Hamani Diori
Encyclopedia
Hamani Diori was the first President
of the Republic of Niger. He was appointed to that office in 1960, when Niger gained independence.
, near the capital, Niamey
, Diori was the son of a public health officer in the French colonial administration. He attended William Ponty Teachers' Training College
in Dakar
, Senegal
, and worked as a teacher in Niger from 1936 to 1938, then became a Hausa
and Djerma
foreign language instructor at the Institute of Study Abroad, in Paris
.
(RDA). Later that year, he was elected to the French National Assembly
. In the 1951 election, Diori was defeated by his cousin and political rival Djibo Bakary
. He was again elected to the assembly in 1956, and was chosen deputy-speaker.
In 1958, after a referendum that granted Niger self-government, Diori became president of the provisional government. He then became Prime Minister
of the republic in 1959. During this period, the French government banned all political parties except the PPN, effectively making Niger a one-party state
.
on 3 August 1960 and Diori was elected president by the country's national assembly in November 1960. Organizing a powerful coalition of Hausa
, Fula
, and (most prominently) Djerma leaders, including chiefs and traditionalists, in support of Niger’s independence referendum, Diori gained French favor.
. From 1960 to 1963 he was Minister of Defense of Niger and Foreign Minister of Niger, and again took over the Foreign Ministry from 1965 to 1967. Most prominent, and perhaps most powerful, was writer and President of the National Assembly of Niger, Boubou Hama
, who one writer has called the "eminence grise" behind Diori's rule. The National Assembly of Niger
met in largely ceremonial yearly sittings to ratify government positions. Traditional notables, elected as parliamentary representatives, often unanimously endorsed government proposals. Diori was re-elected unopposed in 1965 and 1970.
He gained worldwide respect for his role as a spokesman for African affairs and as a popular arbitrator in conflicts involving other African nations. Domestically, however, his administration was rife with corruption
, and the government was unable to implement much-needed reforms or to alleviate the widespread famine
brought on by the Sahel
ian drought of the early 1970s. Increasingly criticized at home for his negligence in domestic matters, Diori put down a coup in 1963 and narrowly escaped assassination in 1965. Faced with an attempted military coup and attacks by members of Sawaba
, he used French advisers and troops to repress opposition, despite student and union protests against French neocolonialism
. However, his relationship with France suffered when his government voiced dissatisfaction with the level of investment in uranium production when Georges Pompidou
visited Niger in 1972.
led a military coup that ended Diori's rule. He was imprisoned for six years. After his release in 1980, he remained under house arrest
until 1987.
After being released from house arrest, he moved to Morocco
, where he died on 23 April 1989 at the age of 72.
Heads of state of Niger
-List of Heads of State of Niger:-Affiliations:-See also:*Niger*List of colonial heads of Niger*Heads of Government of Niger*Lists of Incumbents-References:*...
of the Republic of Niger. He was appointed to that office in 1960, when Niger gained independence.
Youth
Born in SoudouréSoudouré
Soudouré is a village in western Niger. It is located along the Niger River northwest of the capital city, Niamey. It is located in the Niamey Capital District....
, near the capital, Niamey
Niamey
-Population:While Niamey's population has grown steadily since independence, the droughts of the early 1970s and 1980s, along with the economic crisis of the early 1980s, have propelled an exodus of rural inhabitants to Niger's largest city...
, Diori was the son of a public health officer in the French colonial administration. He attended William Ponty Teachers' Training College
École normale supérieure William Ponty
École William Ponty was a government teachers' college in what is now Senegal. The school is now in Kolda, Senegal, where it is currently known as École de formation d’instituteurs William Ponty. It is associated with the French university IUFM at Livry-Gargan.-Notable alumni:Many of the school's...
in Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, and worked as a teacher in Niger from 1936 to 1938, then became a Hausa
Hausa language
Hausa is the Chadic language with the largest number of speakers, spoken as a first language by about 25 million people, and as a second language by about 18 million more, an approximate total of 43 million people...
and Djerma
Djerma
The Zarma people , are a people of westernmost Niger and adjacent areas of Burkina Faso, Benin, Ghana and Nigeria. The Zarma language is one of the Songhai languages, a branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family...
foreign language instructor at the Institute of Study Abroad, in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Independence struggle
In 1946, while working as the headmaster of a school in Niger’s capital city of Niamey, he became one of the founders of the Nigerien Progressive Party (PPN), a regional branch of the African Democratic RallyAfrican Democratic Rally
The African Democratic Rally was a political party in French West Africa, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Founded in Bamako in 1946, the RDA quickly became one of the most important forces for independence in the region. Initially a Pan-Africanist movement, the RDA ceased to function as a...
