Facts are still emerging as to why the late sage, chief Obafemi Awolowo could not clinch the Nigerian Presidential seat even though he tried on so many occassions. Speaking recently at a function, notable second and third Republican politicians said Awo was viewed by most Nigerians as a tribal politician and could not be trusted with the Nigerian Presidency. Some of the elites interviewed were of the view that Awo was only pursuing the course of the Yoruba race as he first saw himself as a Yoruba leader before seeing himself as a national leader if he ever was.
Even though they did not dispute the fact that he was an achiever, they unanimously agreed that Awo was too tribal, a sectarian person and never a national person, hence his rejection by Nigerians.
----------- Leadership Newspaper, 9th March '09.

This is a vindication for some us here who have repeatedly say that Awolowo should never be seen as a national person, let alone a national 'hero'. This explains why some us will always campaign against any 'Awoist' who will want to aspire to any national position. Such posts will only be used to pursue the course of the Yoruba race.
Nigeria is not yoruba, and Yoruba is not Nigeria.
AWO DID NOT BELIEVE IN NIGERIA; NIGERIA IS A GEOGRAPHICAL EXPRESSION!!!

Awo was no tribalist, he was a true believer in federalism.

Most Niger Delta leaders went to Awo whenever they had a problem.

The statement that Nigeria is a Geographical expression is not an anti-Nigerian statement, it is just a recognition that the centre needs to be loose and all peoples should have some degree of autonomy.

Obafemi Awolowo was a tribal bigot hoooo haaa. If you tell me that Akintola was a true believer in federalism, I will believe you but not Awo.

Define Federalism.

Ibime:

Awo was no tribalist, he was a true believer in federalism.

Most Niger Delta leaders went to Awo whenever they had a problem.

The statement that Nigeria is a Geographical expression is not an anti-Nigerian statement, it is just a recognition that the centre needs to be loose and all peoples should have some degree of autonomy.

Where did you get that information from. Why would they go to Awolowo whenever they had a problem, was he their leader. Why must you always cook up something to back your point, pls think smart.

Actions of Awolowo in the then Western House of Assembly marked the turning point
in the political development in Nigeria. It introduced full fledged tribal politics of hate, bitterness
and ethnicism. That singular action of his, eclipsed the political processes based on National isssues
and the political development.

rather than concentrate our energies on what happened abt 30/40 years ago, that man is gone and gone. Lets loot at our future and how we would learn from history and move forward.

Ibime:

Awo was no tribalist, he was a true believer in federalism.

Most Niger Delta leaders went to Awo whenever they had a problem.

The statement that Nigeria is a Geographical expression is not an anti-Nigerian statement, it is just a recognition that the centre needs to be loose and all peoples should have some degree of autonomy.

I could not believe it that this crazy nonsense was born out of the thinking faculty of one Ibime. By the way, this Niger Delta crap is new political mirage that has no place in history yet. Awolowo did not hide his political penchant for tribal makeup right from the formation of Omo Oduduwa Group to the time it metamorphosed into Action Group.

Please if you could tell me the political figures of the then eastern region of Nigeria that ran to Awolowo for political advice, I would enumerate those of western and mid-western regions of Nigeria that parted ways with him due to Awo’s shameless tribe politics.

Lagosboy:

rather than concentrate our energies on what happened abt 30/40 years ago, that man is gone and gone. Lets loot at our future and how we would learn from history and move forward.

My brother, the actions of this men shaped and fashioned out what we are experiencing today.
It simply cannot be ignored. The chaos created in the western part of Nigeria after the 1964
election paved way for the first military coup in Nigeria, it was the aftermath of the coup and
the resultant killings thereafter that led to the civil war. The effect of the war is still apparent in Nigeria till date.

@ Afam,

Why wouldn't they go to Awolowo when Awolowo supported their vision of autonomy and devolution?

Saro-Wiwa was a frequent visitor to Awo. Do you know Awolowo is quoted in the Ogoni bill of rights?


@ Dede1,

Thunder fire! 


@ meex,

people misread Awo's intentions and labelled him a tribalist. Awo recognised that all tribes have different goals and different levels of development and should be allowed a stake in their own affairs. Go and read the following writings from Awo:

(1) Path to Nigerian Freedom
(2) Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution
(3) The People's Republic
(4) Strategy and Tactics of the People's Republic

Forcing tribes to live together with no scope to determine their destiny is what causes ethnic hatred, not the other way around.

Even though, i am not an Awoist, however, i think this is funny coming from the calibre of person talking.
I am yet to see ant Nigerian president that hasnt been tribalist, and pls dont tell me they are not tribalistic all cos they have some other tribe in office, Nigeria is yet to know what i really mean to be ruled by a true Nigerian, cos a real and true Nigeria will not be about the tribe, will be about the interest of the Nation.
Further more, i think it is high time we all stop worrying about what it would have been 40 years ago, where we can look ahead to what we wanna make it be.

