Abubakar Tafawa Balewa vs Hara Takashi

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was appointed as the first Prime Minister of Nigeria in 1957, leading a coalition government. He oversaw the final stages of Nigeria's transition to independence, which was achieved in 1960. His leadership was marked by efforts to maintain unity among the country's diverse regions.

Balewa, as Prime Minister, signed the independence constitution on October 1, 1960, formally ending British colonial rule. He became the head of government of the newly sovereign Federation of Nigeria, a position he held until his death.

Prime Minister Balewa was abducted and killed by mutinous soldiers during Nigeria's first military coup on January 15, 1966. His body was found days later. The coup ended the First Republic and plunged Nigeria into a series of military regimes and the Biafran War.

Hara Takashi's government committed Japanese troops to the Siberian Intervention, an Allied expedition to support White Russian forces against the Bolsheviks. The intervention was costly and unpopular, leading to Japan's withdrawal in 1922.

Hara Takashi became Prime Minister of Japan in 1918, the first commoner to hold the office. His appointment marked a shift toward party politics and away from rule by the Meiji oligarchs.

Hara Takashi's government expanded the electorate by lowering the tax qualification for voting, increasing the number of eligible voters. He also strengthened the role of political parties in the cabinet, though he did not achieve universal male suffrage.

Hara Takashi was assassinated by a right-wing railway worker at Tokyo Station. His death shocked Japan and highlighted the growing political violence and opposition to democratic reforms from ultranationalist groups.