da siyasa, ciki har da soke tsarin mulkin mallaka, wakilcin yanki da ‘yancin kai ga Turawan mulkin mallaka na Birtaniya ta Yamma zuwa 1958 ko 1960. Ofishin mulkin mallaka ya yi watsi da takardar.

A ranar 8 ga Yuli, 1945, gwamnatin Najeriya ta dakatar da jaridar West African Pilot da Daily Comet saboda bata labarin wani yajin aikin gama-gari. Ko da yake Zik ya amince da haka, ya ci gaba da buga labarai game da yajin aikin a cikin The Guardian. A watan Agusta, an ba wa kamfanin jaridar damar ci gaba da bugawa.

Harkokin siyasarsa

Bayan samun nasarar aikin jarida, Azikiwe ya shiga harkokin siyasa, inda ya kafa kungiyar National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) tare da Herbert Macaulay a shekarar 1944. Ya zama babban sakataren majalisar ƙasa a shekarar 1946, kuma a shekara ta gaba aka zabe shi zuwa Majalisar Dokokin Najeriya.

A shekarar 1951, ya zama shugaban masu adawa da gwamnatin Obafemi Awolowo a majalisar dokokin yankin yamma. Yankunan Najeriya uku sun dogara ne akan tsarin ƙabilanci, inda Hausawa da Fulani suke Arewa, Yarbawa a kudu maso yamma, da Inyamurai kuma a kudu maso gabas. NCNC ita ce babbar jam’iyyar Inyamurai, kuma ta mamaye Gabas. A Arewa babbar jam’iyyar ita ce jam’iyyar Peoples Congress ta Arewa karkashin Ahmadu Bello, yayin da kungiyar Action Group ƙarƙashin Awolowo ta mamaye ƙasashen Yamma. Ita kanta Najeriya an kafa ta ne ta hanyar haɗa tsoffin ‘yan kato da gora zuwa kasar Ingila a shekarar 1914.

A shekarar 1952, Azikiwe ya koma yankin Gabas, aka zabe shi a matsayin babban minista. A shekarar 1954, ya zama Firimiya a yankin Gabashin Najeriya. A shekarar 1955, ya zartar da dokar da ta kai ga kafa Jami’ar Najeriya a shekarar 1960, inda aka gayyaci mashawartan Birtaniya da Amurka don su taimaka wajen kafa sabuwar cibiyar.

Tsakanin 1957 zuwa 1958, Nnamdi Azikiwe tare da shugabannin sauran manyan jam’iyyu biyu, Obafemi Awolowo na Action Group da kuma Ahmadu Bello na NPC sun kasance mambobin tawagar da suka halarci tattaunawar tsarin mulki a London. Tawagar ta samu jagorancin Abubakar Tafawa Balewa wanda shi ne Firimiyan gwamnatin tarayya kuma mataimakin shugaban jam’iyyar NPC. Bayan samun ‘yancin kai, jam’iyyar NCP-NCNC ta lashe zaben kasar. Belewa ya zama Firayim Minista na tarayya. Bello da Awolowo sun ci gaba da rike mukamin Fira-Minista na yankunan Arewa da Yamma. Awolowo ya kuma shugabanci jam’iyyar adawa a matakin tarayya. Azikiwe ya amince da naɗa shi a matsayin Gwamna-Janar kuma ɗan Najeriya na farko da aka nada.

Zama shugaban kasa (1963-1966)

A shekarar 1963, Najeriya ta yanke shawarar zama jamhuriya. An zabi Azikiwe a matsayin shugaban ƙasa kuma babban kwamanda. Jam’iyyun siyasar Najeriya sun yi ta jan kunne ta ɓangarori daban-daban. Kundin tsarin mulki ya ware kujeru a majalisar tarayya bisa la’akari da yawan al’ummar yankin. Lokacin da tsohuwar Kudancin Kamaru ta shiga Najeriya a matsayin wani yanki na Arewa a shekarar 1961, hakan ya bai wa Arewa damar samun kujeru masu yawa.

Jam’iyyar NCNC ta fi son a samar da ƙananan jihohi da za su maye gurbin yankunan da kuma gwamnatin tsakiya mai, duk da cewa Azikiwe ya kasance mai karfin fada-a-ji a tarayya. Kungiyar Action Group ta amince da kafa gwamnatin tsakiya mai karfi da kuma samar da Tarayyar Afirka ta Yamma wacce Najeriya da Ghana da Sierre Leone za su haɗe a matsayin ƙasa daya. An soki NPC da ba da fifiko ga matsalolin Arewa da kuma raba kuɗaɗen shigar mai, wanda ya fito daga Arewa.

A watan Disambar 1964 ne Najeriya ta gudanar da babban zabenta na biyu. Kafin zaben dai an samu cece-kuce game da sahihancin rijistar zaben, hakan ya haifar da zargin magudin zabe da kuma jam’iyyar UPGA (wata kawancen NCNC, wacce ta yi watsi da kawancenta da NCP da Action Group) da ake kira kauracewa zaben.

