OLUSEGUN AWOLOWO: A SUNSET AT NOON

Were Segun Awolowo to be alive today, he would have celebrated his 79th birthday on January 20. He would have likely become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria or a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He might have become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He could also have been the Governor of Ogun State of Nigeria. Or may be a Senator of the Federal Republic.

Olusegun Awolowo was born on January 20, 1939. For anyone familiar with the history of Obafemi Awolowo, the years preceding 1939 were one of the most tempestuous of his life. Awolowo, as a fledging but ethical businessman, became a victim of the economic downturn of the 1930s.

Awolowo lost his investment. His house was auctioned. His prized car, a Chevrolet, was sold as part of the auction. Not only that, his clothes and other properties were also auctioned. And his marriage was less than two years old. It was during this tumultuous period that Segun was born. Oluwasegun – Almighty God gives me victory – is therefore an affirmation of Awolowo’s abiding confidence and faith in God’s power to make him victorious. Olusegun! A child of promise!

Awolowo regarded the birth of Olusegun, two months before his own birthday, as the positive turning point. He picked his pen and wrote:

"After rain comes sunshine;
After darkness comes the glorious dawn;
There is no sorrow without its alloys of joy;
There is no joy without its admixture of sorrow;
Behind the ugly, terrible mask of fortune,
Lies the beautiful soothing countenance of Prosperity;
So, tear the mask!"

Segun was a son any parent would be proud of! He inherited Papa Awo’s brilliance. His mates and teachers at Agbeni Methodist School, Ibadan, where he was a pupil between 1943 and 1951 testified to his uncommon intelligence. At a relatively young age, he became the protector of his younger siblings.

In 1952, Segun became a student of Igbobi College, Lagos. He also distinguished himself academically and he passed his West African School Certificate Examination in Grade One.

Upon completion of his secondary education, Segun found himself at a junction. He had a career choice to make. Mama HID wanted some of her children to take to business. Papa wanted some of them to read Law. But Papa Awo would never force his view on his children. Young Segun was allowed to decide on his career path. He chose Law.

In 1957, eighteen year old Segun left for London to study at the University of Cambridge. As a student, Segun lived life to the fullest. He was described as an all-round young man. He excelled academically and he was also sociable. Dr. Kunle Olasope, a childhood friend, recalled that Segun was a ladies' man and wasted no time with the girls which made his friends to give him a nickname "Quicky, Lucky, Lucky."

On January 20, 1960, Segun came of age when he turned 21. As you already know, 21 was then the age of majority in the United Kingdom. Social Segun naturally threw a party to mark the special occasion. The party which held at 15A Kensington Palace Gardens was attended by his friends and classmates at Cambridge. His sister, Tola Awolowo; Degbola Ademola and his sister, Nike Adegbola as well as Kayode Oyediran were some of the youngsters who attended the birthday party.

Following the successful completion of his Law Degree in Cambridge, he was called to the English Bar in 1962. It was a proud moment for his parents, particularly his father who had been called to the same Bar 16 years earlier when Segun was just 7 years old. Immediately after his call to the Bar, Segun went to visit his best friend, Yomi Akintola (the son of Chief Ladoke Akintola) who was in Dublin at the time. It was from Dublin that Segun went to the airport to come back to Nigeria in August 1962. In another account, Dr. Olasope recalled that Segun came back to Nigeria in January 1963.

Despite his outward appearance as a playboy, Segun was an extremely serious young man. According to Wole Soyinka, the Segun who returned to Nigeria was a young man “with a clarified sense of mission, shedding the image of the young, pampered playboy.”

Earlier in 1962, the Sole Administrator for Western Region, Dr. Moses A. Majekodunmi, had set up a Commission of Enquiry into the affairs of some statutory corporations in the region. The Commission was headed by Justice George Baptist Ayodola Coker, who later became a Justice of the Supreme Court in 1964.

As the Premier during the period covered by the commission’s terms of reference, Awolowo was one of the key people summoned to appear before the Commission. It was at this period that Segun returned to Nigeria to assist his father with his appearance before the Commission. His father found in him a dependable companion who was quick to appreciate salient legal issues. A chip off the old block. A son to be proud of.

Segun’s first taste of criminal case was as one his father’s counsel in the treasonable felony case. Segun appeared alongside other famous lawyers who appeared for Chief Awolowo before Hon. Justice George S. Sowemimo. People marvelled at the brilliance of the young man who was already his father’s rock at that tender age. One of the people who noticed the morning star was the Attorney General of the Federation, Dr. Taslim Elias. It was certain that Segun was going to be a brilliant advocate like his father.

That was until that fateful day! A black Wednesday in the month of July 1963!

