▁of ▁Niger ▁under ▁President ▁of ▁Niger , ▁Ham ani ▁D ior i . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁works ▁ ▁H ama ▁was ▁born ▁at ▁Fon é ko , ▁a ▁small ▁Song hai ▁village ▁in ▁western ▁Niger . ▁He ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁É cole ▁norm ale ▁sup érieure ▁William ▁Pont y ▁and ▁began ▁his ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁teacher , ▁in ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 2 0 s ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁French - tra ined ▁primary ▁school ▁teacher ▁from ▁what ▁would ▁soon ▁become ▁Niger . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁writer ▁he ▁worked ▁in ▁many ▁gen res ▁including ▁history ▁and ▁the ater . ▁His ▁writing ▁gained ▁international ▁attention ▁when ▁his ▁aut obi ography ▁Kot ia - n ima ▁won ▁the ▁Grand ▁prix ▁litt éra ire ▁d ' A frique ▁no ire . ▁His ▁ess ay ▁on ▁African ▁education ▁won ▁the ▁S eng hor ▁Prize ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁His ▁histor ies ▁are ▁said ▁to ▁place ▁a ▁great ▁value ▁on ▁or al ▁literature . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁H ama ▁had ▁been ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁found ers ▁of ▁the ▁Niger ien ▁Progress ive ▁Party ▁( P PN ), ▁a ▁regional ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁African ▁Democratic ▁R ally ▁( R DA ), ▁and ▁rose ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁close ▁advis er ▁of ▁party ▁leader ▁and ▁Deput y ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁National ▁Assembly ▁Ham ani ▁D ior i . ▁ ▁Following ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁the ▁P PN ▁became ▁the ▁r uling ▁and ▁sole ▁legal ▁party ▁in ▁Niger , ▁and ▁H ama ▁became ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁National