Republic Day, a national holiday in the
Republic of Niger is commemorated on 18 December 1958.
Importance of date
Although not the date of formal, complete independence from
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, 18 December marks the founding of the Republic and creation of the
Presidency of the Republic of Niger, following the constitutional changes of the
French Fifth Republic
The Fifth Republic () is France's current republic, republican system of government. It was established on 4 October 1958 by Charles de Gaulle under the Constitution of France, Constitution of the Fifth Republic..
The Fifth Republic emerged fr ...
, and the elections of 4 December 1958 held across
the French colonial possessions. Nigeriens consider this date to be the founding of their national institutions. Between 18 December 1958 and 3 August 1960, Niger remained a semi-autonomous Republic within the
French Community
The French Community () was the constitutional organization set up in October 1958 between France and its remaining African colonies, then in the process of decolonization. It replaced the French Union, which had reorganized the colonial em ...
.
Commemoration
Since 1958, the 18th has been an historic anniversary, widely commemorated, but not a national festival. In 2005, the government of the Fifth Republic of Niger declared the 18th a national holiday, in conjunction with the 3 August
Independence Day
An independence day is an annual event memorialization, commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or Sovereign state, statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or after the end of a milit ...
.
The 18th is celebrated in Niger with official festivals and appearances of political leaders, as well as public parties and festivities. It is a
public holiday
A public holiday, national holiday, federal holiday, statutory holiday, bank holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year.
Types
Civic holiday
A ''civic holiday'', also k ...
, in which government offices and many businesses close. The 50th anniversary celebrations were held in 2008, centered not in the capitol, but in the regional center of
Tillabéry, and surrounded by sports, musical and arts competitions, the construction and opening of new buildings, a National Youth Festival, and other public festivities. Since the beginning of this national festival in 2006, the official commemorations have always taken place at
Regional capitals.
Zinder
Zinder (locally, ''Damagaram''), formerly also spelled Sinder, is the third largest city in Niger, with a population of 235,605 as by the 2012 census. It is situated east of the capital Niamey and north of the Nigerian city of Kano.
History ...
was chosen for 2006 (the 48th anniversary) and again in 2018,
Tahoua
Tahoua is a city in Niger and the administrative centre of the Department of Tahoua and the larger Tahoua Region. ...
for 2007 and again 2017,
Agadez
Agadez ( Air Tamajeq: ⴰⴶⴰⴷⴰⵣ, ''Agadaz''), formerly spelled Agadès, is the fifth largest city in Niger, with a population of 110,497 based on the 2012 census. The capital of the eponymous Agadez Region, the city lies in the Sahara ...
for 2016,
Maradi for 2015,
Dosso for 2014, etc. The National Youth Festival, previously held at other dates, has been tied to the new Holiday.
Commémoration du 18 décembre à Tillabéri : Sons et lumières à la cité des Maïga
. Assane Soumana, Sahel Dimanche. 12 December 2008
See also
* History of Niger
Humans have inhabited present-day Niger since prehistoric times, with evidence of early activity dating back 60,000 years. The region hosted ancient rock carvings and pastoral communities from 7,000 BCE. Once fertile, it supported large settlem ...
Notes
References
''Célébration du cinquantenaire de la République à Niamey • Le Premier ministre se réjouit des préparatifs de la grande fantasia''
Mahaman Bako, nigerdiaspora. 16 December 2008.
* James Decalo. ''Historical Dictionary of Niger''. Scarecrow Press/ Metuchen. NJ – London (1979)
* Finn Fuglestad. ''A History of Niger: 1850–1960''. Cambridge University Press (1983) {{ISBN, 0-521-25268-7
Public holidays in Niger
December observances
Niger
Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...