A watan Maris na 1965, an gudanar da zaɓe a waɗannan mazaɓar da suka kauracewa zaben watan Disamba. Jam’iyyar UPGA ta kare ne da kujeru 108, NNA (gamayyar NCP da National Democratic Party, wacce ta fafata da Action Group a Yamma) inda kujeru 162 daga ciki 189 ‘ya’yan jam’iyyar NNC ne ke rike da su. Kafin a yi karin zaben, an gayyaci Balewa ya kafa gwamnatinsa ta biyu.

A watan Nuwamba 1965, an gudanar da zabe a kowane yanki. Jam’iyyar UPGA mai adawa a matakin tarayya, ta kuduri aniyar karfafa karfinta a yankunan Kudu da Gabas da Yamma da kuma yankin tarayya da ke kewaye da babban birnin kasar. To sai dai kuma jam’iyyar NNA ce ta lashe waɗannan zabukan, duk kuwa da yaƙin neman zaben ‘yan adawa. Dangantaka tsakanin Fira-Minista Balewa da Shugaba Azikiwe ta ƙara yin tsami.

Zarge-zargen cin hanci da zamba sun biyo baya, kamar yadda tarzoma da zanga-zangar suka barke inda mutane kusan 2,000 suka mutu akasari a ƙasashen Yamma. Da yake mayar da martani ga wannan tashin hankalin, Belawa ya ba da iko na musamman ga kowace gwamnatin yankin a wani yunƙuri na maido da kwanciyar hankali. Hakan dai ya gaza dawo da kwanciyar hankali, lamarin da ya janyo cece-kuce a tsakanin wasu jami’an soji na cewa ana bukatar karin hanyoyin da za a bi wajen magance tabarbarewar lamarin.

A ranar 15 ga Janairu, 1966, jami’an yankin Azikwe yankin Yamma suka yi juyin mulki inda aka kashe Sir Abubakar Tafawa Ɓalewa da Sir Ahmadu Bello. Azikiwe ya tsira. Juyin mulkin bai dade ba. Washegari babban hafsan soji, Manjo Janar Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, ya shiga, ya dakatar da kundin tsarin mulkin ƙasar.

Matsayinsa na marubuci

Azikiwe kwararren marubuci ne. A rubuce-rubucensa ya zayyana falsafarsa ta ‘yantar da Afirka mai taken ‘Zikism’ wanda ya gano ra’ayoyi guda biyar don motsawar Afirka zuwa ga turbar ‘yanci: daidaiton rayuwa, farfado da zamantakewa, bunƙasa tattalin arziki, ‘yanci tunani da kuma farfaɗo da siyasa. Rubuce-rubucen na da yawa da aka buga sun haɗa da:

• Political Blueprint for Nigeria (1943);
• Zik (1961);
• My Odyssey: An Autobiography (1971),
• Renascent Africa (1973);
• Essentials for Nigeria’s Survival (1965);
• The Future of Pan-Africanism (1961);
• Themes in African Social and Political Thought (1978);
• Restoration of Nigerian Democracy (1978);
• Ideology for Nigeria: Capitalism, Socialism or Welfarism? (1980);
• History Will Vindicate the Just (1983).

Wurare masu sunan Azikiwe

Wuraren da aka sanya wa suna Azikiwe sun hada da filin jirgin sama na Nnamdi Azikiwe da ke Abuja, filin wasa na Nnamdi Azikiwe da ke Enugu, da jami’ar Nnamdi Azikiwe da ke Awka a jihar Anambra. Hotonsa ya kawata takardar kudin Najeriya ta naira dari biyar. Har ila yau, an sanya wa wasu tituna da gidajen kwana na jami’o’i sunansa da suka hada da titin Nnamdi Azikiwe a Legas, Zik Avenue a Enugu, Ziks Flat a Jami’ar Najeriya, Nsukka da Azikiwe Hall a Jami’ar Ibadan, Najeriya. Gidauniyar tunawa da Nnamdi Azikiwe ta karrama shi.

Kambu da girmamawa

• An shigar da Azikiwe cikin babbar ƙungiyar Agbalanze a matsayin Nnayelugo a cikin shekarar 1946, sananniyar al’ada ce ga mazajen da suka sami babban nasara.
• A cikin shekarar 1962, ya zama shugaban (Ndichie Okwa) a matsayin Oziziani Obi. An naɗa shi a matsayin Owelle-Osowa-Anya a shekarar 1970, wanda hakan ya sa ya zama ɗan kungiyar (Ndichie Ume).
• A cikin 1960, Sarauniya Elizabeth ta biyu ta naɗa shi a Majalisar Dokokin Burtaniya.
• An ba shi lambar yabo mafi girma ta Najeriya – Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) – a shekarar 1980.
• Ya sami digiri na girmamawa goma sha hudu daga jami’o’in Najeriya, Amurka da Laberiya kuma a 1990, Jami’ar Lincoln ta naɗa shugaban Farfesa a matsayin girmamawa.

