Anambra State government has declared Tuesday, November 16 2021 a public holiday in honour Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Nigeria’s first president, who was born on November 16, 1904.

 

This announcement was made in a statement released by the state commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C. Don Adinuba on behalf of Governor Willie Obiano.

 

 “It was the Great Zik of Africa who inspired such outstanding Pan-African leaders as Dr Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana who led his country to freedom from colonial rule on March 6, 1957,” Adinuba said in the statement.

 

 “Zik, who was born in Zungeru in Niger State and grew up in Calabar and Lagos, studied various disciplines in the United States and remains the most urbane, cosmopolitan and intellectually engaging of all Nigerian leaders.

 

“He remains an unrivalled trailblazer, having established Nigeria’s first indigenous bank, African Continental Bank and Nigeria’s first indigenous university, the University of Nigeria at Nsukka, among other monumental and farsighted achievements.”

 

This is the third year that Anambra under governor Obiano would be observing Zik’s birthday anniversary.

 

Azikiwe was reputed to have led Nigeria to independence on October 1, 1960, and is popularly known as The Great Zik of Africa because of his extraordinary Pan-African vision and commitment.