Shehu Shagari
| Shehu Shagari | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 6th President of Nigeria | |
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In office October 1, 1979 – December 31, 1983 |
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| Vice President | Alex Ekwueme |
| Preceded by | Olusegun Obasanjo as Military Head of State |
| Succeeded by | Muhammadu Buhari as Military Head of State |
| Federal Commissioner for Finance | |
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In office 1971–1975 |
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| Preceded by | Obafemi Awolowo |
| Succeeded by | Asumoh Ete Ekukinam |
| Federal Commissioner for Economic Development, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction | |
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In office 1970–1971 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
25 February 1925 Shagari, Sokoto State, Nigeria |
| Political party | National Party of Nigeria |
| Children | Muhammad Bala Shagari Aminu Shehu Shagari |
| Religion | Islam |
Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Turakin Sakkwato (born February 25, 1925) served as the first and only President of Nigeria’s Second Republic (1979–1983), after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo's military government.
Shagari is a northerner of Fulani extraction and holds the title of the Turaki of Sokoto in the Sokoto Caliphate. In addition to this chieftaincy title, he also holds those of the Ochiebuzo of Ogbaland, the Ezediale of Aboucha and the Baba Korede of Ado Ekiti.
He worked as a teacher for a brief period before entering politics in 1954 upon his election to the federal House of Representatives.
Shehu Usman Shagari was born in Shagari village to the family of Magaji Aliyu and Mariamu in 1925. His name, Usman, means "Companion". He was raised in a polygamous family, and was the sixth child born into the family. Prior to becoming Magajin Shagari, Aliyu, Shehu's father was a farmer, trader and herder. However, due to traditional rites that prevented rulers from participating in business, Aliyu relinquished some of his trading interest when he became the Magaji, or village head, of Shagari village. Aliyu died five years after Shehu's birth, and Shehu's elder brother, Bello, briefly took on his father's mantle as Magajin Shagari.
The village of Shagari was founded by Fulani Jihadist and cattlemen and later dominated by Hausa traders. Like many Jihadist founded towns, religious recitals were important for children growing up. 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. After, he went to the Sokoto Middle School and later to Kaduna college.
Kaduna College originally was created to be a teachers training school. There were few high level civil service professions open to indigenous in Northern Nigeria and coupled with the lack of a post-graduate school except the Yaba Higher college; the teaching profession became the dominant career path early graduates of Kaduna college took and Shagari was no exception. After finishing secondary school, he was called on to become the new pupil-science teacher of Sokoto Middle School, shortly after, he was appointed the science teacher for Zaria Middle school. In 1945, after the end of World War II, he moved back to become the science and also history and geography teacher of the Sokoto Middle School. There, he was re-united with his extended family who lived nearby. Six years after, he was posted to Argungu as the headmaster of the new primary school there.
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