Eastern Region, Nigeria

Eastern Region
Autonomous region of Nigeria
1954–1967

CapitalEnugu
DemonymEasterner
Area 
• 1965
76,145.65 km2 (29,400.00 sq mi)
Population 
• 1965
12,000,000
GovernmentEastern Nigerian Government
 • TypeParliamentary constitutional monarchy (1954–1963)
Parliamentary republic (1963–1966)
Military dictatorship (1966–1967)
Governor 
• 1954–1956
Clement John Pleass
• 1956–1960
Robert Stapledon
• 1960–1966
Francis Akanu Ibiam
• 1966–1967
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu
Premier 
• 1951–1953
Eyo Ita
• 1954–1959
Nnamdi Azikiwe
• 1959–1966
Michael Okpara
LegislatureEastern Regional Assembly
• Upper house
House of Chiefs
• Lower house
House of Assembly
Historical eraDecolonisation of Africa
1884
1 October 1954
• Elections
15 March 1957
1 October 1960
• Elections
16 November 1961
1 October 1963
15 January 1966
28 July 1966
May–October 1966
5 January 1967
• Independence (as Biafra)
27 May 1967
15 January 1970
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Colonial Nigeria
Biafra
Today part ofNigeria

The Eastern Region was an administrative region in Nigeria, dating back originally from the division of the colony Southern Nigeria in 1954. Its first capital was Calabar. The capital was later moved to Enugu and the second capital was Umuahia. The region was officially divided in 1967 into three new states, the East-Central State, Rivers State and South-Eastern State. East-Central State had its capital at Enugu, which is now part of Enugu State.[1]

The region had the third-, fourth- and fifth-largest indigenous ethnic groups including Igbo, Ibibio and Ijaw. It was what later became Biafra, which was in rebellion from 1967 to 1970.[2]


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