@Ibi


Ibi, are you this forgetful? Awo nonchalantly informed the Edo, Ishan, Itsekiri, Ijo, Igbo and Urhobo who made up of old western region of Nigeria that free education could only see them if only they could speak Yoruba.

Awo’s western region of Nigeria made Yoruba language compulsory in schools. This is what you call “Awo recognised that all tribes have different goals and different levels of development and should be allowed a stake in their own affairs”.

Awo remains my favorite politician of all times in the geographical expression called Nigeria because the dude did not play efulefu. He really took it to the suckers when he could.

It will be unfair to accuse Awo only of tribalism. The politics of regionalism(North/Hausa,West/Yoruba and East/Igbo) being practised then made tribalism almost inevitable. Ahmadu Bello was idolized in the north, but his influence did not go beyond North, same thing for Awo in the West. Zik appeared more acceptable nationally because he saw Nigeria first before his tribe(and this did not go down well with many of his Ibo kinsmen). Furthermore, he was born in Zungeru(North) and spoke Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba fluently.

In the second republic when he wanted to go national, contesting Presidency, I read he was rigged out, and NPN's Shagari was made the President. But whether that was truth or just a fabrication by Awoists to explain the defeat, I can't say.

Personally, I'm not an Awoist, unlike my die-hard Awoist Dad, but I recognize he was very visionary and brilliant. His selfish, too-know style of politics is what I dislike.

Tribal polics never cost awolowo an election. It is election rigging that cause awolowo election. Awo won the 1979 election and the 1983 election. if you look at the satellite pictures of nigeria. there is no way shagari won. And Awo won on both election.

An election rigging is also the reason why the igbos would never be president of nigeria and not tribal politics. People should get it into your head. Prof Pat utomi would be sitting in Aso rock , if the ohaneze were not playing the osu card.

Pat utomi had the media, and that was all he need to win. And if you remove rigging it is possible for an igboman to win an election that depend on how many yoruba vote the person can get. and not the number of northerner vote you need.

Awo was more accepted in the middle belt and sout south region than zik or shagari. and awo won the south south and middle belt state but was rigged out of it.

I know that Awo won bendle, rivers, benue, kwara , ondo, oyo, ogun, lagos 8 state really.

zik won 4 state plateau, imo anambra, cross river.

waziri won 2 state gongola, borno.

shagari won 5 state niger, sokoto, kaduna, kano, bauchi

@becomerich

do you have satelite pictures to back you?

there are many ignoramus on this site, people that just love to play to ethnic sentiment, I ve noted this thing against Awo mostly from people of igbo extraction. why so much sentiment against Awo. some will say he betrayed Biafra and other flimsy excuses, didn't great Zik refused to acknowledged Biafra? why do people like to pin their shortcoming on other people? didn't Richard constitution of 1946 introduced regionalism that made political structure in Nigeria coincided with ethnic boundaries and eventually politicians in post independence Nigeria find it convenient to play to ethnic sentiments to win election? with the level of dearth of knowledge I have seen on this site, am afraid the old people commonly refers to as "waste generation" may by far better than the so called new generation of Nigerians.

there are many ignoramus on this site, people that just love to play to ethnic sentiment, I ve noted this thing against Awo mostly  from people of igbo extraction. why so much sentiment against Awo. some will say he betrayed Biafra and other flimsy excuses, didn't great Zik refused to acknowledged Biafra? OR is it because the man transformed the West and empowered his own people? why do people like to pin their shortcoming on other people? didn't Richard constitution of 1946 introduced regionalism that made political structure in Nigeria coincided with ethnic boundaries and eventually politicians in post independence Nigeria find it convenient to play to ethnic sentiments to win election? with the level of dearth of knowledge I have seen on this site, am afraid the old people commonly refers to as "waste generation" may by far better than the so called new generation of Nigerians.

It is the lack of understanding of what politics that why they think awo play politics.

Look the idoma people of benue state did not send David mark to represent Nigeria. I think david mark should get that into his head. the idoma people send david to defend thier interest. And what is the interest of the idoma people at the moment. It is to have a state of thier own. David mark would fail as a senator, if he can not bring that to his people. Knowing well that the former benue state is been cheated on state creation.

You know Bankole would be consider to have fail in politics if by 2011 If the Yorubas are not in the republic of Benin. If Bankole and the other Yorubas reps can not bring the Yorubas into the republic of Benin. You know bankole and others have fail. Nobody in yorubaland send Bankole and the yoruba senator to abuja to represent Nigeria. We send them to represent the Yorubas interest. And At the moment they look like fails. What is leadership? Leadership is if you do the wish of your people. And is Bankole, and the yorubas and reps doing the wish of the Yoruba people. The answer without the fear of man is NO. They have failed to defend Yoruba people. And It is obvious that we need a change.

