Michael Okpara

Michael Okpara was elected Premier of Eastern Nigeria after the 1959 regional elections, succeeding Nnamdi Azikiwe. He led the region during the final years before Nigerian independence and the early post-independence period.

Premier Okpara launched the Farm Settlement Scheme, a major agricultural policy aimed at modernizing farming in Eastern Nigeria. The program provided young farmers with land, equipment, and training to increase food production and reduce rural unemployment.

As Premier, Michael Okpara oversaw the establishment of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). The university was founded to provide higher education opportunities in the Eastern Region and became a major center for academic and intellectual life in Nigeria.

After the first military coup in Nigeria, Michael Okpara was arrested and imprisoned by the new military government. He was detained for several years, accused of corruption and involvement in the Biafran secession, though he was never formally tried.

After his release from prison following the end of the Nigerian Civil War, Michael Okpara went into exile in Ireland. He remained abroad for over a decade, returning to Nigeria only after the political climate had changed.