Papa Awolowo was in Broad Street Prison in Lagos. Mama HID was at the time in an apartment in Somolu, somewhere off Ikorodu Road. It was Mama’s temporary residence whilst she looked after her husband who was in detention. Segun and Tola were living at their Oke-Bola residence in Ibadan. Tola was at the time working with Shell as a secretary to the regional manager.

Tola had a car but was just learning how to drive. It was a Triumph Herald, white in colour. She had a driver who took her around. Ogunjimi Odunlami was the name of her driver. Ogunjimi was popularly known as No Paddy. That’s the name everyone called him. That’s the name he loved to be called. No Paddy! It could have been a shortened form of ‘No Paddy for Jungle’.

Segun on the other hand was a licensed driver. He was as skillful behind the wheel as he was deft with his legal practice. However whenever he wanted to travel he usually asked his sister to allow No Paddy to drive him. This was to allow him to read and review his case files. At such times, Tola would have to rely on her fiancé, Kayode, a young medical doctor, to drop and pick her from work.

Segun spent the evening of Tuesday, July 9 with some of his friends, including Kunle Olasope, at Osunmarina Restauarant, next door to Radio Nigeria Ibadan. Segun left them early to go home as he was travelling to Lagos on Wednesday. At their Oke-Bola residence, Segun informed his sister that he would need No Paddy the following day to drive him to Lagos. He had discussed with Mama earlier and they had both planned to visit Chief Awolowo at the Broad Street Prison on Wednesday. Mama was eager to see her husband and Segun also had some legal issues to discuss with his father as well as a court appearance in Ikeja.

Rashidi Ayinla was woken on Wednesday by the sound of the muezzin calling Muslim faithful to prayer. He swore to himself as he looked at the time. He was already late. He was supposed to have been on his way to Ibadan. He dashed to the place where his stage carriage was parked on the street. It was covered with early morning dews. Mud had splattered allover the contraption. It was clear that the vehicle had seen better days. The mud had partly covered the number plate. One needed to strain the eyes to see that the number was LF 2065.

Rashidi tugged at the door. It was a moment before he realized that he was standing at the passenger door. He swore again and rubbed his face. He felt sleepy. But he had to be in Ibadan!

As he drove out of Martins Street in Mushin, he noticed that the vehicle brake was a bit loose beneath his foot. This brake again! He mumbled a silent prayer not to meet any policeman on the road. He knew the consequence of being arrested again. A pedestrian dashed across the road. Rashidi swerved. This brake!

He yawned. He was tired. He was sleepy. He knew that was how he felt some weeks earlier when he was involved in a fatal accident in Abeokuta while driving the same car. He also knew he was not supposed to be driving the car in this condition. His fatal accident case was still pending before a Magistrate Court in Abeokuta. He sped on while trying to keep his eyes open.

On the same Wednesday morning, Kayode Oyediran, Tola Awolowo’s fiancé, was with a friend in Molete when he overheard some people lamenting that Awolowo’s son had been involved a serious accident on the road to Lagos. With his heart beating as if it was going to burst, Kayode approached the crowd and began to ask for details. The response was as expected, conflicting and confusing. Some said the accident was at ten miles from Ibadan. Others said it was fifteen miles from Ibadan. One woman swore with Ogun, the god of Iron, that the accident happened at Aba Nla village. Some said it was a black Peugeot. Others said it was blue. Segun’s car was in fact navy blue.

Kayode was in apparent denial. It could not be Segun. Not Segun Awolowo, his prospective brother in law. He told his friend that the people must be mistaken and that Segun was probably with Mama already in Lagos. Dare, his friend, wanted to share his optimism. He suggested that after dropping a mutual friend at UCH they should drive to the supposed scene of the accident.

At UCH, the entire hospital was practically upside down. Kayode learnt that people were looking for Professor Latunde Odeku, a neurosurgeon of international repute, to go to Adeoyo Hospital to attend to a road accident victim who had sustained a head injury. Kayode and Dare decided to drive to Adeoyo first to find out the identity of the accident victim.

At the gate of UCH, he was shocked to see Tola and a relative. Someone had informed Tola that her brother had been taken to UCH after an accident. Tola was already overwhelmed with emotion. Kayode was equally overwhelmed, but he put on a brave face. He told her that they had heard the rumour too but that Segun was not in UCH and that they were on their way to Adeoyo. They left her at UCH and proceeded to Adeoyo, praying and hoping that it would not be Segun that was involved.

At Adeoyo, Kayode was informed of the news he dreaded most. He was directed to the room where Segun’s lifeless body was being packed. Tears dripped down the face of the medical doctor. “Am I dreaming?” He whispered to Dare. Dare himself was speechless. Not Segun! Not Segun Awolowo. They both willed the prone body to wake up and give them his boisterous laugh. The Segun that Kayode remembered was the vivacious Segun, the brilliant Segun, Segun the Advocate!

