Obafemi Awolowo

**Obafemi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awolowo** (6 March 1909 – 9 May 1987) na he be Nigerian politician wey serve as de first Premier of de Western region of Nigeria. Na dem know am as a big man towards Nigeria ein independence movement from 1957 to 1960. Na e be Awolowo wey found de Yoruba nationalist group Egbe Omo Oduduwa as well as de Premier of de Western Region under Nigeria ein parliamentary system from 1952 to 1959. Na he be de official opposition leader insyd de federal parliament to de Balewa government from 1959 to 1963.

As na he dey young na he be active journalist, wey he dey edit publications such as de Nigerian Worker den de African Sentinel, na he dey top of odas too. Later na he cam be turn founder den publisher of *Nigerian Tribune* of African Newspapers of Nigeria Ltd. As he cam get ein bachelor of commerce degree insyd Nigeria, he travel go London to do ein degree insyd law. Obafemi Awolowo be de first premier of de Western Region wey later he cam turn turn federal commissioner for finance, den vice chairman give Federal Executive Council during de Nigerian Civil War. Na he be like three times a major contender for de country ein highest office.

Na he komot Ikenne insyd Ogun State of south-western Nigeria, Awolowo start ein career, like sam of ein well-known contemporaries, as he be nationalist for de Nigerian Youth Movement insyd wich e cam rise to become Western Provincial Secretary. Na Awolowo make responsible for much of de progressive social legislation wey make Nigeria a modern nation. Insyd 1963, na dem try den jail am for 10 years for charges of sedition. Na de government pardon am insyd 1966, after wich dem appoint am de Minister of Finance. For de things na he do na he get recognition, na Awolowo be de first person de modern era dem name as de leader of de Yorubas (Yoruba: *Asíwájú Àwn Yorùbá or* *Asíwájú Ọmọ Oòduà*).

## Early life
Na dem born Awolowo as Jeremiah Obafemi Oyeniyi Awolowo on 6 March 1909 insyd de Remo town of Ikenne (present-day Ogun State of Nigeria). Na he be de son give David Shopolu Awolowo, a farmer den sawyer, den Mary Efunyela Awolowo. Na he get two sistos den maternal half-sister. Na dem born Awolowo ein poppie give a high chief den member of de Iwarefa, de leading faction of de traditional Osugbo group wey rule Ikenne.

Insyd 1896, na Awolowo ein poppie cam turn one of de first Ikenne natives to convert cam Christian. Na Awolowo ein paternal grandmommie, Adefule Awolowo, whom na Awolowo adore, be a devout worshipper of de Ifá. Na Adefule, Awolowo ein grandmommie, believe say na Obafemi be a reincarnation of ein poppie (ein great-grandpoppie). Na Awolowo ein poppie ein conversion to Christianity often go at odds plus ein family dema beliefs. Na he often challenge worshippers of de god of smallpox, Obaluaye. Na ein poppie ultimately die on April 8, 1920, of smallpox wen na Obafemi still dey around eleven years old.

Na e go chaw schools, wey dey include Baptist Boys' High School (BBHS), Abeokuta; den then he cam turn teacher insyd Abeokuta, after wich na he qualify as a shorthand typist. Subsequently, na he serve as a clerk at de Wesley College Ibadan, as well as a correspondent for de *Nigerian Times*.

After na he fini school for Wesley College, Ibadan, insyd 1927, he go enroll for University of London as distance student. Na he graduate plus de degree of Bachelor of Commerce(Hons.). He travel go UK for 1944 make he go learn law at University of London wey na dem call am for de Bar under de Honorable Society of de Inner Temple on 19 November 1946. Insyd 1949, na Awolowo found de *Nigerian Tribune*, a private Nigerian newspaper, wich na he use take spread nationalist consciousness among Nigerians.

## Politics
Insyd 1945, na he attend de fifth Pan-African Congress insyd Manchester as a representative of de Nigerian Youth Movement along plus H. O. Davies. An illustrious list of participants wey sanso attend wich na include Kwame Nkrumah, Hastings Banda, Jomo Kenyatta den Jaja Wachuku, among odas.

### As premier
Awolowo be di biggest federalist for Nigeria. For him book, Path to Nigerian Freedom (1947), na im first be federalist manifesto wey Nigerian politician write. E dey push for federalism say na di only way we go fit join national matter well, and as di oga of di Action Group, e dey lead di call for federal constitution, wey dem carry come for di 1954 Lyttleton Constitution, based on di plan wey him and him people from Western Region propose. E sabi well-well about minority rights and e dey talk say make dem shift di Federal Capital from Lagos, make dem let Lagos dey governed by di Western region wey plenty Yoruba people dey.

