Hamani Diori facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hamani Diori
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Diori in 1968
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| 1st President of Niger | |
| In office 10 November 1960 – 15 April 1974 |
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| Preceded by | Himself as Prime Minister of Niger, French Community |
| Succeeded by | Seyni Kountché |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 June 1916 Soudouré, Niger, French West Africa |
| Died | 23 April 1989 (aged 72) Rabat, Morocco |
| Political party | PPN-RDA |
| Spouse | Aissa Diori |
Hamani Diori (born June 6, 1916 – died April 23, 1989) was the first President of the Republic of Niger. He became president in 1960 when Niger became an independent country.
During his time as leader, he was respected internationally. He spoke for African nations and helped solve problems between them. However, his government faced issues at home, including the misuse of power and money. His time as president ended in 1974 because of a military takeover.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Hamani Diori was born on June 6, 1916, in Soudouré, a town near Niamey, the capital of Niger. His father worked in public health for the French colonial government.
Diori went to the William Ponty Teachers' Training College in Dakar, Senegal. After finishing school, he worked as a teacher in Niger from 1936 to 1938. Later, he taught the Hausa and Djerma languages in Paris, France.
Working for Independence
In 1946, Diori was the headmaster of a school in Niamey. That year, he helped start the Nigerien Progressive Party (PPN). This party was a local part of a bigger African political group called the African Democratic Rally (RDA).
Later in 1946, Diori was chosen to be part of the French National Assembly. This was like a parliament in France. In 1951, he lost an election to his cousin, Djibo Bakary. But in 1956, Diori was elected again and became a deputy-speaker.
In 1958, Niger voted to become self-governing. Diori then became the leader of the temporary government. In 1959, he became the Prime Minister of the republic.
Becoming President of Niger
Niger gained its full independence from France on August 3, 1960. In November 1960, the country's national assembly elected Hamani Diori as president. He brought together many important leaders from different groups, like the Hausa, Fula, and Djerma, to support Niger's independence. This also helped him gain favor with France.
Soon after independence, Diori made the PPN the only legal political party in Niger. His government wanted to keep traditional ways of life and stay close to France economically. From the early 1960s, he ruled with a small group of people who had been important before independence.
Diori held many important jobs at once. From 1960 to 1963, he was his own defense minister and foreign minister. He took over the foreign ministry again from 1965 to 1967. His most powerful advisor was Boubou Hama, a writer and the head of the National Assembly. The National Assembly of Niger usually met once a year to approve the government's plans. Diori was the only candidate for president, so he was re-elected without opposition in 1965 and 1970.
Diori became well-known around the world. He spoke up for African countries and helped solve problems between them. However, at home, his government faced problems. There were reports of people in power misusing money. The government also struggled to help people during a severe drought in the early 1970s, which caused widespread hunger.
People in Niger started to criticize Diori for not focusing enough on domestic issues. In December 1963, he stopped an attempt to overthrow his government. He also survived an assassination attempt in 1965. He used help from French advisors and troops to keep his power. Some students and workers protested against what they saw as too much French influence. His relationship with France also became difficult when his government was unhappy with how much France was investing in uranium production in Niger.
End of His Rule
There was growing unrest in Niger. People were upset because some government officials were accused of unfairly taking food aid meant for others. Diori was also criticized for gathering too much power. He mainly appointed family members and close friends to important government positions. He also declared himself the minister of foreign affairs and defense.
On April 15, 1974, Lieutenant Colonel Seyni Kountché led a military takeover, which ended Diori's presidency. Hamani Diori was put in prison for six years. After he was released in 1980, he remained under house arrest until 1987. This meant he had to stay at home and could not leave freely.
After being released from house arrest, he moved to Morocco. He passed away there on April 23, 1989, at the age of 72.
See also
In Spanish: Hamani Diori para niños