The first visitor Papa Awo had on that Wednesday morning was Abraham Adesanya. Adesanya had been sent with a bundle of document by Chief Anthony Enahoro’s leading counsel. The counsel wanted Awolowo to review the documents and return them to him the following morning.

Awolowo collected the documents. They were vital for Enahoro’s defence. Adesanya was still with him when S. T. Oredein and J. O. Lawson were ushered in. They wore a sombre look. Awolowo was not called the Leader for nothing. He was gifted with the ability to read body language. He immediately sensed that something was wrong. Oredein moved close to the Leader. He knew he had to be tactical with how he broke the news. In a barely audible whisper he told Baba Segun that they had just heard in the news that Segun had an accident and that though the driver died on the spot, Segun survived and had been taken to Adeoyo Hospital where doctors were battling to save his life.

Awolowo intuitively knew the worst had happened. The bond between father and son is an eternal bond. “Driver died on the spot; and doctors are battling to save his life!” He mused aloud. Awolowo stood up from his leaning posture, and in an emotion-laden voice, he exclaimed: “The boy has died!” His mind went to his wife. How would HID cope? And he was not there to provide emotional support for the grieving mother!

He requested for the use of the prison phone to make some calls. The Superintendent of Prison declined. Order from above. Calmly and without betraying any emotion, Awo requested Adesanya to get in touch with their family doctor to attend to his wife before the tragic news reached her. It was after Adesanya had gone that Awolowo turned on the transistor radio in his cell and heard the news no parent wanted to hear.

But Awolowo did not sorrow. He knew that death was never the end. Death was but a transition. “In the fullness of our individual time, everyone of us will be translated from this terrestrial sphere into the celestial realm.” Awolowo spent the night trawling through Enahoro’s documents. He was making notes on the documents as he went along. It was a comprehensive editorial work that he did.

On Thursday morning, Abraham Adesanya was one of the first set of callers to visit Awolowo to offer his condolences. Adesanya was shocked when the bereaved father handed him the documents, fully annotated. “Is this a man or a spirit?” Adesanya wondered!

Awo recalled: “I had worked all night to study the documents and to jot my comments thereon. There was nothing I could do to revive my beloved son. But there was a lot I could do for a friend who still lived, and was fighting to regain his personal freedom.” What a man! What a Legend!

The news of Segun’s demise reverberated across the land. It was a death like no other.

From the North, Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello commiserated with Obafemi Awolowo. From the other side of the Niger, Michael Okpara condoled with the first premier of Western Region. Even the Court, on resumption of his father’s trial, paid tributes to the memory of the brilliant advocate.

Dr. M. A. Majekodunmi, the Federal Minister of Health who served as the Sole Administrator for the Region in 1962 sympathised with Chief Awolowo. In his message, Dr. Majekodunmi recognized Awolowo’s strength of character when he said: “You have borne many trials in the past with Christian fortitude and I know that in this fresh trial, your faith will sustain you.”

Segun was buried in Ikenne the same day. A memorial service was later held for him at St. Saviour’s Church, Ikenne.

Rashidi Ayinla, the 35 year old driver who caused the gruesome accident, was later arraigned before Iyaganku Magistrate Court, Ibadan and was charged with manslaughter of Segun Awolowo and Ogunjimi Odunlami (No Paddy). The court was informed that Ayinla was already facing another charge arising from a fatal accident at Abeokuta which he committed with the same vehicle. The Magistrate ordered that he should be remanded in custody pending conclusion of police investigation.

Segun Awolowo left behind two children who are keeping his name and legacies alive: Pastor Funke Awolowo and Mr. Segun Awolowo, Jnr.

May the soul of Oluwasegun Awolowo continue to rest in perfect peace. #HistoryVille

Credits: Onigegewura©

Culled From My Facebook Page

Wow!! What an interesting piece! Has it been published in a book? What is the title? And where can I buy a copy? The story is so captivating, but it left out one important detail - the romance between the late Segun Awolowo, and the trendy matriarch Hajia Abah Folawiyo which eventually culminated in the birth of Segun Awolowo (jnr), the current Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Promotion. Council (NEPC).

Great

God bless the deeds... hmmmm iron steel discipline all true Rosicrucians are known for. Not even the death of his child made Awo deferred till tomorrow what the morning may accomplish.

The story in a way unravelled the kind of beautiful life the son's of our leaders in the SW where living. What a good life parties in Kensington, to qualifying very young at the age of 23, to mixing with other contemporaries who were doctors.

Ibadan seems to be d centre of this bygone period. To think some tribes or some state are only sending 5 students to unity schools in 2018 beggers belief.�

Segun Jnr was his father's replica - a playboy with seriousness