Nimeiri, Gaafar Mohamed el-

Nimeiri, Gaafar Mohamed el-

(born Jan. 1, 1930, Wad Nubawi, Omdurman, Sudan) President of The Sudan (1971–85). In 1969 he helped overthrow the civilian regime of Isma'il al-Azhari. Nimeiri's own government was temporarily ousted in 1971, but he was returned to office following a plebiscite. He granted autonomy to the Southern Sudan in 1972, inaugurated one of the world's largest sugar-refinery projects (1981), and sought to develop agriculture. His attempts to impose Islamic law were resisted by Christians and others in the south, which led to his fall from power.