Former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon had once described vice-president of the Federal Executive Council and federal commissioner for Finance under his regime, Chief Obafemi Awolowo as having laid the needed sound foundation in the management of the nation’s finances, it has been revealed.
Gowon made the complimenting remark about the late late sage in a letter he (Gowon) wrote in response to Awo’s resignation letter written to the then him as the then head of the military government.
Awololo who premised his reason for resigning from Gowon’s government on the fact that “peace and unity of our great country” was fully restored, however, offered himself up for service in the field of expertise of the country, free of charge, should he be needed  and his other engagement permits.
Stating the reasons that made him stay on in office after the end of the civil war, Awolowo said his interest in seeing through the 1970/71 fiscal year was the principal factor that delayed his decision to relinquish his office at the time.
The Awo wrote: “I should have, in accordance with this declaration, relinquished my present offices soon after the end of the civil war in January last year. But one main matter decided me against such an immediate course of action. As you know, before January 1970, the four-year development and reconstruction plan had been under active preparation, and it had been hoped that it would be launched early in the 1970/71 fiscal year. It was my strong desire to participate in the consideration of this plan. As it turned out, however, the plan was not actually considered until August 1970.
“I have decided to go back to legal practice. I also want to seize the opportunity, which the military government’s six-year political programme provides, to write, if my professional engagement permit, three books which have always been very much on my mind”.
Responding to the letter, Gen. Gowon who acknowledged Awo’s exceptional service to his fatherland said he was accepting the resignation based on the fact that he (Awolowo) must have thought hard before arriving at the decision, adding, however, that the gap to be created will be difficult to fill.
Gowon wrote: “Your outstanding performance as this government’s Commissioner for Finance during one of the most critical and turbulent periods of our history will always be remembered. You demonstrated, consistently, great courage, forthrightness, leadership, and a spirit of understanding, which helped us to get out of our financial disaster.
“That we did not succumb to the temptation to devalue our currency during the crisis and were able to win the war entirely out of our own resources and face resolutely the immediate post-war problems of rehabilitation, reconstruction and reconciliation was due, in no small measures, to your skill in the management of our finances”.






http://www.leadership.ng/news/cover-stories/573827/you-laid-a-sound-foundation-gowon-told-awolowo-in-1971-letter

That is one of the attributes of OMOLUABI

Yes he laid a sound foundation that made Nigeria what it is today... RUBBISH

Baba Awolowo is the greatest president Nigeria never had, and no thanks to Obasanjo and Abiola the treacherous sons....never again shall Yorubas being used against the interest of another Yorubas, we shall continue to determine the political spectrum of the country.

Apparently, the late sage didn't like the hijack of the government by the Langtang gang whose financial recklessness was baring it's fangs in the early 70s; a development Gowon was not part of but was confused on what to do since it was the gang that was protecting him.

Among all founding fathers, Awo had the best foresight too bad he lost it around the late 60s. Did well to resign though.

Nigeria is a business deal between Unilever and Britain. The business continues to put we citizens in a state of destitution.

The country needs to be broken or restructured or else we are just a time bomb ticking, which will eventually blow with all sides loosing.

He laid the foundation for the management of nation's finances, yet a decade after that, Awolowo was lamenting the mismanagement of Nigerian economy by Shagari who incidentally replaced him as Federal Commissioner of Finance and contested against him in the 1979 Presidential Election. It is ironical that Awolowo was so good with the Nigerian economy during the war yet, the Northern Oligarchy did not find him worthy to manage Nigeria during peace time.

sarrki:
That is one of the attributes of OMOLUABI

"Baba Awolowo is the greatest president Nigeria never had, and no thanks to Obasanjo and Abiola the treacherous sons....never again shall Yorubas being used against the interest of another Yorubas, we shall continue to determine the political spectrum of the country."

Keep deceiving yourself. Awolowo was used and dumped just as Obasanjo, Abiola, Shonekan and a host of other Yoruba men are used against Yoruba interest and later dumped. You are so arrogantly ignorant and proudly naïve to believe that Yoruba " shall continue to determine the political spectrum of the country

IamPatriotic:
Baba Awolowo is the greatest president Nigeria never had, and no thanks to Obasanjo and Abiola the treacherous sons....never again shall Yorubas being used against the interest of another Yorubas, we shall continue to determine the political spectrum of the country.

Uchek:
He laid the foundation for the management of nation's finances, yet a decade after that, Awolowo was lamenting the mismanagement of Nigerian economy by Shagari who incidentally replaced him as Federal Commissioner of Finance and contested against him in the 1979 Presidential Election. It is ironical that Awolowo was so good with the Nigerian economy during the war yet, the Northern Oligarchy did not find him worthy to manage Nigeria during peace time.

@ Bolded is the singular reason why Nigeria remains a minion among nations of comparable strength. Enter every government organization. Take a cursory look at public leadership positions and most often than not, you will see this trend well spread across all strata of the Nigerian state.