About Shehu Shagari
Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (; 25 February 1925 – 28 December 2018) was a Nigerian politician who was the first democratically elected president of Nigeria, after the transfer of power by military head of state General Olusegun Obasanjo in 1979, which gave rise to the Second Nigerian Republic. He briefly worked as a teacher before entering politics in 1951; and was elected into the House of Representatives in 1954. At various times between 1958 through independence of Nigeria in 1960 and 1975, he held a cabinet post as a federal commissioner. During these periods, Shagari made significant contributions to various sectors of the Nigerian economy. As Minister of Works, he played a key role in infrastructure development. As Minister of Economic Development, he was instrumental in formulating Nigeria's post-independence National Economic Plan, and as Federal Commissioner (now Minister) for Finance, he oversaw the launch of the Naira. As president, he prioritized economic development, infrastructure expansion, and industrialization, commissioning the Ajaokuta Steel Mill, the largest steel project in Africa, to lay the foundation for Nigeria's industrial growth. His administration faced challenges, including economic downturns and political instability. His tenure ended with a military coup in 1983. The town of Shagari was founded by his great-grandfather, Ahmadu Rufa'i. Shehu Usman Shagari entered politics in 1951 when he became the secretary of the Northern People's Congress in Sokoto, Nigeria, a position he held until 1956. However, his early political activities started in 1945, when as a teacher he founded a youth group called Youth Social Circle in Sokoto and became its secretary. The organization became one of the smaller groups that came together to be part of Northern People's Congress (NPC), which was founded in 1948.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.