Gawain Westray Bell

Sir Gawain Westray Bell (21 January 1909 – 26 July 1995) was a British colonial administrator who became the Governor of Northern Nigeria.

Early life Bell was born in Cape Town, South Africa to an executive of the New Zealand Shipping Company. At 10, his family moved back to Cumberland, England where he attended the Dragon School, Oxford, Winchester College and Hertford College, Oxford.

Sudan, Palestine, and World War II In 1931, Bell entered the Sudan Political Service, where he learned Arabic. His postings included Eastern Sudan, the Nuba Mountains, and Kurdofan.

In 1938, Bell was seconded to the Government of Palestine where he worked with the police in Gaza. He eventually became commander of the Beersheba Camel Gendarmerie. In 1945, he married Silvia Cornwell-Clyne. where he worked closely with Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. Bello was regarded by the British as difficult to work with; Bell came to his new job with an open mind and won over Bello to the point that he was asked to remain in his post as governor after Nigeria gained its independence from the United Kingdom. He stepped down as governor in 1962.

He published two volumes of memoirs. The first, "Shadows on the Sand", was published in 1984 and covers his life through his time in the Sudan. The second, "An Imperial Twilight", details his five years in Nigeria, as well as his time in Arabia. Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1955) Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (1957) Knight of the Order of St John (1959)