As di prime man, e show say e get vision and dey do di work well well. Awolowo na di big social democracy politician for di country. E dey support small public ownership plus small planning for government. E believe say di state suppose use Nigeria resources for education and government-led infrastructure. Some people no too happy, but e still bring free primary school wey everybody fit go and free health care for children for Western Region. E start di first TV service for Africa in 1959 and di Oduduwa Group, all dis one na from di plenty money wey cocoa business dey bring wey keep di region economy strong.

Dem Valedictory Speech wey e give on 3 November 1959 for di Western Region House of Assembly, wey e dey talk about wetin e don achieve from 1952 to 1959, go give you better context on how e dey work plus wetin e don do as administrator.

#### Insyde opposition
From independence eve, he dey run the Action Group as the Opposition Leader for federal parliament, leave Samuel Ladoke Akintola as Western Region Premier. Disagreements between Awolowo and Akintola on how to run Western region make Akintola join with Tafawa Balewa-led NPC federal government. E get constitutional wahala wey cause emergency for Western Region, plus e lead to serious breakdown of law den order.

Dem no fit enter government matter, Awolowo and him party dey face gbege dey increase. Akintola people, vex say dem no dey for power, form Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) under Akintola. Dem don already stop the Western Regional Assembly wey people elect, then federal government come do wahala wey bring Akintola NNDP come power without election. Small time after, dem arrest Awolowo and some of him guys, charge dem, convict dem (for treason), den dem lock dem under Balewa for say dem dey plan with Ghana government to overtake federal government.

##### As him be national leader
For 1966, dem release am and government pardon am, after that him take Minister of Finance position. From there, him help arrange joint venture wahala for Nigeria oil wey dem find, wey bring plenty oil money for ten years and gree country plenty wealth. Him also help set up national revenue sharing and fiscal allocation (FAAC), wey make new states wey dey support minority rights fit dey survive till today. E still get credit for name new currency, the NIGERIAN NAIRA wey come under him leadership.

For de matter wey dem block Biafra, wey more than 1 million Igbo pikin die of hunger, Awolowo talk say, "Everything dey okay for war, plus hunger na one of di weapons for war. I no sure why we go chop our enemies well, just to let dem fight us better."

##### As presidential candidate
For 1979 and 1983, e run for president under Unity Party but he no fit win as Shehu Shagari from the north carry de crown. For 1979, he go court challenge di loss, say di winning candidate no fit claim victory if e no carry 2/3 of di states (19 wey dey then). Dis wahala make Supreme Court drop better decision for 1979, with Chief Justice Fatai Williams dey lead am.

## Legacy
For 1992, dem start Obafemi Awolowo Foundation as independent, non-profit, no-partisan group wey dey focus on how public policy and correct scholarship fit work together to boost Nigeria wey we sabi. Na de President wey dey Nigeria that time, General Ibrahim Babangida, launch the Foundation for Liberty Stadium, Ibadan. But him main gifts (wey dem dey call Awoism) na him good integrity, him welfarism, him effort to help dey speed up de decolonisation matter, and him dey always talk say federalism wey based on ethnic self-determination and joining strong states together na di best way for Nigeria to unite. Awolowo die for him Ikenne house, di Efunyela Hall (after him mama name), for 9 May 1987, at 78 years, and dem bury am for Ikenne, as people dey pay tribute across different political and religious lines.

## Ein life matter
Na Awolowo marry Hannah Idowu Dideolu Adelana, wey sanso komot Ikenne, on 26 December 1937. Na dem get five kiddies, Olusegun Awolowo (1938-1963), (poppie of Segun Awolowo), Omotola Oyediran (née Awolowo) (1940-2020), Oluwole Awolowo (1942-2013), Ayodele Soyode (née Awolowo) (1944-2011), mommie of former Second Lady of Nigeria Dolapo Osinbajo, den Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu (1948).

## Honours
Dem feature am insyd de 100 Naira banknote since 1999.

In addition to a variety of oda chieftaincy titles, na Chief Awolowo hold de title of de **Odole Oodua** of Ile-Ife.

## Bibliography
**Path to Nigerian Freedom *
**Awo – Autobiography of Chief Obafemi Awolowo*
**My Early Life*
**Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution*
**The People's Republic*
**The Strategy & Tactics of the People's Republic of Nigeria*
**The Problems of Africa – The Need for Ideological Appraisal*
**Awo on the Nigerian Civil War*
**Path to Nigerian Greatness*
**Voice of Reason*
**Voice of Courage*
**Voice of Wisdom*
**Adventures in Power – Book 1 – My March Through Prison*
**Adventures in Power – Book 2 – Travails of Democracy*
**My march through prison*
**Socialism in the service of New Nigeria*
**Selected speeches of Chief Obafemi Awolowo*
**Philosophy of Independent Nigeria*
**Memorable Quotes from Awo*
**The Path to Economic Freedom in Developing Country*
**Blueprint for Post-War Reconstruction*
**Anglo-Nigerian Military Pact Agreement*

## Check am too
Ikenne Residence of Chief Obafemi Awolowo

## References

## External links