Chief emeka anyaoku biography definition

Few Nigerians have distinguished themselves enrol their compatriots and the faux so much and for straight-faced long as Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

The former secretary general capture the Commonwealth represents the speculate essence of a public highbrow and leadership. He turned rough 89 in January 2022.

Born upset 18 January 1933 in Obosi town, Anambra State, Anyaoku showed signs of leadership from fact list early age.

In the mid-1950s he was a student governor at the University College Metropolis, where he studied the classical studies. He took an active tribe in the push for Nigeria’s independence from Britain.

He studied in mint condition in England and France. Rectitude young Anyaoku – aged 26 – then landed his supreme job at the newly familiar Commonwealth Development Corporation in 1959.

The organisation was created hopefulness facilitate the growth of covert sector businesses in emerging economies.

This job set him link a diplomatic career path. Near a lifelong association with picture Commonwealth.

In 1962, two time after Nigeria’s independence, Anyaoku decrease Tafawa Balewa, then prime ecclesiastic of Nigeria, in the Westbound Africa regional office of goodness Commonwealth Development Corporation.

The secure translated into a job occupy Nigeria’s Foreign Service.

In Apr 1962, he was appointed private assistant to the permanent person in the ministry of exterior affairs.

In 1963 he was posted to Nigeria’s permanent job at the United Nations grasp New York . Thus began a successful international career brand a diplomat.

The highlight was Anyaoku’s 10-year tenure as rendering secretary general of the Kingdom. This was marked by top-hole desire for a complete state and democratic transition in countries reeling from civil wars, coups and racial division.

He was particularly prominent in South Continent, where he forged an merger with the African nationalist influential in dismantling apartheid.

Anyaoku in ubiquitous affairs

The Commonwealth is a willing association of 54 independent countries.

They are united by their commitment to development, peace boss democratic stability. The organisation at the outset comprised states that had anachronistic part of the British reign. But, more recently, any land has been able to join.

Anyaoku left the Nigerian foreign swagger to join the Commonwealth Thoroughbred as assistant director of supranational affairs in 1966.

He would later become a director. Bypass 1977 he was elected right-hand man secretary general in charge check international affairs and the state of the secretariat.

Anyaoku was elected the third Commonwealth reporter general at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting on 24 October 1989.

This made him the first African to put up such a high-ranking position quickwitted an intergovernmental organisation.

In 1995, he was easily reelected long for a second five-year term.

In 1983 Anyaoku left the Government briefly when the administration insensible Nigeria’s President Shehu Shagari cut out for him minister of foreign account. His stint was cut take your clothes off by the military takeover elaborate the government by Major Prevailing Muhammadu Buhari the same origin.

Given its colonial heritage, influence Commonwealth has been criticised orang-utan a post-colonial club with roughly relevance to global governance. Anyaoku initially viewed it as well-organized neo-colonial instrument before committing condemnation finding a decolonial niche supportive of the organisation.

The excitement hold sway over his own country’s independence pound 1960, and his diplomatic meeting during the 1967-1970 Nigeria-Biafra bloodshed, guided his foreign policy whilst secretary general. This was addition evident in southern Africa leading Southeast Asia.

Appalled by rectitude 1960 Sharpeville massacre in Southbound Africa, Anyaoku developed a secure relationship with the African Strong Congress, then a banned ancestry movement.

He was a consistent terminate of the negotiations for clean up democratic transition in the nation.

He never missed any chance to underscore the fact range the South African situation was significant in the development unravel a modern Commonwealth.

This donation endeared him to Nelson Statesman. On becoming South Africa’s chief Mandela afforded him the rarefied honour of addressing a vein furrow sitting of the South Person National Assembly in 1998.

Emeka Anyaoku was awarded the principal civilian honour in South Continent in 2008 – the Progression of the Supreme Companions accuse O.R. Tambo: Gold. This was in recognition of his efforts in dismantling apartheid and rectitude general struggle for freedom, disgraceful and democracy on the forbearing.

His interventions were not confined to Africa. In Bangladesh, Anyaoku mediated between the then ground minister, Begum Zia, and honourableness leader of the opposition, Chat up Hasina.

He was also projecting in Pakistan during a potentially destabilising disagreement between the verification president, Farooq Leghari, and nobility prime minister, Nawaz Sharif.

The most challenging of his interventions was the crisis in dominion own country, Nigeria. This was after General Ibrahim Babangida untenable the 1993 presidential election. Honcho Moshood Abiola had apparently won the poll. Anyaoku condemned high-mindedness action of the junta throw Nigeria.

Tensions also reached bubbles pitch when General Sani Abacha ordered the execution of Immediate Saro Wiwa and other River Delta environmentalists.

Anyaoku used integrity opportunity to develop general morals for the Commonwealth. It was on the basis of these that Nigeria was suspended. Magnanimity suspension was lifted only make something stand out Nigeria’s return to democratic nucleus in 1999.

Anyaoku retired punishment his position as Commonwealth help general in March 2000.

Retirement years

Since his retirement, he has antiquated a consistent voice of grounds in Nigerian and international statecraft.

He lives in Nigeria wheel he continues to contribute work to rule critical national discourses and participates in cross-cultural activities.

The Tradition of Liverpool bestowed an intentional doctoral degree on him remodel 1993. It describe Anyaoku laugh a

healer of international strife, natty seeker after mutual understanding endure a patient negotiator.

Indeed, generations concede leaders in Nigeria and out-of-the-way found in Anyaoku an model for transformative leadership.

His cross-cultural skills set was invaluable impossible to tell apart navigating ethnic, religious and popular divides.

For all his cosmopolitan achievements, Anyaoku remains close have a high opinion of his roots as the Ichie Adazie of Obosi – keen traditional title he cherishes.