Northern Elements Progressive Union Jam'iyyar Neman Sawaba | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | NEPU |
President | Aminu Kano |
Founded | 1950 |
Split from | Northern People's Congress |
Preceded by | Northern Elements Progressive Association Free North Spikin Movement |
Succeeded by | People's Redemption Party |
Headquarters | Kano, Northern Nigeria |
Student wing | Zahar Haqu |
Youth wing | Rundunar Samarin Sawaba Askiyanist Movement |
Membership (1960) | 500,000 [1] |
Ideology | Socialist economics Social liberalism Democratic humanism Nigerian nationalism |
Colours | Black, Green, Red |
Slogan | Sawaba ('freedom') |
Party flag | |
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The Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) was the first political party in Northern Nigeria. Founded in Kano on 8 August 1950, it was the offshoot of a pre-existing political association called the Northern Elements Progressive Association. It became the main opposition party in Northern Nigeria after the region was granted self-governance in the 1950s. In the First Republic it maintained a steady alliance with Zikist National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) against the Northern People's Congress (NPC)-dominated Federal Government.
In the late 1940s, the dawning of a constitutional conference (the Richards Constitution) spurred a crisis in the then Socio-Cultural Association of Northern Nigeria the NPC. The conservatives keen on protecting Northern traditions were reluctant to spearhead any transformation in the socio cultural dynamic of the region while the leftist led by Sa'adu Zungur championed a form of radical modernization they called Democratic Humanism. [2] This in turn ignited a wave discontent within leftist circles in the North, on 8 August 1950, a conference of leftist individuals representing the Spikin Movement and pro-Zungeru modernists at a building in Yoruba road, Kano issued the Sawaba Declaration; a proclamation of a political front calling for a socialist revolution in Northern Nigeria, the Student wing of the party called Zahar Haqu had members such as Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila. [3] This was to become the enduring manifesto of NEPU. An English translation by Aminu Kano of the original Hausa document published by the party in 1953 called on the 'Talakawa' or populace to launch a 'class struggle against the ruling class'. [4]
After a protracted struggle within the party between Abba Maikwaru and Malam Aminu Kano (then a school teacher). A shift of support by the Spikin Movement in the Lafiya Convention of 1953 resulted in a victory for Aminu Kano [2] from then on, Aminu Kano was to dominate the party infrastructure until 1964, when the same radicals that supported him turned against him and created a parallel structure called the Northern Elements Freedom Organisation.[ citation needed ]
The People's Redemption Party is a social democratic political party in Nigeria. The Second Republic reincarnation of the Northern Elements Progressive Union and the Fourth Republican reincarnation of a similar namesake, the party was created by the supporters of Mallam Aminu Kano after his withdrawal from the National Party of Nigeria. Established in 1978, it is the longest surviving political party in Nigeria's history.
Mallam Aminu Kano was a Nigerian radical opposition political leader, teacher, poet, playwright, and trade unionist from Kano. He played an active role during the transition from British colonial rule to independence, the First Republic, Military rule, and the Second Republic. Representing the Kano East constituency, he served as the Deputy Government Chief Whip in the Federal House of Representatives. During Yakubu Gowon's administration, he served as the Federal Commissioner for Communications and the Federal Commissioner for Health. He was a vocal critic of British colonialism and its indirect rule policy in northern Nigeria. A self-described democratic humanist and reformer, Aminu combined his knowledge of Western and Islamic education to champion the liberation of the talakawa (commoners).
Ibrahim Imam was a Nigerian politician from Borno, who was the secretary of the Northern People's Congress and later became a patron of the Borno Youth Movement. He was elected into the Northern House of Assembly in 1961, representing a Tiv district. Prior to his election in 1961, he had represented his district of Yerwa in 1951 after supporting a strike of Native Administration workers.
Alhassan Dantata ; Arabic: ال حسان دان تاتا, romanized: al-Ḥasan ɗan Tātā; 1877 – 17 August 1955) was a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist. Through his trade with large British companies, he became one of the wealthiest men in West Africa during his time. He is the great-grandfather of Aliko Dangote, the wealthiest person in Nigeria and Africa.
Alhaji Abdullahi BayeroCBE CMG dan Muhammad Abbas (1881–1953) was Sarki (Emir) of Kano, with headquarters in Kano, Kano State, Nigeria from 1926 to 1953. As a traditional ruler he had extensive powers under the British colonial authority.
