By Ademola Adehbamigbe

Chief Obafemi Awolowo, former Premier of Western Region, had the greatest shock of his life on 1 October 1960 when the Union Jack, the British flag, was lowered.

He had fought side by side such nationalists like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ernest Ikoli, Oba Samuel Akinsanya, H.O. Davies, others- all of whom, as Awo put it, were great pioneers in the agitation for Nigeria’s self-determination.
First, Awo did not like the type of invitation cards sent to him and his wife, Dideolu. “As one of the architects of Nigeria’s Independence, I felt greatly affronted by the types of invitation cards and car labels sent to me. I decided to ignore all the invitations but one: that for the ceremony on the night of 30th September, 1960, where, at midnight, the Union Jack would be lowered for ever to be replaced by the Nigerian Flag. Consequently, I did not, at all preceding functions, put in an appearance.”

When Tafawa Balewa noticed Awo’s absence at the initial functions, he personally went to see him (the latter) at Ikeja VIP guest house where he lodged for the night and apologized.

Then something happened again! As Awo narrated:

“The following morning I received new invitation cards and car labels for the night of 30th September. I was accompanied by my wife who was also invited. When we got to Tafawa Balewa Square, our invitation card was examined by the official usher who, after visibly shaking his head, took my wife and myself to the appropriate place indicated on the invitation card. On getting there, we found ourselves in the midst of ex-servicemen! I was shocked to find Sir John Rankine and his wife there too! Sir John Rankine was the immediate predecessor in office of Sir Adesoji Aderemi as Governor of the Western Region. He had been invited to the Independence Ceremonies by the Federal Government, only to be treated in this shabby manner! I knew that that was not my place; and felt a sense of aggravated insult and humiliation.”

Read the full narrative by Awolowo below:

How I was treated at Independence, 1960

By Obafemi Awolowo[b][/b]

As the attainment of Independence approached, invitations for various functions and ceremonies came to me in large numbers. Invitation cards were sent to me for all the functions. However, on examining them and accompanying car labels, I was satisfied that they were not meant for me as the Leader of the Opposition for whom the Prime Minister or his Government had any due regard. As one of the leading architects of Nigeria’s Independence, I felt greatly affronted by the types of invitation cards and car labels sent to me. I decided to ignore all the invitations but one: that for the ceremony on the night of 30th September, 1960, where, at midnight, the Union Jack would be lowered for ever to be replaced by the Nigerian Flag. Consequently, I did not, at all preceding functions, put in an appearance.

In the meantime, both Sir Abubakar and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe noticed my absence from all the functions preceding that of 30th September. Zik spoke to me on the telephone from Lagos and expressed surprise at my absence. Sir Abubakar also spoke to me on the telephone and expressed similar surprise. I gave Sir Abubakar the same reply as I had given to Zik. Sir Abubakar gave me an appointment for seven o’clock at his official residence in Lagos. So I left Ibadan the same afternoon, and was in the compound of his official residence at 6.55 p.m. prompt. When I got there, his Private Secretary, Mr. Odukale, told me that I would have to wait for a while. He very respectfully invited me to wait in his office until the Prime Minister was ready. The Prime Minister regretted the inconvenience that might be caused me; but he had to attend to some Heads of State who were attending the Independence Ceremonies. I then asked to know from Mr. Odukale for how long I would have to wait. He did not know; but it would not be up to an hour. Then I remarked to Mr. Odukale:

‘I see-e-e. You will tell the Prime Minister that I am here at the time appointed by him. I have come all the way from Ibadan. I certainly cannot and will not wait. If he is still keen on having a meeting with me, he could contact me at Dr. Akanni Doherty’s place between now and eight o’clock, or at the Ikeja VIP Rest-house anytime after half past eight.’

To his credit, Sir Abubakar rang me up about 9 p.m. at the Ikeja VIP Rest-house. We spoke. He expressed regret for not being able to attend to me at the time appointed by him, and offered to come over to see me immediately at Ikeja. He came, and we discussed. I repeated what I had told him previously on the telephone and added, from my point of view, one important piece which I had earlier mentioned to Zik on the telephone, but did not tell Sir Abubakar during our telephone conversation. I stated, with all emphasis at my command, that in any ceremony or function connected with Nigeria’s Independence, I was prepared to give precedence to only Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and himself as Prime Minister of the Federation. If they were around, I would give precedence to three other outstanding nationalists, namely, Ernest Ikoli, Oba Samuel Akinsanya, and H.O. Davies – all of whom were great pioneers in the agitation for Nigeria’s self-determination. I would not give precedence to anyone else. But the invitation cards sent to me put me in the same bracket as Junior Ministers and Civil Servants.

