Hamani Diori

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Hamani Diori (6 June 1916 – 23 April 1989) was the first President of the Republic of Niger.

Born in the town of Soudouré, Diori was the son of a Djerma public health official in the French colonial administration. He attended the William Ponty Teachers' Training College in Dakar, Senegal, worked as a teacher in Niger from 1936 to 1938, and then as a Hausa and Djerma language instructor at the Institute of Overseas Studies in Paris.

In 1946, he was one of the founders of the Nigerien Progressive Party (PPN), a regional branch of the African Democratic Rally (RDA). Later that year, he was elected to the French National Assembly. In the 1951 election, Diori was defeated by his cousin and political rival Djibo Bakary. He was again elected to the assembly in 1956, and was chosen deputy-speaker.

In 1958, after a referendum that granted Niger self-government, Diori became president of the provisional government. He then became Prime Minister of the republic in 1959. During this period, the French government banned all political parties except the PPN, effectively making Niger a one-party state.

Niger gained independence from France on 3 August 1960 and Diori was elected president by the country's national assembly in November 1960. During his presidency, Diori's government favored the maintenance of traditional social structures and the retention of close economic ties with France. He was re-elected unopposed in 1965 and 1970.

He gained worldwide respect for his role as a spokesman for African affairs and as a popular arbitrator in conflicts involving other African nations. Domestically, however, his administration was rife with corruption, and the government was unable to implement much-needed reforms or to alleviate the widespread famine brought on by the Sahelian drought of the early 1970s.

Widespread civil disorder followed allegations that some government ministers were misappropriating stocks of food aid, and on 15 April 1974, Lieutenant colonel Seyni Kountché led a military coup that ended Diori's rule. He was imprisoned for six years. After his release in 1980, he remained under house arrest until 1987.

After being released from house arrest, he moved to Morocco, where he died on 23 April 1989 at the age of 72.

Preceded by: (–)	Prime Minister of Niger 1958–1960	Succeeded by: Post Abolished
Preceded by: (–)	President of Niger 1960–1974	Succeeded by: Seyni Kountché

Heads of State of Niger
Hamani Diori • Seyni Kountché • Ali Saibou • Mahamane Ousmane • Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara • Daouda Malam Wanké • Tandja Mamadou