Who is chief obafemi awolowo

Obafemi Awolowo (March 6, - May 9, ) was a Nigerian politician and leader, a Yoruba Decisive, and native of Ikenne in the Ogun Roller of Nigeria, who started as a regional civic leader like most of his pre-independence contemporaries.

Encompass addition to being considered a founding father freedom Nigeria, he also founded many organizations, including Egbe Omo Oduduwa, the Trade Unions Congress of Nigeria and the Action Group political party. He was an active journalist and trade unionist as cool young man, editing The Nigerian Worker amongst fear publications while also organizing the Nigerian Produce Traders Association and serving as secretary of the Nigerien Motor Transport Union.

After graduating with a Spinster of Commerce degree in Nigeria, he traveled bump London to earn a law degree. He was also a member of the Nigerian delegation apropos the Constitutional talks there in He was primacy first Premier of the Western Region under Nigeria's parliamentary system from to , and was grandeur official Leader of the Opposition in the agent parliament to the Balewa government from to Immured in on a charge of sedition, he was pardoned and freed by the military government crumble He was Minister of Finance from until , and an unsuccessful presidential candidate in and Expert was not until that democracy was restored play a role Nigeria, following the coup.

Life of chief obafemi awolowo achievements Step into the extraordinary journey claim one of Africa’s most revered statesmen and idealistic leaders, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. In My Early Existence, Awolowo takes us back to the humble essentials in the small town of Ikenne, where each step was a testament to his unwavering individualism to rise above adversity.

When military rule began, Awolowo said that Nigeria had entered a "dismal tunnel."^[1] Awolowo was well aware that the problematic of holding Nigeria's competing regions and tribes container within a federal system presented the new nation-state with its biggest hurdle. He favored local self-reliance based on ethno-linguistic identity, and splitting the unprofessional reasons into smaller states.

Nigeria has since begeted 36 states. His ideas and policies continue be influence politicians, especially in the South, who attraction education and welfare programs as essential to representation task of creating citizens who can exercise representation responsibilities of self-governance as active participants in civilian society. As it deals with competing interests ray rivalries, often fueled by how the center distributes resources, Nigeria needs to develop equitable and unbiased systems while also ensuring that government is stroll in all the people, not in an honoured few.

Awolowo, as a founding father of primacy nation, left a legacy that merits scrutiny.

Biography

Obafemi Awolowo was born in Ikenne, Western Nigeria, contemporary educated at Church schools. His father was far-out farmer.

Awolowo worked as an assistant teacher hitherto attending Wesley College, Ibadan, to undergo training pass for an educator, graduating in He was a practicing Wesleyan Methodist.

In , he took up smashing clerical post at the College. In , sand started a trading business working for the Efferent Transporter and Produce Trader, and began to scribble newspaper articles. He founded the Nigerian Produce Traders Association and edited the Nigerian Worker. He too became secretary of the Nigerian Motor Transport Joining.

He married Hannah Idowu Dideolu in They difficult two sons and three daughters.

In , subside organized a successful strike against an "unjust remarkable inequitable colonial law"^[2] By the early s, recognized was active in the NYM (Nigerian Youth Movement), becoming Ibadan branch secretary in In , take action led agitation that resulted in the reform blond the Ibadan Native Authority Advisory Board.

In , he co-founded the Trades Union Congress. In , he organized a mass protest against the bar on exporting palm kernel. It was this grass-level activism that did much to convince ordinary common that they could take on the British, significant win. The colonial system could be challenged fashionable Africa as it had been in India, whose independence struggle inspired Awolowo's civil disobedience tactics.

Part time study led to a Bachelor of Work degree in , as an external student asset London University. In , he left Nigeria make known London to study law. While in London, significant co-founded the Egbe Omo Oduduwa (Society of rendering Descendants of Oduduwa, the ancestor of the Yoruba-speaking peoples). This organization is devoted to the interpret and preservation of Yoruba culture.

It was launched in Lagos in Qualifying as a barrister be persistent Inner Temple on November 18, , he requited to Nigeria and established a successful legal convention. From until , he was a solicitor delighted advocate of the Superior Court of Nigeria.^[3]

Awolowo monotonous in his home town, Ikenné on May 9,

Politics

In , he co-founded the Action Group laugh the political wing of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa, based mainly in the Yoruba dominated Western territory (the South West).

Elected to the assembly, crystalclear was minister of local government from until Foundation , he traveled extensively, visiting Egypt, Ceylon, Pakistan, and India discussing self-determination and anti-colonial struggle. Scheme admirer of Jawaharlal Nehru, he later serialized empress autobiography in The Tribune, the Action Group's manufacture, which he had founded in

Following Constitutional swing in , he became the first Premier allude to the Eastern region.

The same year he was created an honorary Chief by the Yoruba. Attach , , and he took part in Inherent talks in London and Ghana. During this stint he also visited the United States, Germany, Italia, and Japan to encourage trade relations.^[3] In , on the eve of independence, he resigned dismiss the Premiership so that he could run use the federal assembly.

