In July 1961, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the Prime Minister of Nigeria, visited the White House in Washington, D.C., where he was formally received by John F. Kennedy, the President of the United States. This historic visit marked the first time a Nigerian leader was hosted by an American president, reflecting Nigeria’s growing diplomatic presence in the early post-independence era.

Key Highlights of the Meeting

Diplomatic Significance: The meeting symbolized strengthening ties between Nigeria, newly independent in 1960, and the United States.

Participants: Chief Momo Udochi, a senior Nigerian official, was also present during the discussions, representing aspects of Nigeria’s civil administration and governance interests.

Bilateral Discussions: Topics likely included trade, education, technical assistance, and geopolitical collaboration in the context of the Cold War.

Historical Note

Tragically, both leaders were assassinated within a few years after this meeting:

John F. Kennedy in November 1963, during his presidency in the United States.

Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in January 1966, during the military coup in Nigeria.

This meeting remains a milestone in Nigeria–United States relations, symbolizing the diplomatic strides of newly independent African nations during the early 1960s.

Sources:

National Archives, Nigeria – Diplomatic Records (1961)

White House Historical Association – Presidential Visits

Britannica, Biography of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa

U.S. Department of State – Historical Diplomatic Visits

In 1906, Obalende became a resettlement site for soldiers and the veterans of the Royal West Force (RWAFF). Hence, the name, Obalende was given by the natives of the land.

The Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) made up of predominantly Hausa men were initially camped on the land where King’s College, Lagos is situated.

Then, a need arose for the use of the land and the Oba of Lagos pressured the Governor of Lagos to resettle the RWAFF men, and sold virgin land in what is now Obalende to the British Colonial Government.

So they were somehow ‘chased’ to a new site at Obalende by the ‘Oba’.

Hence the name Obalende was coined:

The RWAFF men named the place Ibi ti Ọba lé wà dé, which translated from Yoruba means “the place where the king drove us to”.

Photo: Undated image of Adamu Sokoto when he joined the Royal West African Frontier Force.

Image sourced from IWM.

Source Greg Nwoko

Sir David Hunt served as the United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Nigeria from 1967 to 1969, a period that coincided with the outbreak and most intense years of the Nigerian Civil War.

Military and Diplomatic Background

Before entering the diplomatic service, Hunt had a distinguished career in the British Army during World War II, where he served with distinction. After the war, he joined the British Diplomatic Service and held various postings before being appointed High Commissioner to Nigeria in 1967, shortly after Nigeria’s Eastern Region declared independence as Biafra.

Role During the Nigerian Civil War

Hunt’s tenure in Lagos was dominated by Britain’s controversial policy toward the war between the Federal Military Government of Nigeria and the secessionist state of Biafra, led by Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
The British government, under Prime Minister Harold Wilson, maintained official support for Nigeria’s federal government, including the continued supply of arms. This policy attracted heavy criticism from sections of the British Parliament, humanitarian groups, church organizations, and segments of the press, particularly as images of widespread starvation in Biafra circulated internationally.
Critics argued that British military support helped sustain the Federal blockade that contributed to severe humanitarian suffering in the secessionist region. Supporters of the policy maintained that Britain was backing Nigeria’s territorial integrity and preventing the fragmentation of a former colony.
Allegations circulated at the time—and later in memoirs and commentary—that Hunt harbored personal animosity toward Ojukwu. Claims included suggestions of strained personal interactions and social tensions in Lagos. Some accounts also mention his second wife, Iro Myrianthousis, niece of businessman Anastasios George Leventis, though such personal narratives remain part of contested and anecdotal discussions rather than established diplomatic record.

Later Career and Public Recognition

Hunt left Nigeria in 1969 and was subsequently appointed British Ambassador to Brazil. Beyond diplomacy, he became widely known in Britain for winning the BBC quiz program Mastermind, further adding to his public profile.

Historical Assessment

Sir David Hunt remains a controversial figure in discussions of Britain’s role during the Nigerian Civil War. His tenure reflects the complexities of Cold War-era diplomacy, post-colonial relations, and humanitarian crises in newly independent African states.

Sources

UK National Archives records on British policy during the Nigerian Civil War

Parliamentary debates (Hansard), 1967–1969

Biographical entries on Sir David Hunt

Contemporary British press coverage (1967–1970)

BBC archives on Mastermind

Photo referenced as 1970 (internet source).