Lawal Kaita facts for kids

Lawal Kaita (born October 4, 1932 – died January 2, 2018) was a Nigerian politician. He was elected as the governor of Kaduna State in Nigeria. He served as governor for a short time, from October to December 1983. His time in office ended when the military took over the government.

Even after this, he remained an important politician. He helped start a political party called the Action Congress of Nigeria (AC) in 2006.

His Early Life and School Days

Lawal Kaita was born on October 4, 1932, in Katsina, a city in northern Nigeria.

He was related to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. He was also part of the royal family of Nagogo, who were traditional rulers in the Katsina area.

He went to Barewa College in Zaria from 1946 to 1950. Later, he studied at the London School of Economics between 1971 and 1972.

Starting His Career

After finishing his studies, Lawal Kaita began working for the government in Kaduna State.

He held several important positions. He was the Secretary for the State Water Board from 1973 to 1975. Then, he became the Commissioner for Economic Planning from 1975 to 1976. After that, he worked as the Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Works in Kaduna State from 1976 to 1977.

His Political Journey Begins

Lawal Kaita started his political career by being part of the Constituent Assembly of Nigeria from 1977 to 1978. This group helped create the country's constitution.

He also worked as a Special Assistant to President Shehu Shagari from 1980 to 1982.

In 1979, he ran for governor of Kaduna State but lost by a small number of votes. He later helped his party remove the governor from office in 1981.

In 1982, he tried to become the traditional ruler (Emir) of Katsina.

He was elected as the Governor of Kaduna State in 1983. However, he only served for a few months. A military coup, which is when the military takes control of the government, ended his term in December 1983.

In 1995, after a political leader named General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua was put in jail, Kaita became the leader of Yar'Adua's political group. This group included many well-known politicians. They tried to form a new political party, but it was not officially registered.

Lawal Kaita was also a member of the Constitutional Conference from 1994 to 1995. In 1998, he was one of the people who helped create the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Later Political Activities

When President Olusegun Obasanjo came to power in 1999, Lawal Kaita was made the chairman of a government agency under the Ministry of Transport.

In 2002, he was the president of the Nigerian Polo Association, which organizes polo sports in Nigeria.

By 2003, he was the chairman of the Maritime Authority, which deals with sea transportation. He was also a member of the board of trustees for the PDP and a director at SGBN Bank.

In September 2006, Kaita left the PDP. He joined others to form a new party called the Action Congress (AC).

In March 2010, there were talks that Kaita might return to the PDP. He met with the Governor of Katsina State and other PDP leaders.

In August 2010, Lawal Kaita officially rejoined the PDP. This event was attended by many people who also switched from the Action Congress to the PDP.

Lawal Kaita passed away on January 2, 2018, at the age of 85.

More to Explore

• List of Governors of Kaduna State
• List of University of London people