(RDA). Later that year, he was elected to the French National Assembly
French National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
. In the 1951 election, Diori was defeated by his cousin and political rival Djibo Bakary
Djibo Bakary
Djibo Bakary was a socialist politician and important figure in the independence movement of Niger. Bakary was the first Nigerien to hold local executive power since the beginning of French colonialism...
. He was again elected to the assembly in 1956, and was chosen deputy-speaker.
In 1958, after a referendum that granted Niger self-government, Diori became president of the provisional government. He then became Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of the republic in 1959. During this period, the French government banned all political parties except the PPN, effectively making Niger a one-party state
Single-party state
A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election...
.
Traditionalist coalition
Niger gained independence from FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on 3 August 1960 and Diori was elected president by the country's national assembly in November 1960. Organizing a powerful coalition of Hausa
Hausa people
The Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. They are a Sahelian people chiefly located in northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, but having significant numbers living in regions of Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Sudan...
, Fula
Fula people
Fula people or Fulani or Fulbe are an ethnic group spread over many countries, predominantly in West Africa, but found also in Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa...
, and (most prominently) Djerma leaders, including chiefs and traditionalists, in support of Niger’s independence referendum, Diori gained French favor.
First president
During his presidency, Diori's government favored the maintenance of traditional social structures and the retention of close economic ties with France. From the early 1960s, the government ruled through a small number of pre-independence figures who sat on the PPN Politburo and largely bypassed even the cabinet. As well as holding the posts of Head of State, Head of Government, and Head of the ruling party, Diori directly led a number of MinistriesCouncil of Ministers of Niger
The Cabinet of Niger is made up of the appointed heads of Niger's government Ministries. Ministers are chosen from the elected members of the National Assembly of Niger...
. From 1960 to 1963 he was Minister of Defense of Niger and Foreign Minister of Niger, and again took over the Foreign Ministry from 1965 to 1967. Most prominent, and perhaps most powerful, was writer and President of the National Assembly of Niger, Boubou Hama
Boubou Hama
Boubou Hama was a Nigerien author, historian, and politician. He was President of the National Assembly of Niger under President of Niger, Hamani Diori.- Life and works :Hama was born at Fonéko, a small Songhai village in western Niger...
, who one writer has called the "eminence grise" behind Diori's rule. The National Assembly of Niger
National Assembly of Niger
The unicameral National Assembly of Niger is the country's sole legislative body. The National Assembly may propose laws and is required to approve all legislation.-History:...
met in largely ceremonial yearly sittings to ratify government positions. Traditional notables, elected as parliamentary representatives, often unanimously endorsed government proposals. Diori was re-elected unopposed in 1965 and 1970.
He gained worldwide respect for his role as a spokesman for African affairs and as a popular arbitrator in conflicts involving other African nations. Domestically, however, his administration was rife with corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
, and the government was unable to implement much-needed reforms or to alleviate the widespread famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
brought on by the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
ian drought of the early 1970s. Increasingly criticized at home for his negligence in domestic matters, Diori put down a coup in 1963 and narrowly escaped assassination in 1965. Faced with an attempted military coup and attacks by members of Sawaba
Sawaba
The Union of Popular Forces for Democracy and Progress-Sawaba is a political party in Niger, founded as the Nigerien Democratic Union in 1954. The original party, founded by Nigerien Progressive Party co-leader Djibo Bakary when he was expelled from the PPN...
, he used French advisers and troops to repress opposition, despite student and union protests against French neocolonialism
Neocolonialism
Neocolonialism is the practice of using capitalism, globalization, and cultural forces to control a country in lieu of direct military or political control...
. However, his relationship with France suffered when his government voiced dissatisfaction with the level of investment in uranium production when Georges Pompidou
Georges Pompidou
Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 1962 to 1968, holding the longest tenure in this position, and later President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
visited Niger in 1972.
Unrest and fall
Widespread civil disorder followed allegations that some government ministers were misappropriating stocks of food aid and accused Diori of consolidating power. Diori limited cabinet appointments to fellow Djerma, family members, and close friends. In addition, he acquired new powers by declaring himself the minister of foreign and defense affairs. On 15 April 1974, Lieutenant colonel Seyni KountchéSeyni Kountché
Seyni Kountché was a Nigerien military officer who led a 1974 coup d'état that deposed the government of Niger's first president, Hamani Diori. He ruled the country as military head of state from 1974 to 1987...
led a military coup that ended Diori's rule. He was imprisoned for six years. After his release in 1980, he remained under house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
until 1987.
After being released from house arrest, he moved to Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, where he died on 23 April 1989 at the age of 72.