Musiwa:

It is the lack of understanding of what politics that why they think awo play politics.

Look the idoma people of benue state did not send David mark to represent Nigeria. I think david mark should get that into his head. the idoma people send david to defend thier interest. And what is the interest of the idoma people at the moment. It is to have a state of thier own. David mark would fail as a senator, if he can not bring that to his people. Knowing well that the former benue state is been cheated on state creation.

You know Bankole would be consider to have fail in politics if by 2011 If the Yorubas are not in the republic of Benin. If Bankole and the other Yorubas reps can not bring the Yorubas into the republic of Benin. You know bankole and others have fail. Nobody in yorubaland send Bankole and the yoruba senator to abuja to represent Nigeria. We send them to represent the Yorubas interest. And At the moment they look like fails. What is leadership? Leadership is if you do the wish of your people. And is Bankole, and the yorubas and reps doing the wish of the Yoruba people. The answer without the fear of man is NO. They have failed to defend Yoruba people. And It is obvious that we need a change.

Nigeria1/Becomerich/Musiwa

You and this your yoruba/Rep. of benin wahala. What does this post of yours have to do with the topic of this thread

Nothing cost awolowo anything. if you kiss our ass, we make you president. Look at what we did for obasanjo even when every yorubaman didnt want him. we rule, you guys follow. if we can impose obasanjo on yorubas then we can impose mugabe on nigerians if we want

Tonim, I have never hidden my ID or name from anyone. I would say it loud and bold. That the Yorubas joinning the republic of Benin is the best for the Yorubas races. And not only that it is the best for nigeria and even the best for the north since the north is minority in Nigeria.

This is best to avoid future war that may result based on fraud census figures. See the satellite pictures yourself and ask if the census figure was not fraud.

He was a flawed man but who isn't. you have to give him credit for his social democratic policies in the Western Region. His lust for power probably ruined him.

Jarus:

It will be unfair to accuse Awo only of tribalism. The politics of regionalism(North/Hausa,West/Yoruba and East/Igbo) being practised then made tribalism almost inevitable. Ahmadu Bello was idolized in the north, but his influence did not go beyond North, same thing for Awo in the West. Zik appeared more acceptable nationally because he saw Nigeria first before his tribe(and this did not go down well with many of his Ibo kinsmen). Furthermore, he was born in Zungeru(North) and spoke Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba fluently.

In the second republic when he wanted to go national, contesting Presidency, I read he was rigged out, and NPN's Shagari was made the President. But whether that was truth or just a fabrication by Awoists to explain the defeat, I can't say.

Personally, I'm not an Awoist, unlike my die-hard Awoist Dad, but I recognize he was very visionary and brilliant. His selfish, too-know style of politics is what I dislike.

Abeg his own was too much, he was an epitome of tribalist.

can you point to any display of tribalism in awo. Please tell us a story. I do not know one.

please this is the internet and it is open for everyone can the igbos tells us one open display by awo.  Zik would be said to be a tribalist when he remove a south south man and replace him with an igbo. That is tribalism is that not.

Did awo stop igbos living in the west from not going to school,?  NO.

Did awo stop the igbos from not getting a job in yorubaland ? NO.

Did awo kill an igboman.? No.

there are more non Yorubas working in Yorubas  than how many yorubas that work in Igboland. Even I do not think if the igbo can present 2 ,000 yorubas who work in igboland who do not own thier business. But the Yorubas can present more than 50,000. But still you people still call us tribalist every time.

or have you ever meet a yoruba man who claim , he would not vote for you because you are igbo before. No. it is rigging that have stop the igbos from been president.

Jarus:

It will be unfair to accuse Awo only of tribalism. The politics of regionalism(North/Hausa,West/Yoruba and East/Igbo) being practised then made tribalism almost inevitable. Ahmadu Bello was idolized in the north, but his influence did not go beyond North, same thing for Awo in the West. Zik appeared more acceptable nationally because he saw Nigeria first before his tribe(and this did not go down well with many of his Ibo kinsmen). Furthermore, he was born in Zungeru(North) and spoke Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba fluently.

In the second republic when he wanted to go national, contesting Presidency, I read he was rigged out, and NPN's Shagari was made the President. But whether that was truth or just a fabrication by Awoists to explain the defeat, I can't say.

Personally, I'm not an Awoist, unlike my die-hard Awoist Dad, but I recognize he was very visionary and brilliant. His selfish, too-know style of politics is what I dislike.