Aminu Sule Garo is a Nigerian politician and businessman. He was elected Senator for Kano North in April 2007, but his election was annulled in December 2007 on the basis that he lacked the required qualifications.
Alhaji Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi was a Nigerian politician who was the governor of Kano State during the Nigerian Second Republic. He also served as Federal Minister of Communications from 1993 to 1995 during the military regime of General Sani Abacha.
Sumaila is a historic town and the headquarters of a Local Government Area in Kano State, Nigeria.
Aliyu Sabo Bakin Zuwo was a Nigerian politician of the People's Redemption Party (PRP). He was a Senator in the Second Nigerian Republic and was elected governor of Kano State in October 1983, holding office briefly until the military coup on 31 December 1983 that brought General Muhammadu Buhari to power.
Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa was a Nigerian left-wing politician who was elected Governor of Kaduna State, Nigeria during the Nigerian Second Republic, holding office from October 1979 until he was impeached on 23 June 1981. During the Nigerian Fourth Republic he was leader of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), a coalition of opposition parties.
Muhammadu Inuwa Wada was a parliamentarian and minister of Works and Survey under the administration of Tafawa Balewa. He was a veteran parliamentarian towards the end of the Nigerian first republic and was given the Defense portfolio in 1965 after the death of Muhammadu Ribadu. He was first elected in 1951 as a member of the Northern House of Assembly, he was subsequently nominated to the Federal House of Representatives and was a member and later minister from 1951 to 1966. Inuwa Wada was known by many as a quiet figure in contrast to the hectic demands of his ministerial portfolio in the Works department which was going through a period of increased focus on major developmental projects as part of a six-year plan during the early 1960s.
The Kano Peoples Party was a Nigerian political party in the first republic. Formed in 1963, it soon became the second largest opposition party in Northern Nigeria overtaking the United Middle Belt Congress. In 1966, the Party was proscribed along with other political parties by the military.
Hamisu Musa is a Nigerian politician and administrator who was a minister of Postal Service from October 1983 to December 1983. He was also a senator representing Kano South West during Nigeria's second republic. While in the senate, he served as the chairman of the Committee on Social Development.
Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila was a Nigerian politician and administrator. One of the first administrators to inherit the post first republican administrative structure instituted by the military, served the Local Education Authority, Kano State Government and the Federal Government of Nigeria from 1967 to 2003 in various positions.
Alhaji Tanko Yakasai OFR is a Nigerian politician, human rights activist and former Liaison Officer to President Shehu Shagari. He is a founding member of Arewa Consultative Forum.
Hajiya Nàja’atu Mohammed, also known as Naja'atu Bala Muhammad, is a Nigerian politician and activist. Her father was an associate of Aminu Kano.
Hajia Gambo Sawaba was a Nigerian women's rights activist, politician and philanthropist. She served as the deputy chairman of Great Nigeria People's Party (GNPP) and was elected leader of the national women's wing of Northern Element Progressive Union (NEPU).
Mahmud Dantata (1922–1983), often known as Mamuda Dantata, was a Nigerian businessman and politician who represented Kano East under the platform of NPC in the Nigerian House of Representatives from 1965 to 1966. Dantata was originally sympathetic to the cause of the opposition party NEPU, led by Aminu Kano but after an incarceration, he aligned with the dominant party to defeat Aminu Kano for a seat in the House of Representatives in 1964.
Mallam Sa'adu Zungur was a Nigerian revolutionary, poet, jurist and nationalist who played an important role in Nigeria's independence movement particularly in Northern Nigeria. He is generally regarded as the father of 'radical politics' in Northern Nigeria. Zungur's political writings criticising the colonial government of Northern Nigeria, especially the emirate system, helped in laying the foundation for the principle of self-determination in Nigeria. His literary and political endeavors influenced a number of the leaders of the independence movement in Northern Nigeria, notably Aminu Kano and Isa Wali.
Alhaji Mudi Sipikin was a Nigerian poet and founding member of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), the radical political party that was the main opposition in the Northern Region during the Nigerian First Republic. He got his surname 'Sipikin' from when he was a clerk for NEPU, owing to his habit of mispronouncing "This is Mudi speaking" instead answering "This is Mudi sipikin". While the majority of his works were written in Hausa, under the supervision of Richard Ali, efforts have been undertaken by the Poetry Translation Centre to preserve and translate these literary works into English.