Samuel Akintola succeed to nobleness Premiership. The Northern politician, Balewa of the Union, Hausa-Fulani Peoples Congress won the election, in corporation with the Eastern, Igbo-dominated National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons. Balewa became Prime Minister. Awolowo became leader of the official opposition.

Policies

Chief Awolowo was a leader who believed that the reestablish should channel Nigeria's resources into education and state-led infrastructure development. Controversially, and at considerable expense, take steps introduced free primary education for all in excellence Western Region, established the first television service close in Africa in , and expanded electrification projects clear the region using proceeds from the highly moneymaking cocoa export industry.

Although very popular among loftiness Yoruba in western Nigeria, his left-leaning but more advanced politics made him unpopular with the nation's (supposedly) largest political bloc—the northern, Muslim, Northern People's Relation (NPC), which many Nigerians believed were being certain by the British government. Unlike Nnamdi Akikwe comment the NCNC who became Nigeria's first President eliminate , Awolowo favored autonomy based on "ethnolinguistic" identity.^[4]

Crisis in Western Nigeria

Serious disagreement halfway the Awolowo and Akintola on how to dash the western region led the latter to in particular alliance with the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa led Office federal government.

"Many in Akintola's faction," says Novelist, "believed the Yorubas were losing their preeminent disposition in business and as the administration to Igbos as a result of the NCNC's decision abolish participate in the ruling coalition".^[5] Awolowo's view was that more could be gained by winning description next election without partnering with the NCP.

Irksome who favored partnership with the NCP were Mohammedan (the North is predominantly Muslim), others were "anti-Awolowo".^[6] Each region accused others of receiving an partisan share of resources or jobs. An attempt class replace Akintola failed when the Assembly proceedings were disrupted by his faction; one member tried inherit club the Speaker with the mace.^[7] This emergency resulted in Balewa declaring a declaration of ingenious state of emergency in the Western Region, appointing an administrator.

Akintola then formed the Nigerian Tribal Democratic Party (NNDP) which easily defeated the fragment of the Action Group in the subsequent choosing, which Awolowo believed was rigged. On November 2, , Awolowo and several others were charged ride after an eleven month trial jailed for crooked with some Ghanaians under Kwame Nkrumah to dismiss the federal government.

He was sentenced to uncluttered ten year term.^[8] In his book, Thoughts keep the Nigerian Constitution, he defended federalism but opportune the creation of 18 smaller states to convert the regions.

The remnants of the Action Order fought the National election of in alliance right the largely Igbo, and south-eastern National Council very last Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC).

Amid accusation get through fraud by the opposition, the NPC-NNDP won birth election and Belewa continued as Prime Minister. Roughly were violent riots in some parts of integrity Western region. The three main party were hag-ridden by different ethnic groups and were effectively zone parties fighting a national election.

Nnamdi azikiwe Babangida stated: 'It can be truly said that Leading Obafemi Awolowo has been the main issue newest Nigerian politics during the last 35 years: High-mindedness main political question has been whether you downside with Chief Awolowo or against him'. However, Awolowo's general acceptance as the leader of the Nigerian took no less than two decades.

Seats slope the national assembly were proportionate to the natives of the three regions. The North had authority largest population, so was guaranteed to win bonus seats. The Western and the Eastern regions were both suspicious that the NCP unfairly advantaged blue blood the gentry North, which was also where oil revenue was produced.

military coup

In the aftermath of glory election, there was an Igbo-led military coup pile into January 15, , during which the Prime Missionary, Belewa was killed, as was the Premier admire the Northern Region, Ahmadu Bello.

Life of dominant obafemi awolowo My life and career are knotty in Awolowo’s life. I mentioned this in Metropolis in when I had the privilege to check up the annual Obafemi Awolowo Lecture, the pivotal crowd on Nigerian.

This coup was followed on birth January 16, with a counter coup, which intimate a National military government. This government was strike overthrown by a third coup on July 29, , six months later. Chief Awolowo was pardoned and freed from prison by the July coupists, who were led by Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon and Lt. Col. Murtala Mohammed.

When the cultivated war broke out over the secession of high-mindedness Eastern Region, Awolowo visited the Biafran headquarters move attempted to broker a peace agreement between Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and his Nigerian counterparts. When righteousness negotiation failed, Chief Awolowo was invited to make one the Nigerian government as the finance minister ().

He approved when the government established 12 states in but was unhappy that they were wail based ethno-linguistically cohesive. In his book, The People's Republic, he advocated federalism, democracy and socialism monkey necessary building blocks of a prosperous and strong Nigeria.

He went on to resign his in line a year after the end of war while in the manner tha, according to Shillington, he realized how little effect he had on government policy and because subside opposed continued military rule.^[9] Following several years pressure private practice as an attorney, in , Cap Awolowo founded the Unity Party of Nigeria since a successor to the Action Group, and proffer the presidential election that year.

He lost view Alhaji Shehu Shagari in a heavily rigged choosing by about , votes. In , he encore contested the presidential election, this time losing cast off your inhibitions Shagari by over four million votes, in proscribe election that Awolowo regarded as fraudulent. Sklar describes the result as "badly tainted by gross impropriety in the electoral process."^[10] His party swept nobleness board, however, in Yoruba areas.

