The Governor-General of Nigeria was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in Colonial Nigeria from 1954 to 1960, and after Nigerian independence in 1960, the representative of the Nigerian head of state.

The office was created on 1 October 1954, when the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria was created as an autonomous federation within the British Empire. After independence in 1960, the governor-general became the representative of the Nigerian monarch, and the office continued to exist till 1963, when Nigeria abolished its monarchy, and became a republic.[1][2][3]

Flag of the governor-general of Nigeria

This article contains a list of governors and governors-general of the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, and later of the Federation of Nigeria; both as a British overseas possession and an independent monarchy.[4][5]

Flag of Nigeria (1914–1952)

Governor-general of Nigeria, 1914–1919

Portrait Name Took office Left office Sovereign
Sir Frederick Lugard
(1858–1945)		 1 January 1914 8 August 1919 George V

Governors of Nigeria, 1919–1954

Portrait Name Took office Left office Sovereign
Sir Hugh Clifford
(1866–1941)		 8 August 1919 13 November 1925 George V
Sir Graeme Thomson
(1877–1933)		 13 November 1925 17 June 1931 George V
Sir Donald Cameron
(1872–1948)		 17 June 1931 1 November 1935 George V
Sir Bernard Bourdillon
(1883–1948)		 1 November 1935 1 July 1940 George V
Edward VIII
George VI
Sir John Evelyn Shuckburgh
(1877–1953)		 1 July 1940 1942 George VI
Sir Alan Burns
(1887–1980)		 1942 18 Dec 1943 George VI
Sir Arthur Richards
(1885–1978)		 18 Dec 1943 5 February 1948 George VI
Sir John Macpherson
(1898–1971)		 5 February 1948 1 October 1954 George VI
Elizabeth II

Governors-general of Nigeria, 1954–1963

Following is a list of people who have served as governor-general of Nigeria.[1]

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office Monarch
(Reign)
Took office Left office Time in office
Governors-general representing the monarch of the United Kingdom
1 Sir John Stuart Macpherson
(1898–1971) 		1 October
1954 		15 June
1955 		257 days
Elizabeth II

(1954–1960)
2 Sir James Wilson Robertson
(1899–1983) 		15 June
1955 		1 October
1960 		5 years, 108 days
Governors-General representing the monarch of Nigeria
(2) Sir James Wilson Robertson
(1899–1983) 		1 October
1960 		16 November
1960 		46 days
Elizabeth II

(1960–1963)
3 Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe
(1904–1996) 		16 November
1960 		1 October
1963 		2 years, 319 days

Flag of the governor-general

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Dennis Chukude Osadebay (1978), Building a Nation: An Autobiography, Macmillan Nigeria, p. 109, ISBN 9789781322662
  2. ^ Benjamin Obi Nwabueze (1982). A Constitutional History of Nigeria. C. Hurst & Co. p. 74. ISBN 9780905838793.
  3. ^ Federal Nigeria: Volumes 6-11, Consulate General of Nigeria, 1963, p. 2
  4. ^ Kirk-Greene, Anthony H. M. (1978). "On Governorship and Governors in British Africa". In Duignan, Peter; Gann, L. H. (eds.). African Proconsuls: European Governors in Africa. New York: Free Press. pp. 244–250 – via WebAfriqa.net.
  5. ^ Manton, John (2008). "'The Lost Province': Neglect and Governance in Colonial Ogoja". History in Africa. 35: 327–345. doi:10.1353/hia.0.0010.

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