Sir Abubakar apologized and promised to make amends. In addition, he undertook to send me a police motor-cyclist to help me beat the traffic hold-ups on my way to and from social functions. I thanked him very much, and we parted.

The following morning I received new invitation cards and car labels for the night of 30th September. I was accompanied by my wife who was also invited. When we got to Tafawa Balewa Square, our invitation card was examined by the official usher who, after visibly shaking his head, took my wife and myself to the appropriate place indicated on the invitation card. On getting there, we found ourselves in the midst of ex-servicemen! I was shocked to find Sir John Rankine and his wife there too! Sir John Rankine was the immediate predecessor in office of Sir Adesoji Aderemi as Governor of the Western Region. He had been invited to the Independence Ceremonies by the Federal Government, only to be treated in this shabby manner! I knew that that was not my place; and felt a sense of aggravated insult and humiliation. I turned to my wife and commented: ‘Don’t you see that this fellow Balewa is a clever deceiver? Or is he not?’ ‘Indeed!’ she said, and added: ‘Don’t let’s talk about him here.’

About fifteen minutes after we had been in the ex-servicemen pavilion which, by the way, was in complete darkness compared with other pavilions or areas which were brightly lit, we saw the police outrider who had escorted us from Ikeja beaming a torchlight into the pavilion. He was obviously looking for someone. He was accompanied by a man whom we recognized later as the Prime Minister. We had been seated not on the front row in this pavilion, but well into the heart of it. When the ex-servicemen by whom we sat recognized us, they appeared embarrassed from the way they tried to make more room for me and my wife by squeezing themselves together. It occurred to me that Sir Abubakar was looking for us. I did nothing, however, to help him locate us. The police outrider knew where we went in, but did not know where we sat. In the same way, the official usher knew where we went in, but, as the seats in the pavilion were not numbered, he had left me and my wife to fend for ourselves. So, he too, did not know exactly where we sat; and, in any case, he was not with Sir Abubakar and the police outrider.

Then, after some two or more minutes, the light landed on my face. The police outrider moved quickly towards us. He informed us that the Prime Minister had been looking for us, and wanted us to come out of the pavilion. I was reluctant to leave where I was. It was enough for my wife and myself, no matter where we sat, to see the Union Jack lowered, and the Nigerian Flag raised aloft in its place for ever. This was what great contemporary nationalists and patriots like Ernest Sisei Ikoli, Samuel Akinsanya (the Odemo of Ishara), H.O. Davies, Zik, Mbonu Ojike, and my humble self – to mention a few – had for many years fought for.

However, on seeing Sir Abubakar coming towards us, I nudged my wife, we rose, and went out of the dark pavilion to meet him. ‘Chief, what are you doing in that place?’ he asked in surprise. He was quite affable, and added: ‘You don’t belong there!’ He then turned to my wife: ‘A-ah! Good evening, Chief (Mrs) Awolowo; I am sorry about this. Chief shouldn’t have taken you to that place.’ ‘But that is where the invitation you sent to me places us! I didn’t choose the place!, I remarked.

‘Where is the invitation card?’

‘Here it is!’

He took It, looked at It, said he was sorry, and put it in his pocket. He remarked at the same time someone had made a grave mistake, and that he would look into the matter. We were then taken to the place where the Prime Minister, the Premiers, and the Federal Ministers had sat. The ambassadors were seated behind them. Chief Akintola, on seeing me, got up and offered his place to me. I declined the offer. For, if I was expected at the front row, places should have been reserved for me and my wife. As soon as we arrived at the VIP seating area, Sir Abubakar left me and my wife to the care of another official usher who sat us among Ambassadors from African countries. If I remember right, we sat next to the Ghanaian High Commissioner.

That night (or, more correctly, that morning) after returning to the Ikeja VIP Rest-house, we found an invitation card waiting for us. We had been invited to watch the ceremony of the handing-over of the Instrument of Independence which was taking place at Tafawa Balewa Square later that morning at ten o’clock. We were to join a procession starting from the premises of the office of the Prime Minister. But in that procession, I was to take the rear immediately after Chief Adekoye Majekodunmi who was Federal Minister of Health. I showed the invitation to my wife, and we decided not to attend the ceremony, but to go to Dr. Akinola Maja’s Bar Beach residence to rejoice with the market women on the advent of 1st October 1960. Nevertheless, we were both depressed by the treatment that had been given to us. At the Bar Beach on that morning of 1st October 1960, I was able to put on a cheerful front among the women. But my wife could not bear it as I did, and she went into one of the rooms to lie down, instead of rejoicing with the women.

