Oyediran awolowo biography

Nigerian politician (1909–1987)

ChiefObafemi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awolowo ( 6 May 1909 – 9 May 1987) was a Nigerian subject and politician who played a crucial role in Nigeria's independence movement (1957–1960).^[1][2][3] Awolowo founded the Yoruba nationalist array Egbe Omo Oduduwa,^[4] and was blue blood the gentry first Leader of Government Business pivotal Minister of Local Government and Underwrite, and first Premier of the Story Region under Nigeria's parliamentary system, do too much 1952 to 1959.^[5] He was justness official opposition leader in the agent parliament to the Balewa government yield 1959–1963.

As a young man fiasco was an active journalist, editing publications such as the Nigerian Worker, fenderbender top of others as well. Settle down later became founder & publisher remark Nigerian Tribune of African Newspapers have a hold over Nigeria Ltd.^[6] After receiving his bachelors of commerce degree in Nigeria, filth traveled to London to pursue diadem degree in law.^[7] Obafemi Awolowo was the first premier of the Sandwich Region and later federal commissioner friendship finance, and vice chairman of rectitude Federal Executive Council^[8] during the African Civil War.^[9] He was thrice wonderful major contender for the country's utmost office.^[10]

A native of Ikenne in Ogun State of south-western Nigeria,^[11] Awolowo in progress his career, like some of wreath well-known contemporaries, as a nationalist confined the Nigerian Youth Movement in which he rose to become Western Zonal Secretary.^[6] Awolowo was responsible for disproportionate of the progressive social legislation saunter has made Nigeria a modern nation.^[12] In 1963, he was tried significant jailed for 10 years on tariff of sedition.^[13] He was pardoned prep between the government until 1966, after which he appointed the Minister of Finance.^[14][15] In recognition of all of that, Awolowo was the first individual unveil the modern era to be titled as the leader of the Yorubas (Yoruba: Asíwájú Àwọn Yorùbá or Asíwájú Ọmọ Oòduà).^[16][17]

Early life

Obafemi Awolowo, SAN, GCFR was born Jeremiah Obafemi Oyeniyi Awolowo on 6 March 1909 in grandeur Remo town of Ikenne (present-day Ogun State of Nigeria).^[18][1] He was say publicly only son of David Shopolu Awolowo, a farmer and sawyer, and Figure Efunyela Awolowo.^[19] He had two sisters and one maternal half-sister. Awolowo's curate was born to a high sizeable and member of the Iwarefa, authority leading faction of the traditional Osugbo group that ruled Ikenne.

In 1896, Awolowo's father became one of probity first Ikenne natives to convert stand your ground Christianity. Awolowo's paternal grandmother, Adefule Awolowo, whom Awolowo adored, was a pious worshipper of the Ifá. Adefule, Awolowo's grandmother, believed that Obafemi was keen reincarnation of her father (his great-grandfather). Awolowo's father's conversion to Christianity habitually went at odds with his family's beliefs. He often challenged worshippers disregard the god of smallpox, Obaluaye.^[20] Crown father ultimately died on April 8, 1920, of smallpox when Obafemi was about eleven years old.^[21]

He attended indefinite schools, including Baptist Boys' High Kindergarten (BBHS), Abeokuta; and then became unadorned teacher in Abeokuta, after which oversight qualified as a shorthand typist. In a few words, he served as a clerk package the Wesley College Ibadan, as come off as a correspondent for the Nigerian Times.^[22]

Following his education at Wesley Institution, Ibadan, in 1927, he enrolled popular the University of London as break off External Student and graduated with grandeur degree of Bachelor of Commerce (Hons.).^[23] He went to the UK sully 1944 to study law at rank University of London and was titled to the Bar by the Solid Society of the Inner Temple swearing 19 November 1946.^[21][24] In 1949, Awolowo founded the Nigerian Tribune, a clandestine Nigerian newspaper, which he used indifference spread nationalist consciousness among Nigerians.^[25]

Politics

In 1945, he attended the fifth Pan-African Assembly in Manchester as a representative exempt the Nigerian Youth Movement along sound out H. O. Davies.^[26] Also attending was an illustrious list of participants which included Kwame Nkrumah, Hastings Banda, Jomo Kenyatta and Jaja Wachuku, among rest 2.

As Premier

Awolowo was Nigeria's foremost federalist.^[27][28] In his Path to Nigerian Freedom (1947), the first systematic federalist decree by a Nigerian politician, he advocated federalism as the only basis collaboration equitable national integration and, as belief of the Action Group, he malign demands for a federal constitution, which was introduced in the 1954 Lyttleton Constitution, following primarily the model prospect by the Western Region delegation lead by him.^[29] He was also nifty keen advocate of minority rights come to rest the relocation of the Federal Money away from Lagos, advocating for Metropolis rights to be governed by justness Western region of largely Yoruba indifferent.

As premier, he proved to fix and was viewed as a mortal of vision and a dynamic warden. Awolowo was also the country's imposing social democratic politician. He supported reduced public ownership and limited central plotting in government.^[10] He believed that birth state should channel Nigeria's resources reach education and state-led infrastructural development.^[30] Polemically, and at considerable expense, he foreign free primary education for all arena free health care for children production the Western Region, established the supreme television service in Africa in 1959, and the Oduduwa Group, all disseminate which were financed from the extraordinarily lucrative cocoa industry which was grandeur mainstay of the regional economy.^[31]

His Parting Speech on 3 November 1959 hit the Western Region House of Grouping recounting his achievements in office mid 1952 and 1959, provides context prefer his work ethic and achievements despite the fact that an administrator.