Awo's Action group was the ONLY political party that contested every available seat in parliament in the first federal elections. NCNC only contested in the south and NPC in the North. Please expatiate on how he was 'selfish', the 'too know' bit makes no sense at all.

To the people going on about Awo being the 'father' of tribal politics, may i remind you Zik had headed the ibo state union before Egbe omo oduduwa was formed and Zik's statement about Ibo being born to rule Africa pre-dated the Action Group. In regards to the oft repeated 'tribal slant' in the 1951 election i suggest you read this:

http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/guest-articles/rebutting-ralph-uwechues-lie.html

Let put the record right. So that all this issue of Awo been tribalist would end. So that this lies would end.



Total members of western house was 80


Action Group won 38 seats (needs 2 vote to win)

NCNC won 25 seats

Ibadan People’s Party (IPP) won 6 seat

Otu Edo won 3 seats

Ondo Improvement League won 2 seat

Total seat won by party 74 seats



Independant candidate ran for the election 6 seats


Making a total of 80 seats







Only 3 members of NCNC cross carpet to Action group and the action group did not need thier votes so much to win. thier

names are Chief SY Kesington-Momoh, JG Ako, and Awodi Orisaremi representing the Urhobo and Kukuruku (Auchi) Divisions.

Most people who cross carpet where members of other parties. It was non yorubas that cross over. All Yorubas elected on the platform of NCNC did not cross over expect one(1).




The people that cross carpet were

5 member of the Ibadan People’s Party (IPP)
1 member of the Otu Edo Party
1 member of Ondo Improvement League
4 Independant candidate thier names are Adegbenro, Osuntokun and Hassan,Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola.
3 members of NCNC names Chief SY Kesington-Momoh, JG Ako, and Awodi Orisaremi representing the Urhobo and Kukuruku (Auchi)

Divisions











Note : Adegbenro, Osuntokun and Hassan were card members of the Action group but ran as independant candidate and won.

So how did zik win the election?. He never did.



Dr. Azikiwe , Chief Frank Oputa-Otutu, Chief Denis Osadebey all won in Yorubaland dominated areas.

I had to recommend the author for surfacing certain political names that have escaped my memory. Other than that, he did a poor job defending Awolowo’s tribal politics.

There is no doubt whose bidding the author undertook on the literary effort. In author’s hasty attempt to defend Awolowo, author deliberately omitted the certain player and reason why the so-called Independents did not run on the Action Group platform.

The Independents would have run on the platform of Action Group but chose to run on the platform of NCNC and one of such independents was Chief Remi Fani-Kayode. Be mindful the Fani-kayode was a youth leader of Action Group who fell out with Ife chieftains of Action Group and then sought the political supports of Modekeke NCNC stalwarts.

The IPP group was the archrivals of Action Group especially in Ibadan municipality. The nuptial meetings between Action Group, Independents and IPP not to allow a non-son of soil the leadership rule in western region house of assembly was organized Action Group. In attendance was Chief Adelebu Adegokeke and he never stopped letting his colleagues hear about the ethnic political treachery until he was silenced by the political tugs of Action Group.

Again the author stumbled into another fallacy by stating that Azikiwe failed election into federal house assembly. In 1951, there was no election to federal house. All members representing their constituencies were appointed not elected. After the political debacle on the floor of western regional house of assembly, fueled by the ethnic bias, Azikiwe resigned his seat and moved to Enugu. Azikiwe neither contested for house seat nor senate seat in the eastern region but severed as NCNC party leader.

My people say what goes around comes around. It was not surprising that most of the folks that crossed carpet saw it fit that Awolowo and Action Group were rendered politically useless in western region of Nigeria.

Aloy.Emeka:

Obafemi Awolowo was a tribal bigot hoooo haaa. If you tell me that Akintola was a true believer in federalism, I will believe you but not Awo.

Well said Emeka. I do not know why you do not make contributions on nairaland anymore instead, you start a thread and allow other to do the chatting.

Ibime:

Awo was no tribalist, he was a true believer in federalism.

Most Niger Delta leaders went to Awo whenever they had a problem.

The statement that Nigeria is[b] a Geographical expression is not an anti-Nigerian statement, it is just a recognition that the centre needs to be loose and all peoples should have some degree of autonomy.[/b]

Thank you my Ijaw brother.

That is what I saw in awolowo as well. Only someone with low IQ would think he was a bigot.

A man that even the so call igbo haters benefited from his policies. I weep for ingrates

afam4eva:

Abeg his own was too much, he was an epitome of tribalist.

well said.

Awo practiced what he preached. I think I like the man. He was a realist not a dreamer like Zik. I love his courage too.

It is always better to declare your stands and ideals than beating around the bush as most politicians do these days.