Just as we decided, in the early hours of the morning, not to attend the handing-over ceremony, the telephone rang.

‘Is that Chief Awolowo?’ A voice said.

‘Yes, please.’

‘Have you received your invitation for today’s handing-over ceremony at the Race Course?’

‘Yes!’

‘Are you attending?’

‘Who are you speaking, anyway?’

‘Please, Sir, don’t press for my name. I am a civil servant but an admirer. Are you attending, Sir? We here think you should not attend. You have been slighted!’

‘Well. I have decided not to attend!”

‘We are happy, very very happy. Congratulations, Sir!’ And the caller rang off.

Nothing daunted, my wife and I attended the Independence Dinner which took place on the night of 1st October, 1960, but I had to prevail upon her to come with me. Quite frankly, I regretted that I did. We were seated so far away from the high table that we could hardly recognize the faces of those who sat there. We were dumped in the midst of ex-colonial officials, many of whom bore unspoken ill will against me for the part I had played in the struggle for Independence. In contrast, and to his eternal credit, when Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was installed as Governor General of Nigeria, he personally saw to it that I was given a place of honour only next to the Prime Minister, and my wife was accorded a status second only to that of Chief(Mrs) Flora Azikiwe.

■Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s account in ADVENTURES IN POWER – BOOK TWO: The Travails of Democracy and The Rule of Law (1987) – Pages 12-17

The only man who would have changed the course of Nigeria into greatness had he become president.

Unfortunately the country fell into the hand of tyrants, anarchists, clowns, jihadists and terrorists. A people that ought to be great in all areas of life become dissilutiomed citizens of their own country subject to the whims and caprices corrupt men of questionable characters and agents of destructiontion.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo, you are a great man.

On Oodua nation I stand.

TheFreeOne:
The only man who would have changed the course of Nigeria into greatness had he become president.

Unfortunately the country fell into the hand of tyrants, anarchists, clowns, jihadists and terrorists. A people that ought to be great in all areas of life become dissilutiomed citizens of their own country subject to the whims and caprices corrupt men of questionable characters and agents of destructiontion.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo, you are a great man.

On Oodua nation I stand.

Awolowo was not that man, just like almadu Bello who declined to be the prime minister of Nigeria and choose to be the prime minister of northern region giving the position of Nigerian prime minister to fellow northerner belewa , awolowo only cared about Yoruba, western region more than he did for Nigeria as a nation.

TheFreeOne:
The only man who would have changed the course of Nigeria into greatness had he become president.

Unfortunately the country fell into the hand of tyrants, anarchists, clowns, jihadists and terrorists. A people that ought to be great in all areas of life become dissilutiomed citizens of their own country subject to the whims and caprices corrupt men of questionable characters and agents of destructiontion.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo, you are a great man.

On Oodua nation I stand.

Awolowo was a socialist to the core

We would have been worse off honestly

They were just envious of you sir.

If Awo, only cared about western region he won't have fought for Nigeria's Independence.

jimyjames:

Awolowo was not that man, just like almadu Bello who declined to be the prime minister of Nigeria and choose to be the prime minister of northern region giving the position of Nigerian prime minister to fellow northerner belewa , awolowo only cared about Yoruba, western region more than he did for Nigeria as a nation.

I totally disagree with you sir, He was a Nationalist. The Man who invented the Naira, He formed trade union Congress, established NTA, built the 1st Stadium in Nigeria, Most of His Achievement are 1st, 2nd to Non. Awo was I great leader, Nigeria would have experience much development if He had rule

mrvitalis:

Awolowo was a socialist to the core

We would have been worse off honestly

Awolowo was a progressive, an objective, intelligent man, that meant well for this entity. Great man.

Fourteen90:
I totally disagree with you sir, He was a Nationalist. The Man who invented the Naira, He formed trade union Congress, established NTA, built the 1st Stadium in Nigeria, Most of His Achievement are 1st, 2nd to Non. Awo was I great leader, Nigeria would have experience much development if He had rule

All government owned ...that's socialism do u even know what socialism is ?

mrvitalis:

All government owned ...that's socialism do u even know what socialism is ?

The private sector will eventually come in if Awo model was retained. The world has changed from the 60s and what Awo provided is what we need to start that era.

All those socialism and etc is sometimes textbook definition and just dependent on the scenario.

