SOJ WORLDWIDE ONLINE NEWS stumbled on this write-up from the Facebook Timeline of Bello Isiaka, it generated many controversies, while the majority see Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Godsent especially the Yorubas, those who opposed his policies are in the minority from the Igbo extractions.
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The controversies it generated and the research work carried out by the Writer compelled us to publish it to enrich your knowledge.
Happy Reading:
1. He was a true, unapologetic and patriotic Yoruba Nationalist.
2. He fought, campaigned and lobbied through democratic and diplomatic means to bring back the Yorubas of Kwara and Kabba into the western region which was against Northern and British interests.
3. He told Nnamdi Azikwe to go back to the Eastern region and he should stop poke nosing into the economic and political affairs of the western region prior to independence.
4. He and Anthony Enahoro moved the motion at Lancaster House in London, to insert secession clause into Nigeria’s constitution. This was seen as an affront to the British agenda and the Unitary ideology of Azikwe who wanted a unitary system of government in Nigeria.
5. He was a democratic socialist who wanted to use the resources of the western region to uplift his people out of ignorance and illiteracy within the shortest period of time.
6. He was an advocate of quality education for all, no matter your social status which was against the feudal orientation of the ruling Fulani elites in the north who believed that all men are not born equal.
7. As a democratic socialist, he was an obstacle to colonialist interests in Yorubaland, who wanted free and cheap raw materials needed to power the industries in England.
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8. He was a big obstacle to some Yoruba elites who saw the vision and agenda of Awolowo as an impediment to their feudal agenda against fellow Yorubas.
9. The success of Awolowo during his regime as the premier of the Western region was the best in Africa and could rival any head of state in the world at the time. He was a danger to the feudalists and the capitalists.
10. His role in the Biafran Civil War, most especially the advice he gave to the Nigerian government about the food blockade or embargo on the Eastern Nigerian population.
11. He meddled into the Obaship traditional supremacy tussle between the Ooni, Alaafin and Oba of Benin. This was the origin of the hatred the Binis still harbor against the Yorubas till date.
12. He was against the siting of Nigeria’s capital in Lagos Island, specifically Victoria Island because of the rhetorics of Eastern Nigerian elites like Jaja wachukwu who openly stated in 1945 that Lagos is no mans land because of the liberal ideology of the NCNC party then, who wanted a united Southern political front.
May Olodumare bless Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Rest in peace Baba.
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