Hassan Katsina
Encyclopedia
Hassan Katsina was a Nigerian General and son of Usman Nagogo
, the emir of Katsina from 1944-1981. He was governor of the Northern Region of Nigeria from 1966-1967. During the Nigerian civil war
, he was the Chief of Staff, Army
and later became the deputy Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters under the administration of Yakubu Gowon
.
to the royal house
of Nagogo in 1933. He attended Kankiya Elementary School and Katsina Middle School. After finishing middle school, he went to Barewa College
, Zaria and the Nigerian School of Arts, Sciences and Technology also in Zaria. He joined the Nigerian army
in 1956.
and member of the Supreme Military council by 1975. Then, he had become a prominent and senior Northern military officer, who had linkages with the traditional authorities in the north and the perception of a genteel character to many Nigerians in general. He served both as an apolitical army officer, early on in his career and a political appointee under a federal military regime from 1966 to 1975.
Immediately after joining the army in 1956, he underwent training in a few institutions such as the Mons Officer Cadet School
and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He became a Lt Col in 1966, after which, he was made the governor of the Northern province of Nigeria. He died on 24 July 1995.
, a major figure in the coup that first brought to power the Nigerian military and led to the death of Ahmadu Bello
, the former premier of the province
. Hassan Katsina stepped into a new position that was in need of strong leadership to calm nerves as a result of the military incursion to power and the death of prominent political leaders from the region
. His administration chose to carry on with the progress attained by the Late Bello and brought aboard senior civil servants in the region who possessed administrative attributes that could continue with the success achieved by Ahmadu Bello. During his brief period of leadership, he led the Interim Common Services Agency, an agency which undertook the task of sharing the collective resources of the region in a new decentralized political and economic system of governance
.
Hassan Katsina, also revitalized political linkage with the emirate
s in the north as a support base for his new administration; and was close to re-introducing the old Native Administrative structures of the colonial
system, where emirs played a major role. On the under hand, he also promised to reform the native administration and local governance.
Keys figures in his administration were Ali Akilu, who later played a major role in the creation of states in the north, Ibrahim Dasuki and Sunday Awoniyi
.
system of governance. Many Northerners feared they may be overwhelmed in administrative positions by the numerous educated southerners especially, Igbos, resorted to violence fueled by the aforementioned, and a few other reasons including the notion that the January 15, 1966 coup was an Igbo coup. This led to the exodus of a number of easterners from the region.
He was later involved in the formation of a few political organizations such as the National Party of Nigeria
and the Committee of Concerned Citizens. He was also an ardent fan of the game of polo
.
Usman Nagogo
Usman Nagogo dan Muhammad Dikko, K.B.E., C.M.G. was Emir of Katsina from May 19, 1944 until his death...
, the emir of Katsina from 1944-1981. He was governor of the Northern Region of Nigeria from 1966-1967. During the Nigerian civil war
Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
, he was the Chief of Staff, Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
and later became the deputy Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters under the administration of Yakubu Gowon
Yakubu Gowon
General Yakubu "Jack" Dan-Yumma Gowon was the head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took power after one military coup d'etat and was overthrown in another...
.
Early life and education
Hassan Usman Katsina was born in KatsinaKatsina
Katsina is a city , and a Local Government Area in northern Nigeria, and is the capital of Katsina State. Katsina is located some 160 miles east of the city of Sokoto, and 84 miles northwest of Kano, close to the border with Niger. As of 2007, Katsina's estimated population was 459,022...
to the royal house
Royal House
A royal house or royal dynasty consists of at least one, but usually more monarchs who are related to one another, as well as their non-reigning descendants and spouses. Monarchs of the same realm who are not related to one another are usually deemed to belong to different houses, and each house is...
of Nagogo in 1933. He attended Kankiya Elementary School and Katsina Middle School. After finishing middle school, he went to Barewa College
Barewa College
Barewa College is a college in Zaria, Kaduna State, northern Nigeria. Founded in 1922 by British Governor General Hugh Clifford, it was originally known as "Katsina College." It switched its name to "Kaduna College" in 1938 and then "Government College, Zaria" in 1949 before settling on "Barewa...
, Zaria and the Nigerian School of Arts, Sciences and Technology also in Zaria. He joined the Nigerian army
Nigerian Army
The Nigerian Army the largest of the Nigerian Armed Forces, has about 100,000 professional personnel. The original elements of the Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria were formed in 1900....
in 1956.
Military career
Hassan Katsina rose through the ranks of the Nigerian military from a 2nd lieutenant in 1958, to become a Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
and member of the Supreme Military council by 1975. Then, he had become a prominent and senior Northern military officer, who had linkages with the traditional authorities in the north and the perception of a genteel character to many Nigerians in general. He served both as an apolitical army officer, early on in his career and a political appointee under a federal military regime from 1966 to 1975.
