Emeka Anyaoku

Emeka Anyaoku was elected as the third Commonwealth Secretary-General at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1991. He took office on July 1, 1990, becoming the first African to hold the position.

During his tenure, Anyaoku played a key role in coordinating Commonwealth policy on the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa. He supported the transition to majority rule and the readmission of South Africa to the Commonwealth in 1994 after the election of Nelson Mandela.

Under Anyaoku's leadership, the Commonwealth suspended Nigeria's membership in 1995 following the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogoni activists by the military regime of Sani Abacha. This was a significant diplomatic sanction against his own country.