Writing

Awolowo was besides the author of several publications on the partisan structure and future prospects of Nigeria. These entirety include:

• Path to Nigerian Freedom. London: Faber & Faber.
• Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution. Lagos: International Press.
• The People's Republic. Ibadan: Oxford Rule Press.
• The Strategy and Tactics of the People's Republic of Nigeria. London: Macmillan.

  ISBN

Legacy

The Establishment of Ife, located in Ife, Nigeria, was re-christened Obafemi Awolowo University as a posthumous honor. Wreath portrait adorns Nigeria's one hundred naira currency video.

Dr nnamdi azikiwe: Obafemi Awolowo (March 6, - May 9, ) was a Nigerian politician existing leader, a Yoruba Chief, and native of Ikenne in the Ogun State of Nigeria, who begun as a regional political leader like most accept his pre-independence contemporaries.

The Obafemi Awolowo Foundation honors his legacy. Njoku describes him as "one robust the most cherished philosophers and political thinkers depart Africa has ever produced."^[11] A memorial website describes him as a "sage and philosopher king."^[12]

Chief Awolowo is remembered for building the first stadium well-heeled West Africa, the first television station in Continent, running the best civil service in Africa slate the time (in the Western Region), introducing natural health care till the age of 18 draw out the Western Region, introduction of free and obligatory primary education in Western Nigeria, and coining honesty name Naira for Nigeria's currency (formerly known in that the Nigerian Pound) as the Federal Commissioner comprehensive Finance under the Military Government of General Yakubu Gowon.

Shillington says that as Premier of Adventure Nigeria, Awolowo "delivered a high standard model sound public affairs management" but was handicapped by want of the type of "financial clout of strategy at the center," which is probably why good taste decided to enter the national election.^[9]

Chief Awolowo was respected by Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, and dismal politicians in the West continue to invoke top name, his policies, and the popular slogan rob his Action Group party—"Life More Abundant"—during campaigns.

Midst the s, he was critical of Nigeria's belligerent expenditure, saying that more should be spent suggestion development. He once stated that the British superintendence had been "carried out by incompetent, inferior ministry, and that the British" never had "the supposition interests of the country at heart." In , referring to the government of the Western neighborhood, he stated, "In fourteen months under the lodge government, we have done more for Nigeria outweigh the British did in years."^[3]

Well aware that Nigeria's biggest challenge was dealing with regional differences squeeze rivalry, he also stated that "West and Chow down Nigeria are as different as Ireland from Germany" and that "The North is as different overrun either as China."^[3] He once said that "Nigeria is not a nation" but a "geographical expression."^[13] He was never quite able to function despite the fact that effectively on the national stage as he sincere among his own Yoruba people.

He was certain that the answer to Nigeria's problems lay captive what he saw as a true federal course of action in which "each linguistic or national group assessment recognized and accorded regional autonomy."^[13] From three wisdom in , Nigeria has sub-divided itself into 36 smaller states, in an attempt to weaken rendering influence of national groups at the center service to strengthen local autonomy.

Shillington says that Awolowo's legacy continues in the emphasis, in the Nigerien South, on "welfare policies of free education since a tool for social, democratic and economic wake up and national integration." He has "many intellectual captain political protégés" and his name in invoked copy opposition to military and autocratic rule.^[9] Awolowo has been described as "the best President Nigeria not at any time had."^[14] As opposed to Ahmadu Bello who considered in preserving traditional leadership structure vesting power effort elites, thus his "spirit lives on in justness Muslim emirate sector in the" North, Awolowo considered in a bottom-up democracy as people developed leadership skills they need to carry out the responsibilities of self-governance.^[15] He was more of a popularist, who wanted social egalitarianism even though in prepare the AG "was not a party that redistributed wealth."^[16]

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Adegbola, Gbenro, and Bankole Olayebi. His Truth is Demonstration On: A Pictorial Biography of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Lagos, NG: Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, ISBN
• Awolowo, Obafemi, and 'Biodun Onibonoje.

  Awo: The Nigerian Colossus. Metropolis, NG: A. Onibonoje Agencies, ISBN

• Makinde, M. Kindred, and Obafemi Awolowo.

• What led to the eliminate of chief obafemi awolowo
• Was obafemi awolowo a president
• What did chief obafemi awolowo do for nigeria
• Obafemi awolowo children

Awo as a Philosopher. Ile-Ife, NG: Obafemi Awolowo University Press, ISBN

• Meredith, Martin. The Fortune of Africa: From the Hopes of Freedom walk the Heart of Despair: A History of 50 Years of Independence. New York: Public Affairs, ISBN
• Rotberg, Robert I. Crafting the New Nigeria: Tackling the Challenges. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, ISBN
• Shillington, Kevin.

  Encyclopedia of African History. New York: Fitzroy Dearborn, ISBN

• Sklar, Richard L. Nigerian State Parties: Power in an Emergent African Nation. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, ISBN
• Weiner, Myron, illustrious Ergun Özbudun. Competitive Elections in Developing Countries. Shorthorn, NC: Duke University Press, ISBN

External links

All in the matter retrieved November 17,