Harkokin wasanni

Azikiwe ya yi fice a wasanni da dama a matsayinsa na dalibi da suka haɗa da wasan ninkaya, guje-guje da tsalle-tsalle da dambe. An taɓa zaɓar shi domin ya wakilci Najeriya a gasar tsere mai nisa ta Burtaniya a shekarar 1934 amma daga baya aka yi watsi da shi bayan ya soke sunansa na Ingilishi, wato “Benjamin”. Ya kuma kafa Zik’s Athletic Club tare da M.R.B. Ottun don inganta wasannin guje-guje da tsalle-tsalle, dambe, wasan kirket, kwallon kafa, ninkaya da wasan tennis a Najeriya.

Nasarorin harkokin wasanni

• Zik ne ya kafa, ZiKs Athletic Club (tare da MRB. Oltun) don haɓaka wasannin motsa jiki, dambe, cricket, owimming da wasan tennis a Najeriya.
• Ya zama mai tsaron raga da gaba, a ƙungiyar ƙwallon ƙafa ta Makarantar Methodist Boys High School, Legas (1921)
• Shi ne gwarzo a wasan High Jump, a makarantar MBHS, hallau kuma gwarzon, Empire Day (1921)
• Gwarzo a wasan Welterweight, a Kwalejin Storer (1925-27)
• Ya ci Kofin Zinare a gasar wasan, High Jump, ta HU Inter-Scholastic Games (1926);
• Ya samu lambar zinare, ta ƙasa da ƙasa, a wasan Gudun Mile ɗaya, Gudun Quarket Mile, da High Jump, Wasannin Azurfa na Kwalejin Storer (1926)
• Ya samu lambar yabo ta Pentathlon, Gasar Kwalejin Storer (1925)
• Ya zama kyaftin a Storer College Cross Country Team (1927)
• Ya samu lambar zinare a Kwalejin Storer (1921)
• Ya samu lambar yabo ta tagulla (Bronze), a wasan Marathon Laurel-Baltimore (1927)
• Gwarzo a wasan Backstroke, na Jami’ar Howard (1928)
• Mataimakin kyaftin na ƙungiyar ƙwallon ƙafa ta Jami’ar Lincoln (1930)
• Gwarzo a gudun mil biyu, a gasar cin kofin dual tsakanin Jami’ar Lincoln & Kwalejin Jiha ta Cheyney (1930)
• Ya samu lambar yabo ta azurfa, gudun mile biyu,  ƙwararru a Cibiyar Hampton Virginia (1931)
• Ya samu lambar zinare, a gudun mile’ daya, da gudun mile uku, Y MC.A. Wasannin New York, NY (1932)
• Ta samu kofin Azurfa, Race Rabin Mile, da nasara na kofin azurfa a tseren mil daya, Gasar Dimokuradiyya ta Fleld Day, New Haven, Connecticut (1933)
• Yana cikin waɗanda suka zo na biyu (tare da G.K Dorgu), Gasar Tennis ta maza ta Legas Dibiyu B (1938)

Kungiyoyin wasannin da ya yi

• Ƙungiyar ƙwallon ƙafa ta Diamond (1922–24)
• Ƙungiyar Ƙwallon ƙafa ta Mercury a New York (1932-34)
• Ƙungiyar Tennis ta Gold Coast na Accra (1935-1937)
• Patron, Zik’s Athletic Club (1956)
• Shugaban Kungiyar Cricket ta Najeriya (1940–44)
• Shugaban kungiyar masu wasan ninkaya ta Najeriya (1938–41)
• Mataimakin Shugaban Hukumar Kula da Dambe ta Najeriya (1949)
• Shugaban Hukumar Kwallon Kafa ta Amateur Gundumar Legas (1951-1954)
• Shugaban, Amateur Athletic Association of Nigeria (tun 1952)
• Shugaban kungiyar wasan kwallon tebur ta Najeriya (1953)
• Mataimakin mataimaki kuma memba na kwamitin Olympics na Najeriya, da Masarautar Burtaniya da Kungiyar Wasannin Commonwealth (tun 1951)

Mutuwarsa

Azikiwe ya rasu ne a ranar 11 ga Mayu, 1996 a Asibitin Koyarwa na Jami’ar Najeriya da ke Enugu bayan ya yi fama da rashin lafiya.

Manazarta

Imoka-Ubochioma, C. (2021, October 26). THE STORY OF NNAMDI AZIKIWE.

New World Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Nnamdi azikiwe – New World Encyclopedia.

 Online Nigeria.com. (n.d.). Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe – Online Nigeria.com  

Unizik. (n.d.). Profile of Nnamdi Azikiwe. Unizik.org

World Libraries. (n.d.). View of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, 1904-1966, First President of Nigeria: A Force in Library Development in Nigeria | World Libraries.

Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue: (n.d). Nnamdi azikiwe |  Memorial Libraries.