Writer and poet, Odia Ofeimun, has rated the late Premier of old Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, above late former South African President, Nelson Mandela. The social critic, in a chat with Sahara TV which was uploaded to YouTube said although “Mandela was good for the liberation” of his people, Awolowo made far-reaching impacts on the lives of many Nigerians.
"People talk about Mandela’s capacity to put various classes (of people) together as theory, but Awolowo ironed it out very clearly, why you don’t need a class struggle, in order to create a society in which all children can go to school; in which everybody can get a job, and in which old age pensions will be paid to people."
Ofeimun, while comparing the two leaders, said:
The processes leading to independence in South Africa and Nigeria “followed exactly the same pattern” but it is unfortunate that the liberation struggle championed by Mandela did “not create the end of apartheid.”

He said Awolowo negotiated Nigeria’s independence just as Mandela did, adding that it would amount to a “hype” to think that there were differences in what the two leaders essentially fought for in their respective countries to end colonisation.

Ofeimun said, “I am too much of an Awolowo man not to see that the process of moving into independence in South Africa and in Nigeria followed exactly the same pattern. It was based on a negotiated settlement. The liberation struggle did not create the end of apartheid. It was a negotiation and Nigerians negotiated exactly the way Mandela negotiated.

“You can hype it if you like, but the pattern was exactly the same. You move from one meeting to the other, discussing politics and economics, and they successfully convinced Mandela to buy the pig in a poke of an economy and they also successfully succeeded in convincing Nigerians to buy the pig in a poke of an economy.

“The only man in Nigeria, who stood up against it, was (Obafemi) Awolowo. He was quickly jailed and all his men scattered across the prisons in Nigeria. Some driven abroad and the educational system that he had put in place was smashed.”

While choosing Awo above the late anti-apartheid leader, Ofeimun said the philosophical postulations about the workings of a state put forward by Awolowo were superior to those credited to Mandela.

Insisting that Mandela could not match the stature of Awolowo, the Edo State-born poet said Ghana’s first President Kwame Nkrumah was the only African leader that could be seen to rival Awolowo.

But he however added that Nkrumah’s ideology of pan-Africanism lacked the capacity to "save Africa" when compared to Awolowo’s brand of socialism.

yargawajosiah: Writer and poet, Odia Ofeimun, has rated the late Premier of old Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, above late former South African President, Nelson Mandela. The social critic, in a chat with Sahara TV which was uploaded to YouTube said although “Mandela was good for the liberation” of his people, Awolowo made far-reaching impacts on the lives of many Nigerians.
"People talk about Mandela’s capacity to put various classes (of people) together as theory, but Awolowo ironed it out very clearly, why you don’t need a class struggle, in order to create a society in which all children can go to school; in which everybody can get a job, and in which old age pensions will be paid to people."
Ofeimun, while comparing the two leaders, said:
The processes leading to independence in South Africa and Nigeria “followed exactly the same pattern” but it is unfortunate that the liberation struggle championed by Mandela did “not create the end of apartheid.”

He said Awolowo negotiated Nigeria’s independence just as Mandela did, adding that it would amount to a “hype” to think that there were differences in what the two leaders essentially fought for in their respective countries to end colonisation.

Ofeimun said, “I am too much of an Awolowo man not to see that the process of moving into independence in South Africa and in Nigeria followed exactly the same pattern. It was based on a negotiated settlement. The liberation struggle did not create the end of apartheid. It was a negotiation and Nigerians negotiated exactly the way Mandela negotiated.

“You can hype it if you like, but the pattern was exactly the same. You move from one meeting to the other, discussing politics and economics, and they successfully convinced Mandela to buy the pig in a poke of an economy and they also successfully succeeded in convincing Nigerians to buy the pig in a poke of an economy.

“The only man in Nigeria, who stood up against it, was (Obafemi) Awolowo. He was quickly jailed and all his men scattered across the prisons in Nigeria. Some driven abroad and the educational system that he had put in place was smashed.”

While choosing Awo above the late anti-apartheid leader, Ofeimun said the philosophical postulations about the workings of a state put forward by Awolowo were superior to those credited to Mandela.

Insisting that Mandela could not match the stature of Awolowo, the Edo State-born poet said Ghana’s first President Kwame Nkrumah was the only African leader that could be seen to rival Awolowo.

But he however added that Nkrumah’s ideology of pan-Africanism lacked the capacity to "save Africa" when compared to Awolowo’s brand of socialism.

have always thought abt this. Now i cant agree more.

.

For me, Awo was good but Mandela was better.

You mean Mandela committed a bigger GENOCIDE ?

This is how it goes:

Nkrumah > Great Zik

Great Zik > Mandela

Mandela >> Awo (Please see the double greater-than signs)

The only thing the best writer couldn't do was to rewrite history.

emmalexabl: The GREAT MANDELA., we all know.


But awolowo we do not know..
Who is awolowowi...??

He is so so irrelevant..

Dats because there we're many ppl dat fought 4 naija

Make una don't kill me with laf!

you try

@OP

This is the joke of the year. Anybody associated with Awolowo seems to be very delusional, shameless and loudmouthed. How could any reasonable fellow term Odia Ofeimun as a writer and poet? When certain punks want to show their crass social irresponsibility and political idiosyncrasy, they try to indulge in a silly comparative analysis of African personalities with diametrically opposed endeavors.

I have never considered Awolowo as a national leader. At best, Awolowo was a regional and sectional leader. It is even debatable because SL Akintola has much to say about such supposition.

As for Nkrumah, most Nigerians are known for their inferior complexity. There are certain Nigerians who would easily deny their birth right in order to denigrate the personality of person from a particular ethnicity in Nigeria. Nkrumeh was shipping desk clerk when Azikwe came back to Gold Coast. The same Azikwe vouched for Nkrumeh before Dr. Danquah to be given a position in Gold Coast. Suddenly, Nkrumeh became a greater messiah to Nigerians than Ghanaians.

I don't see the need for comparison - two great men, different circumstances.

I admire Mandela for his maturity in handling the transition to self rule in his country.

In contrast, when I look at where we are today in Nigeria, with all the trillions that these politicians have at their disposal, the achievements of Awolowo were and remain simply unbelievable.


Going through Akure township during the last governorship elections in Ondo, I remember seeing election posters of Mimiko and Akeredolu each with Awolowo's pictures inset - both claiming to be the genuine Awoist! Lol. No other politician in Nigeria has a name that wins elections more than 30 years after leaving public office.

For me, Nigeria's greatest ever administrator. A truly brilliant and unforgettable man.

THIS ODIA OFEMMMMANU SEF..

They couldn't have given this writer a more appropriate name. Ofeimmanu indeed.

edo.girl:
Going through Akure township during the last governorship elections in Ondo, I remember seeing election posters of Mimiko and Akeredolu each with Awolowo's pictures inset - both claiming to be the genuine Awoist! Lol. No other politician in Nigeria has a name that wins elections more than 30 years after leaving public office.

For me, Nigeria's greatest ever administrator. A truly brilliant and unforgettable man.

Ojukwu.

I Lafº°˚=)) =)) ˚°º≈pourº°˚ ˚=)) =)) °º≈moet forº°˚ ˚ºmy expensive jeans°˚ ˚°º~=)) =))Lol

Which Awolowo when them dey talk about abeg?
Hope its not the fatther of tribalism here in Nigeria whose legacy was ethnic polarization of Nigeria.