Did USA not have some of those things you listed? Don’t they still maintain some form of elementary free education?

Oselu baba ikene.

The late sage

Awo!!!

mrvitalis:

Awolowo was a socialist to the core

We would have been worse off honestly

What do you mean by socialist to the core?
I doubt that you know what socialism means
Is the Western region worse off today than the others?
Of all the regions from that era. The Western Region is the only one that still retains a legacy business
The Odua Investment Company is still alive and thriving
Setting up a company that survives 60 years is not a hallmark of socialism
His own Newspaper The Tribune is still alive

I can see you are very young and uninformed?

Whether or not we would be better off has nothing to do with him being socialist

China despite being ruled by the Communist Party is on track to be the largest economy in the world

All of them were there for their selfish reasons, from Awolowo,to zik,to ahmadu bello

It is not today that Fulanis started humiliating these people.

Honestly!

alfasexy:
It is not today that Fulanis started humiliating these people.

Did yoruba people note what Awolowo said about Zik? Zik used to take him to the high table and accord Awo's wife same status as Zik's wife.
For the records.

Africa has never peoduced a people loving leader since his death, Awolowo lives on

Oh I have this book.Awo the great hope God can still send a leader like Awolowo to Nigeria.

mrvitalis:

Awolowo was a socialist to the core

We would have been worse off honestly

You are right, he would have been worst, just as he did in Western Region that made all other idiots and nincompoopic miscreants from all over the nation troop to Yorubaland till date. Thunder Fire idiots.

But why do doctors still give phones to psychiatric patients still at the psychiatric hospital like this poster? How do dull people use smartphones?

WorldRichest:


You are right, just as he did in Western Region that made all other idiots and nincompoopic miscreants from all over the nation troop to Yorubaland till date. Thunder Fire idiots like you.

U mean troop to Lagos ? Mind you Lagos was never under him

Keep quiet kid from that content posted there nowhere it was stated fulani his behind the sideline. If zik had not collected ceremonial president no way balewa will get to the seat.

And mind you dont call Tinubu name on the matter like this.

Fourteen90:
Honestly! and the likes of Tinubu failed to learn from History

alfasexy:
It is not today that Fulanis started humiliating these people.

YES, they have been invading the Eastern Republic of Drugs and Crimes for long.

mrvitalis:

U mean troop to Lagos ? Mind you Lagos was never under him

Okay. Go to Sango, Abeokuta, Mowe, Ibafo, Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Osogbo, Ikirun, and to all interior villages of Yorubaland and see your brethren selling fake drugs, hard drugs, armed robbery, kidnapping and your sisters selling their bodies in the hotels.

Fourteen90:
If Awo, only cared about western region he won't have fought for Nigeria's Independence.

Why not? Was western region not under Nigeria? Awolowo like anyone else agitated for the independence of Nigeria even almadu Bello, but both of them cared about their regions not really Nigeria

Part of why history was banned

My hero Awo, why did you stain yourself with the war?

TheFreeOne:
The only man who would have changed the course of Nigeria into greatness had he become president.

Unfortunately the country fell into the hand of tyrants, anarchists, clowns, jihadists and terrorists. A people that ought to be great in all areas of life become dissilutiomed citizens of their own country subject to the whims and caprices corrupt men of questionable characters and agents of destructiontion.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo, you are a great man.

On Oodua nation I stand.

True but OBJ, his fellow Yoruba, is to blame for Awolowo not becoming President.

OBJ has done a lot of harm to Nigeria.

mrvitalis:

U mean troop to Lagos ? Mind you Lagos was never under him

Parts of Lagos (the Mainland) was under Western region. Awo created Ikeja and Apapa industrial estates. Go home and ask your forefathers the true history.

-Osu amaka

Interesting.

But OP, your heading is misleading. Balewa did not intervene. If you check the sequence of events, it was not happenstance. He was just keeping up appearances; doing eye-service, as we say.

In the Chief's own words:
‘Don’t you see that this fellow Balewa is a clever deceiver? Or is he not?’ ‘Indeed!’ she said, and added: ‘Don’t let’s talk about him here.’

Again:
"In contrast, and to his eternal credit, when Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was installed as Governor General of Nigeria, he personally saw to it that I was given a place of honour only next to the Prime Minister, and my wife was accorded a status second only to that of Chief(Mrs) Flora Azikiwe."

I wonder how people read but cannot comprehend. This Zero critical reasoning is what has landed our country in this present state of affairs.
Disclosure: I am not affiliated to any of the major tribes before una begin shout say Azikiwe na my brother.