ot , ▁though ▁he ▁was ▁soon ▁released . ▁After ▁the ▁grant ing ▁of ▁internal ▁self - rule ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁into ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Niger ian ▁House ▁of ▁Assembly ▁on ▁the ▁N CN C ▁platform . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁he ▁held ▁various ▁Cab inet ▁positions ▁in ▁Eastern ▁Niger ia , ▁r anging ▁from ▁Minister ▁of ▁Health ▁to ▁Minister ▁of ▁Agricult ure ▁and ▁Production . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 3 , ▁when ▁N CN C ▁legisl ators ▁revol ted ▁against ▁the ▁party ▁leadership , ▁he ▁remained ▁loyal ▁and ▁joined ▁forces ▁with ▁Az iki we . ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁when ▁Az iki we ▁left ▁active ▁politics ▁to ▁become ▁Niger ia ' s ▁first ▁African ▁Governor - General , ▁Ok para ▁was ▁elected ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁N CN C . ▁His ▁out sp oken ▁manner ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁severe ▁stra in ▁in ▁relations ▁between ▁his ▁party ▁and ▁the ▁r uling ▁Northern ▁People ' s ▁Congress . ▁ ▁After ▁independence ▁Ok para ▁was ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁N CN C ▁and ▁Premier ▁of ▁Eastern ▁Niger ia ▁during ▁the ▁First ▁Republic ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁Although ▁he ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁polit icians ▁det ained ▁soon ▁after ▁the ▁military ▁coup ▁of ▁January , ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁he ▁surv ived ▁the ▁army ▁revol t , ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁other ▁two ▁premiers ▁were ▁killed . ▁