Background
Abednigo was born on January 13, 1922, at Lozitha.
Abednigo was born on January 13, 1922, at Lozitha.
Educated at Zombode, then Matsapa Swazi National School, and finally in South Africa at St Chad's College, Natal.
After teaching at Zombode, he took a job with the Swaziland Medical Department’s malaria control unit. He left to work in South Africa with the Johannesburg City Council. On returning home he became Clerk to the Swaziland National Council's standing committee. Next advancement: private secretary to the King.
From 1961 to 1963 he played an important role on the Swaziland Constitutional Committee and was a delegate to the constitutional conferences in January and July 1963 at London. As Imbokodvo candidate he won a Legislative Assembly seat for the Manzini constituency at the elections in June 1964.
His first portfolio was Local Administration and Social Development in the first elected Executive Council in 1964. The following year he was made responsible for urban affairs. After his success in the 1967 elections he became Minister of Agriculture. His seniority made him an influential delegate at the independence conference in London in 1967.
Re-elected in May 1972 and reestablished at the Ministry of Agriculture in June, he took great interest in extending land ownership and modernising farm methods.
A middle-of-the-road minister whose experiences of working in South Africa have left him wary of supporting South African policies. As private secretary to the King for 10 years he acquired a certain influence and undoubted administrative expertise. His straightforward style has enabled him to keep in touch with the opinions and aspirations of ordinary people.
Son-in-law of the King and one of the top four Cabinet ministers. The country’s first Minister of Agriculture at independence, a reliable, painstaking politician. Not openly ambitious, he could be Prime Minister one day since many regard him as a possible compromise candidate to stabilise the situation of a clash seemed likely over the leadership.