Justice G.B.A. Coker chaired the inquiry into the National Investment & Properties Co Ltd and other Western Region statutory corporations. Findings used as political weapon against Action Group leadership during the 1962 Western Region crisis. Awolowo subsequently tried for treason (1963).
1st Republic1962· Status: Implemented· Chapter II · Law
Coker Commission
Inquiry into the affairs of statutory corporations in the Western Region. Findings damaging to Awolowo / Action Group.
Sources
- · Coker Commission of Inquiry Report (1962)
What it cost — political & economic reality
The political and economic reality
Nigeria in 1962: who was in charge, the cabinet of the day, the GDP, and the crises that defined the period.
Prime Minister · First Republic
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
1960–1966· NPC
National reality
Independence on 1 October 1960. Regional rivalries (NPC, NCNC, AG) dominated politics. Awolowo treason trial (1962–63). Western Region crisis (1962–65) and the disputed 1964 federal election destabilised the Republic.
Crises of the period
- Action Group crisis (1962)
- Western Region election violence (1965)
- January 15, 1966 coup — Balewa, Ahmadu Bello and Akintola killed
GDP (World Bank)
≈ $4.2 bn (1960, World Bank)
Cabinet (selected portfolios)
- Finance
Festus Okotie-Eboh
- Justice (AGF)
Dr. Taslim Olawale Elias
- Defence
Sir Muhammadu Ribadu
- Foreign Affairs
Jaja Wachuku
- Education
Aja Nwachukwu
Source: Federal Gazette 1960–66; Falola & Heaton (2008)
Methodology
Tier 1 · primary
Courts. Gazettes. National archives.
Tier 2 · corroborating
OCCRP. HRW. BudgIT. TheCable.
Redline
Wikipedia is never a source.