Garba, Joseph Nanven

Nigerian military officer and diplomat (b. July 17, 1943, Langtang, Nigeria—d. June 1, 2002, Abuja, Nigeria), participated in the 1975 bloodless coup that deposed Gen. Yakubu Gowon as head of state, then served as external affairs commissioner (foreign minister) until 1978 and as Nigeria's ambassador to the UN (1984–89). Garba studied public administration at Harvard University (1982–83). A committed pan-Africanist,