Immediately after joining the army in 1956, he underwent training in a few institutions such as the Mons Officer Cadet School
Mons Officer Cadet School
The Mons Officer Cadet School was a British military training establishment in Aldershot.1942 saw the RMC move to Mons Barracks where it became 161 OCTU. Cadets underwent a three month training programme prior to the Commisioning Passing Out Parade. Those passing out slow marched up the steps from...
and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He became a Lt Col in 1966, after which, he was made the governor of the Northern province of Nigeria. He died on 24 July 1995.
Military units
- PlatoonPlatoonA platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
Commander, Second BattalionBattalionA battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
. - Intelligence officerIntelligence officerAn intelligence officer is a person employed by an organization to collect, compile and/or analyze information which is of use to that organization...
, Congo - Company Commander, 5th battalion, Kano
- Commanding Officer, RecceRecceRecce may refer to:* Reconnaissance, military scouting* SEAL Recon Rifle, a rifle used by US Navy SEALs also called the Recce Rifle* Recce , a pre-shoot reconnaissance of a film location...
Squadron, Kaduna.
Dates of Rank
- 2nd Lieutenant, December 19, 1958
- LieutenantLieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, 26 of July, 1959 - Captain, March 1, 1961
- Major, August 19, 1963
- Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
, January 19, 1966 - ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, March 31, 1968 - Brigadier GeneralBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
, April 1, 1969 - Major GeneralMajor GeneralMajor general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
, July 1, 1971.
Military governor
On January 17, 1966, the then Lt Colonel Hassan Usman Katsina became the military governor of the Northern province of Nigeria. He was handed over the reins of power by major Chukwuma Kaduna NzeogwuChukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu
Patrick Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, was born in the Northern Region’s capital of Kaduna to Igbo immigrant parents from the Mid-Western Region-Okpanam Town, near Asaba in the present day Delta State.-Background:...
, a major figure in the coup that first brought to power the Nigerian military and led to the death of Ahmadu Bello
Ahmadu Bello
Sir Ahmadu Bello was a Nigerian politician, and was the first premier of the Northern Nigeria region from 1954-1966. He was one of the prominent leaders in Northern Nigeria alongside Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, both of whom were prominent in negotiations about the region's place in an independent...
, the former premier of the province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
. Hassan Katsina stepped into a new position that was in need of strong leadership to calm nerves as a result of the military incursion to power and the death of prominent political leaders from the region
Region
Region is most commonly found as a term used in terrestrial and astrophysics sciences also an area, notably among the different sub-disciplines of geography, studied by regional geographers. Regions consist of subregions that contain clusters of like areas that are distinctive by their uniformity...
. His administration chose to carry on with the progress attained by the Late Bello and brought aboard senior civil servants in the region who possessed administrative attributes that could continue with the success achieved by Ahmadu Bello. During his brief period of leadership, he led the Interim Common Services Agency, an agency which undertook the task of sharing the collective resources of the region in a new decentralized political and economic system of governance
Governance
Governance is the act of governing. It relates to decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. It consists of either a separate process or part of management or leadership processes...
.
Hassan Katsina, also revitalized political linkage with the emirate
Emirate
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....
s in the north as a support base for his new administration; and was close to re-introducing the old Native Administrative structures of the colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
system, where emirs played a major role. On the under hand, he also promised to reform the native administration and local governance.
Keys figures in his administration were Ali Akilu, who later played a major role in the creation of states in the north, Ibrahim Dasuki and Sunday Awoniyi
Sunday Awoniyi
Sunday Bolorunduro Awoniyi, CON was a Nigerian Yoruba politician and tribal aristocrat as the Aro of Mopa in Kogi State...
.
Instances of rebellion
However, his administration sometimes had to control violent actions from the populace and in his own military camp. In May 1966, some Northern cities were engulfed in a series of violent killings in reaction to various political events of the period. The north, which in 1952 had no more than three secondary schools were still suffering from inadequacy in educational facilities when the military administration of General Ironsi announced a unitaryUnitary
Unitary may refer to:* Unitary construction, in automotive design, another common term for a unibody or monocoque construction**Unitary as chemical weapons opposite of Binary...
system of governance. Many Northerners feared they may be overwhelmed in administrative positions by the numerous educated southerners especially, Igbos, resorted to violence fueled by the aforementioned, and a few other reasons including the notion that the January 15, 1966 coup was an Igbo coup. This led to the exodus of a number of easterners from the region.
Later life
Though, he was respected by some of the military officers who led the 1975 coup, a few of whom he had promoted rapidly, he was retired in 1975 and later rejected entreaties for a governmental appointment after his retirement.He was later involved in the formation of a few political organizations such as the National Party of Nigeria
National Party of Nigeria
The National Party of Nigeria was the dominant political party in Nigeria during the Second Republic .-Formation:The party's beginning could be traced to private and sometimes secret meetings among key Northern Nigerian leaders after the proscription of political parties in 1966 by the military...
and the Committee of Concerned Citizens. He was also an ardent fan of the game of polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
.
External links
- http://www.nigerian-army.org