Kyari Magumeri also known as Chari Maigumeri (c. 1897 – 1972) was a Nigerian soldier who fought in both World Wars. During the Great War, Magumeri served in the German Army. He received an Iron Cross medal but was later captured in Garua. After his release, he joined the Nigerian regiment and fought on the British side. He retired in 1953 and was given the honorary title of Captain.

Life

Maigumeri was from

Borno State Borno State is a state in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered by Yobe to the west, Gombe to the southwest, and Adamawa to the south while its eastern border forms part of the national border with Cameroon, its northern border ...

. In 1913, he crossed the border to Northern Cameroons and joined the German forces fighting Britain during World War I. In 1915, he was awarded the

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...

(2nd class) medal for his efforts in fighting through a British ambush upon the death of his German officer. Maigumeri was soon captured by the British in Garua and was taken to a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...

camp. Upon his release in 1917, he offered to join the Nigeria Regiment. He was accepted by the British and after training, he was posted to the 3rd Battalion. He was given the rank of sergeant in 1920 and Company sergeant major in 1924. Just before the Aba Women’s Riot in 1929, he was given the rank of

Regimental sergeant major Regimental sergeant major (RSM) is an appointment that may be held by warrant officers class 1 (WO1) in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in the armies of many other Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, including Australi ...

. During World War II, Maigumeri was posted to East Africa and then North Africa. He saw the capture of

Mogadishu Mogadishu (, also ; so, Muqdisho or ; ar, مقديشو ; it, Mogadiscio ), locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port ...

and fought through the Abyssinian campaign. After the defeat of Italy, his battalion was posted to Sierra Leone where he met Nigerian recruits such as General

Ironsi Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi (3 March 1924 – 29 July 1966) was the first military head of state of Nigeria. He seized power during the ensuing chaos after the 15 January 1966 military coup, which decapitated the country's leadersh ...

. When his battalion was merged with the 81st and

82nd (West Africa) Division The 82nd (West African) Division was formed under British control during the Second World War. It took part in the later stages of the Burma Campaign and was disbanded in Burma between May and September 1946. History Formation The inspirat ...

, he followed them to the Burma Campaign. In 1945, after the end of the war, he represented the 3rd Battalion in a victory parade in London and was awarded the

British Empire Medal The British Empire Medal (BEM; formerly British Empire Medal for Meritorious Service) is a British and Commonwealth award for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown. The current honour was created in 1922 to ...

. He retired in 1953 as an honorary Captain in the Nigeria regiment. He was the first non-commissioned officer to be given the rank of Captaincy in

British West Africa British West Africa was the collective name for British colonies in West Africa during the colonial period, either in the general geographical sense or the formal colonial administrative entity. British West Africa as a colonial entity was orig ...

.Padmore, G. (1953, Sep 19). Queen appoints African captain. Courier (1950-1954) Retrieved from Proquest

Notes

References

*{{cite magazine , author= , date=September 1967 , title=Profile of Chari Maigumeri , magazine=Spear Magazine , location=Lagos , publisher=Daily Times , ref={{sfnref, Spear, 1967 Nigerian Army officers People from Borno State Kanuri people 1890s births Year of death missing