List of Nigerian Presidents, Heads of State Who Served as ECOWAS Chairperson
FCT, Abuja - Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently emerged as the new chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
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The development was not unprecedented, as there were Nigerians who had occupied the position before him. With his emergence as the chairperson of ECOWAS on Sunday, July 9, President Tinubu becomes the 9th Nigerian Head of State to lead the Community.
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Bola Tinubu is the 9th Nigerian Head of State to lead ECOWAS
Legit.ng writes on President Tinubu's predecessors in ECOWAS who are of Nigerian heritage.
1) Yakubu Gowon
General Gowon was the founding chairman of ECOWAS, a position he held between May 28, 1975 to July 29, 1975.
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Gowon was overthrown in a bloodless coup on July 29, 1975, and replaced by General Murtala Muhammed. He left immediately for Great Britain. While there, he studied at the University of Warwick and graduated with a doctoral degree in political science. Yakubu Gowon returned to Nigeria in 1983, where he currently resides.
2) Olusegun Obasanjo
As a military ruler, Obasanjo, 86, was ECOWAS chairperson from September 13, 1977, to September 30, 1979.
'Obj' as Obasanjo is fondly called, has been described as one of the great figures of the second generation of post-colonial African leaders.
He received praise both for overseeing Nigeria's transition to representative democracy in the 1970s and for his Pan-African efforts to encourage cooperation across the continent.
3) Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari (held the office of ECOWAS chairman from 1985 to August 27, 1985.
Buhari is an 80-year-old retired army general.
He handed over power peacefully to his successor Bola Tinubu on May 29, 2023, at an inauguration ceremony in Eagle Square, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Katsina-born Buhari occupied the top ECOWAS seat again, 2018-2019.
Buhari's inauguration as Nigeria's president on May 29, 2015, was historic as it marked the first time in the country’s history that a victorious opposition candidate was taking over from an incumbent president.
On Monday, May 29, 2023, he retired to Daura after completing his constitutionally-allowed eight years in office.
4) Ibrahim Babangida
In ECOWAS, General Babangida took over from Buhari from August 1985 till 1989.
Babangida served as military president of Nigeria from 1985 until his resignation in 1993. He rose through the ranks to serve from 1984 to 1985 as Chief of Army Staff; going on to orchestrate his seizure of power in a coup d'état against Buhari.
5) Sani Abacha
Late Sani Abacha occupied the seat of the ECOWAS chairman from July 27 1996 to June 8, 1998, when he died.
Abacha was a Nigerian soldier and politician who served as the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998.
His regime is one of the most controversial in Nigeria's history. Although it saw dramatic economic growth, it also witnessed widespread human rights abuses.
6) Abdulsalami Abubakar
His successor, Abubakar, took over and led ECOWAS till 1999.
Following the sudden death of Abacha in June 1998, Abubakar was sworn in as Nigeria’s head of state. Like many other Nigerian military leaders, he promised a return to civilian government and kept to his promise. Today, he leads the National Peace Committee (NPC).
7) Umaru Musa Yar'Adua
Late Yar'Adua was ECOWAS chairman from December 19, 2008, to February 18, 2010, when he was sick.
Yar’Adua served as president of Nigeria (2007–2010). His inauguration marked the first time in the country’s history that an elected civilian head of state had transferred power to another.
8) Goodluck Jonathan
Jonathan continued, and held the position of ECOWAS chairman between February 18, 2010, and February 17, 2012.
A native of Otuoke in Ogbia local government area (LGA) of Bayelsa state, Jonathan was the 14th president of Nigeria.
Since leaving office in 2015, the 65-year-old has been involved in several ECOWAS activities.
9) Bola Ahmed Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu was elected as the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on Sunday, July 9, 2023.
President Tinubu is a former governor of Lagos state and a political giant in Nigeria.
The septuagenarian assumed office at the Aso Villa in May 2023.
President Tinubu becomes new Chairman of ECOWAS
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu was declared the new chairman of ECOWAS.
The Nigerian president was elected at the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday, July 9. The meeting was held in Bissau, capital of Guinea-Bissau.
Source: Legit.ng