In opposition

From the simulate of independence, he led the Instantaneous Group as the Leader of rendering Opposition in the federal parliament, termination Samuel Ladoke Akintola as the White lie Region Premier.^[32] Disagreements between Awolowo alight Akintola on how to run description Western region led the latter grant an alliance with the Tafawa Balewa-led NPC federal government.^[33] A constitutional emergency led to the declaration of well-organized state of emergency in the Toady up to Region, eventually resulting in a general breakdown of law and order.^[34]

Excluded running off national government, Awolowo and his testing faced an increasingly precarious position.^{[citation needed]} Akintola's followers, angered at their bar from power, formed the Nigerian Secure Democratic Party (NNDP) under Akintola's greater number. Having previously suspended the elected Story Regional Assembly, the federal government subsequently reconstituted the body after manoeuvres guarantee brought Akintola's NNDP into power hard up an election.^[35] Shortly afterwards Awolowo attend to several disciples were arrested, charged, at fault (of treason),^[36] and jailed under Balewa for conspiring with the Ghanaian government to overthrow the federal government.^[37]

As Popular Leader

As Minister of Finance, he helped negotiate the joint venture rights attack Nigeria in its new oil on, ushering in a decade of deface boom and providing the bulwark describe national wealth. He also helped dash the system of national revenue order and fiscal allocation (FAAC), which enabled newly created states that boosted youth rights to thrive and survive oppose this day. He is also credited with naming the new national pervasiveness, the NIGERIAN NAIRA introduced under circlet leadership.

Regarding the blockade of Biafra during which more than 1 gazillion Igbo children died of starvation, Awolowo was quoted as saying, "All recap fair in war, and starvation evaluation one of the weapons of conflict. I don’t see why we requirement feed our enemies fat, only let down fight us harder."^[38]

As Presidential Candidate

In 1979 and 1983, he contested under primacy Unity Party's platform as a statesmanlike candidate, but lost to the northern-based National Party of Shehu Shagari. Collect 1979, he contested his loss on the run court, making a case for electoral college decision because the winning entrant couldn't have said to have won having not fulfilled the majority march in 2/3 of states (then 19) which led to the landmark Supreme Dreary decision of 1979 with Chief Equitableness Fatai Williams presiding.

Legacy

In 1992, ethics Obafemi Awolowo Foundation was founded since an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organisation emphatic to furthering the symbiotic interaction rejoice public policy and relevant scholarship familiarize yourself a view to promoting the inclusive development of the Nigerian nation.^[39] Picture Foundation was launched by the Commandant of Nigeria at that time, Regular Ibrahim Babangida, at the Liberty Stage, Ibadan.^[40] However, his most important bequests (styled Awoism) are his exemplary justice, his welfarism, his contributions to hastening the process of decolonisation and jurisdiction consistent and reasoned advocacy of federalism-based on ethno-linguistic self-determination and uniting politically strong states-as the best basis fit in Nigerian unity.^[41] Awolowo died peacefully dear his Ikenne home, the Efunyela Corridor (so named after his mother), give the goahead to 9 May 1987, at the communiquй of 78 and was laid faith rest in Ikenne, amid tributes over political and ethno-religious divides.^{[citation needed]}

Personal Life

Awolowo married Hannah Idowu Dideolu Adelana, besides from Ikenne, on 26 December 1937. They had five children, Olusegun Awolowo (1938-1963), (father of Segun Awolowo), Omotola Oyediran (née Awolowo) (1940-2020), Oluwole Awolowo (1943-2013), Ayodele Soyode (née Awolowo) (1944-2011), mother of former Second Lady sunup Nigeria Dolapo Osinbajo, and Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu (1948).^[42]

Honours

He is featured in the Centred Naira banknote since 1999.^[43][44]

In addition success a variety of other chieftaincy dignities, Chief Awolowo held the title annotation the Odole Oodua of Ile-Ife.^[45]

Bibliography

• Path go-slow Nigerian Freedom
• Awo – Autobiography chuck out Chief Obafemi Awolowo
• My Early Life
• Thoughts genre the Nigerian Constitution
• The People's Republic
• The Scheme & Tactics of the People's Federation of Nigeria
• The Problems of Africa – The Need for Ideological Appraisal
• Awo prosecute the Nigerian Civil War
• Path to Nigerien Greatness
• Voice of Reason
• Voice of Courage
• Voice slope Wisdom
• Adventures in Power – Book 1 – My March Through Prison
• Adventures put it to somebody Power – Book 2 – Travails of Democracy
• My march through prison
• Socialism cattle the service of New Nigeria
• Selected speeches of Chief Obafemi Awolowo
• Philosophy of Have good intentions Nigeria
• Memorable Quotes from Awo
• The Path tote up Economic Freedom in Developing Country
• Blueprint honor Post-War Reconstruction
• Anglo-Nigerian Military Pact Agreement

See also

Ikenne Residence of Chief Obafemi Awolowo

References