Zodi Ikhia
Encyclopedia
Zodi Ikhia was a Niger
ien politician.
Ikhia came from a wealthy Tuareg family; his father was a prominent person from Taghagar. He received his primary education in Niamey and his higher education at Ecole William Ponty
in Dakar
. In 1941 he began teaching for nomadic schools. He went on to become school director, first for the Ecole des enfants de troupe in Bingerville
and later Ecole des Kel Gress d'Arzérori.
In 1946, he joined the Nigerien Progressive Party, the Nigerien affiliate of the African Democratic Rally
. In 1948 he was elected to the general council of Tahoua
. Starting in 1948, he became active in the Nigerien teachers trade union
movement. In 1949, he joined the Union of Nigerien Independents and Sympathizers (UNIS), a group affiliated with the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance
(UDSR). He was elected to the French National Assembly
in the 1951 elections
, on the UNIS list headed by Georges Condat (which won both Nigerien seats). The next year he was elected to the Nigerien Territorial Assembly, representing Filingué
, and to the Grand Council of French West Africa
. He remained in the Grand Council until 1957.
In the French National Assembly, he sat in the UDSR group until 1953. He then joined the Independent Overseas (IOM) group. In the National Assembly, he had several short tenures in the National Education Commission. In January 1953, he was included in the Industrial Production Commission. After his defection to the IOM, Zodi became politically isolated. Zodi stood as a candidate on the UNIS list in the 1956. He lost his seat, being roundly defeated by Condat's new list the Nigerien Action Bloc.
After the election Zodi and his followers regrouped, and on March 6, 1957 they formed a new party called the Nigerien Democratic Front
(FDN). FDN was affiliated with the African Convention
. He edited the party journal L'Unité ('Unity').
When the first government of the Republic of Niger was formed on December 31, 1958, Ikhia was appointed Minister of Education, Youth and Sports. In his function as Minister of Education, he came into conflict with the Minister of Interior. In 1960 he was demoted to Secretary of State for National Defense. During this tenure, he visited Israel
.
Zodi Ikhia later became Minister of African Affairs.
In 1963, he took part in a failed coup d'etat
. He was arrested and sentenced to death. He was pardoned from execution and his sentence was changed to imprisonment. He was released from jail in 1971. After release from jail, he withdrew from political life.
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
ien politician.
Ikhia came from a wealthy Tuareg family; his father was a prominent person from Taghagar. He received his primary education in Niamey and his higher education at Ecole William Ponty
École normale supérieure William Ponty
École William Ponty was a government teachers' college in what is now Senegal. The school is now in Kolda, Senegal, where it is currently known as École de formation d’instituteurs William Ponty. It is associated with the French university IUFM at Livry-Gargan.-Notable alumni:Many of the school's...
in Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
. In 1941 he began teaching for nomadic schools. He went on to become school director, first for the Ecole des enfants de troupe in Bingerville
Bingerville
Bingerville is a city in south eastern Côte d'Ivoire, lying on the Ébrié Lagoon. Originally a market town, it grew as the capital of the then colony from 1909 until 1934. It is named after Louis-Gustave Binger, a former French colonial governor...
and later Ecole des Kel Gress d'Arzérori.
In 1946, he joined the Nigerien Progressive Party, the Nigerien affiliate of the African Democratic Rally
African Democratic Rally
The African Democratic Rally was a political party in French West Africa, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Founded in Bamako in 1946, the RDA quickly became one of the most important forces for independence in the region. Initially a Pan-Africanist movement, the RDA ceased to function as a...
. In 1948 he was elected to the general council of Tahoua
Tahoua
Tahoua is a city in Niger and the administrative center of the Department of Tahoua and the larger Tahoua Region. It has a population of 99,900 . The city is primarily a market town for the surrounding agricultural area, and a meeting place for the Tuareg people from the north and the Fulani people...
. Starting in 1948, he became active in the Nigerien teachers trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
movement. In 1949, he joined the Union of Nigerien Independents and Sympathizers (UNIS), a group affiliated with the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance
Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance
The Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance was a French political party found at the Liberation and in activity during the Fourth Republic...
(UDSR). He was elected to the French National Assembly
French National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
in the 1951 elections
French legislative election, 1951
Legislative elections were held in France on 17 June 1951 to elect the second National Assembly of the Fourth Republic.After the Second World War, the three parties which took a major part in the French Resistance to the German occupation dominated the political scene and government: the French...
, on the UNIS list headed by Georges Condat (which won both Nigerien seats). The next year he was elected to the Nigerien Territorial Assembly, representing Filingué
Filingue
Filingue is a town in southwestern Niger and is the capital city of Filingue Department. It is near to Niger's capital city Niamey....
, and to the Grand Council of French West Africa
French West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
. He remained in the Grand Council until 1957.
In the French National Assembly, he sat in the UDSR group until 1953. He then joined the Independent Overseas (IOM) group. In the National Assembly, he had several short tenures in the National Education Commission. In January 1953, he was included in the Industrial Production Commission. After his defection to the IOM, Zodi became politically isolated. Zodi stood as a candidate on the UNIS list in the 1956. He lost his seat, being roundly defeated by Condat's new list the Nigerien Action Bloc.
After the election Zodi and his followers regrouped, and on March 6, 1957 they formed a new party called the Nigerien Democratic Front
Nigerien Democratic Front
The Nigerien Democratic Front was a political party in Niger. The party was founded by Zodi Ikhia and his followers on March 6, 1957. It assembled the remainders of the Union of Nigerien Independents and Sympathizers...
(FDN). FDN was affiliated with the African Convention
African Convention
African Convention was a political party in French West Africa. The CA was formed at a meeting in Dakar on 11 January 1957. The CA constisted of the Senegalese Popular Bloc of Léopold Sédar Senghor, the African Popular Movement of Nazi Boni in Upper Volta and the Nigerien Democratic Front of...
. He edited the party journal L'Unité ('Unity').
When the first government of the Republic of Niger was formed on December 31, 1958, Ikhia was appointed Minister of Education, Youth and Sports. In his function as Minister of Education, he came into conflict with the Minister of Interior. In 1960 he was demoted to Secretary of State for National Defense. During this tenure, he visited Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Zodi Ikhia later became Minister of African Affairs.
In 1963, he took part in a failed coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
. He was arrested and sentenced to death. He was pardoned from execution and his sentence was changed to imprisonment. He was released from jail in 1971. After release from jail, he withdrew from political life.