chreld_b: The first thing that I noticed was the kind of reception that was given to Tafawa Balewa. You could tell he was regarded as a VIP. Being received by the VP and secretary of state of a country such as the USA, while the citizens gathered en mass to see the Nigerian Prime minister. But today because of how our leaders have abused their office when they are travel out of the country they are received with scorn and disdain and treated like inferior human beings. And it is even worse with the current president we have. Whom I doubt if he knows the respect and importance accorded to the office he holds. Granting personal interviews to reporters and being spoken to like as if he is a commoner and not a president. 2015 should come already and let us kick him out of office ASAP. The way he disgraces us internationally is becoming unbearable. I am waiting for an slowpoke to reply and ask me if me or my family has accomplished what GEJ has. Nonsense human beings .

eklassical: .,............And major chukwuemeka nzeogwu took this man's life during d first coup in 1966..........smh

Symphony007: are you okay? Tafawa balewa was one of the most educated nigeria leaders. This is man made me proud to be a nigerian during his u.s state visit. He examplified when nigeria was great and respected. He got a full state visit honour from pres. Kennedy including a state dinner. After which he made pres.kennedy fly over to newyork and he hosted a return state dinner at the waldrof astorian hotel. Everywhere he went, he was respected and and even honoured by the u.s association of journalist. Looking back at that state visit brings tear to my eye cause it just showed how far our country has fallen since then.

Parnassuss: WOW! This guy was legit! His poise was world class! If only that GEJ could replicate even his speaking confidence.
That said, I would like to point out that though this video shows a confident, intelligent and charismatic leader it tells almost nothing about his policies and actual skills. No matter what we see here, Nigeria as a country suffered a lot and his era is seen as the gateway to that limbo.
I will however go ahead and say that this man does not look like he deserved to be killed by the coup plotters, as an Igbo man it just dawned on me that Capt Nzeogwu might have quenched the north's brightest light. That is sobering.

nagoma:

You said it all in your last sentence. Your short statement explains the Igbo coup of 1966 and the war that followed and the mess we are in right now. The Igbos destroyed nigeria. They didn't see TBW as an elected Nigerian Prime Minister but as a northerner.

arewatech: This is one of the best leaders Nigeria has ever had. I'm very proud of him

hollandis: Stupid leader .He never addressed the nation for once.He was an illiterate .No wonder my great grand aunty called him dumb,cos he never talks

hiltop!:

One's word is one's mirror, I don't expect fragrance from sewerage. Your abominable ancestors had been ac-curs-ed with prejudices. Can't you people, for once, look at an issue without a jaundiced view?. Let your Dr. GEJ undertake such a trip with the same coverage and see how is going to perform. Oloriburuku omo.

crackhaus: OBADIAH777, I beg to differ on this your opinion. During that period(50's and 60's), Nigeria as a geographical entity commanded a ton of respect from international on-lookers and I guess this is the reason why Tafawa Balewa got such a welcome. Nigerians were never considered as less in the eyes of America until it became clear to them that we as a nation could no longer fend for its citizens even while the political elite lived in extravagance. Most, if not all, of Nigerians who travelled to the west in the 50's & 60's were learned men & women who sought to enrish their knowledge unlike today where majority of nigerians only seek greener pastures in the US so they can come back home to show-off the new car/house they acquired washing the white man's dishes.
I mean, check out you tube videos where journalists interview nigerian head of states from Babaginda to Obasanjo to Jonathan and then we can notice the condescending tone with which they interview Nigerian figures.
The question now is, was it always so? Absolutely not. Our leaders are responsible for degrading and belittling our soverignty and it will remain so for as long as things remain as they are in our country. I can't imaginge Isha sesay or Amanpour interviewing Obama or Cameron or even that north Korean guy the way they did Jonathan, its so phucking demoralizing at the least.

slim fit :


Fashola can get that type of recognition I can tell you and assure you that, take all sentiment out.

dinggle: What happened to the North? where did they get such an eloquent and confident leader......if not for his dressing you couldn't tell he was from the north.I also took note of Nigerians born in that era they spoke better English than what is spoken today. I wasn't born at the time so, I couldn't tell if he addressed the nation or not. If I should judge him from his 1961 visit...he made me a proud Nigerian.......If you must know I'm from the South-South, truth has no shame!

Symphony007: Tafawa balewa was one of the most educated nigeria leaders. This is man made me proud to be a nigerian during his u.s state visit. He examplified when nigeria was great and respected. He got a full state visit honour from pres. Kennedy including a state dinner. After which he made pres.kennedy fly over to newyork and he hosted a return state dinner at the waldrof astorian hotel. Everywhere he went, he was respected and and even honoured by the u.s association of journalist. Looking back at that state visit brings tear to my eye cause it just showed how far our country has fallen since then.

Rhino.5dm:
The arrogant greedy bastards murdered him in cold blood.

RIP the great one.

PeeDaVinci: [flash]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT5m9Fn9RBg[/flash]
other than the mosque-visiting part of the video (which may send negative message in the nigeria of today), i see a charismatic leader who looks very confident in his pose and speech (irrespective of his ugly look and dressing )

[size=18pt]check
2:27
7:40
25:20[/size] for his ATB's speeches

nex: Look at a real Nigerian leader. I watched this video some months ago, and I felt like burning the current Aso Rock occupant at the stake. Even as much as these people were so educated, the more they shunned opulence.

Here is a picture of the Prime Minister with his children during his annual leave. See the simple life the man is living no better than any average Nigerian citizen of that era.

By the way, Major Kaduna Nzeogwu did not kill Tafawa Balewa. It was Ifeajuna.