Writer and poet, Odia Ofeimun, has rated the late Premier of the old Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, above late former South African President, Nelson Mandela.

The social critic, in an interview granted to Sahara TV which was uploaded to YouTube and seen by our correspondent, said although “Mandela was good for the liberation” of his people, Awolowo made far-reaching impacts on the lives of many Nigerians.

Ofeimun, while comparing the two leaders, said the processes leading to independence in South Africa and Nigeria “followed exactly the same pattern” noting 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 Awolowo 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 according to him, Nkrumah’s ideology of pan-Africanism lacked the capacity to “save Africa’’ when compared to Awolowo’s brand of socialism.

He said, “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.

“It is not just love and I want to emphasise that. Those who criticise Awolowo’s socialism for wanting in love are obviously basing their argument on his claim that a government should be like a sun that shines on all equally. If it is about a theory of how to bring the people together on the African continent, none is as good as the Awolowo’s and I’m not trying to pretend.

“Bring all their writings, fine phrases, alright, but reduce them to economic terms, and I can tell you that there is only one man who rivals Awolowo in this respect and that is Nkrumah. Unfortunately unlike Awolowo, Nkrumah did not believe in either a democratic or a federal theory. If you want to save Africa, you need those two.”

Asked by the interviewer why he chose Awolowo over Mandela, Ofeimun said “Yes and I will tell you why, the simple reason is that what needed to be done in South Africa, after apartheid was precisely what Awolowo wanted for Western Region and Nigeria after independence. Which is to say put every child at school, ensure that productivity takes the creativity of the individual citizen into proper focus and build the relationship between people and not on whether they did not love each other? But whether there is justice and equality.”

Exactly! It's just that Nigerians don't understand the love of Awo to the nation. Awo was jailed as well, fought for independence but denied to rule Nigeria. May God polish all enemies of Awo black

I do not think comparing both men is entirely right or justifiable, why in the first place will anyone compare them? this is not a completion of greatness both men were outstanding in their own ways and both pushed for the unification of their own countries. I can still vividly recall Awo's burial ceremony with the golden casket, the procession for those paying their last respect and the huge crowd.

To me both men did more than their share for their countries, what the poet should be concern with is how the current set of leader manning each country in Africa can emulate their selfless characteristics and not by starting a popularity contest.

No doubt about that.
Mandela made a huge sacrifice like many other SA ,for his people but
Mandela had no choice but to tow that path.
That path had more to do with property and the white minority keeping their economic advantage than any other thing .
That was the reason he was blown larger than life.
You only need to look at Egypt and morsi to know what would have happened if he towed the path of Mugabe .
The best POEPLE to ask that question are the Zimbabweans.
I used to think that they hated Mugabe but
4 out of every 5 Zimbabwean I have ever asked that question about Mugabe actually love him for what he did .
We saw what happened to Mugabe even though he is a corrupt buffoon.
The west descended on him because he redistributed land back to the ancestral owners.
I just personally think he is a bit overrated.
Nkrumah ,lumumba,sankara and awo are people I rate higher than Mandela because the legacies of these men live on.

the two are not comparable....mandela is miles ahead of awo with due respect.....wonder why one would even bring the two together...they are not on the same class.......

Stale news

meccuno: the two are not comparable....mandela is miles ahead of awo with due respect.....wonder why one would even bring the two together...they are not on the same class.......

sorry to say, you may still be baby during the reign of Awo.. The apartheid Mandela fought for is not more than Awo's struggle for Nigeria independence.
Lets get it cleared that only Mandela's name was heard, he had subordinates who teamed up with him to succeed.
Historically, Awo remains only politician in Nigeria who has the record of policies that favoured the general common nigerian

Mandela and awolowo can be said to be in the same class.
Both of them are politically overrated figures,who were at best ethnic cum national 'players' ,though mandela was more humane and sincere in the accomplishment of his 'ethnic' agenda.
None of them can be compared to the higher class of pan-africanists like azikiwe,lumumba,and nkrumah.

Sirniyeh:
sorry to say, you may still be baby during the reign of Awo.. The apartheid Mandela fought for is not more than Awo's struggle for Nigeria independence.
Lets get it cleared that only Mandela's name was heard, he had subordinates who teamed up with him to succeed.
Historically, Awo remains only politician in Nigeria who has the record of policies that favoured the general common nigerian

yes just like the £20 a head policy. Mr please, Awo was great no doubt but Mandela's impact was felt in all of south Africa, Awolowo on the other hand was not liked that much in other parts of Nigeria, and i am putting it mildly.

Is Deridegull still alive? Can his followers go and check up on him ASAP!

This is the sort of thread where he will be first to comment spewing balderdash and baseless irrelevancies.

Sirniyeh:
sorry to say, you may still be baby during the reign of Awo.. The apartheid Mandela fought for is not more than Awo's struggle for Nigeria independence.
Lets get it cleared that only Mandela's name was heard, he had subordinates who teamed up with him to succeed.
Historically, Awo remains only politician in Nigeria who has the record of policies that favoured the general common nigerian

yes he fought for indepence ....so did the other nationalist....awolowo was a very brilliant man,no doubt...but never hid the fact that his interest was that of the yoruba people.....all his Major achievement where in the south west....so if u tell me that he was a mandela to his kinsmen...no problem....but for u to start the comparison is a bit too childish....being proud of ur tribe and trying to lift the name of ur hero isn't a bad thing.....but awo was more of yoruba than Nigerian....mandela was more of a south african than a high chief from his tribe...

This is blasphemous, Awolowo only went to prison after nigeria had gotten independence from Britain, if Awolowo was better than Mandela how come it is only his tribe that know this alone

Sirniyeh: Exactly! It's just that Nigerians don't understand the love of Awo to the nation. Awo was jailed as well, fought for independence but denied to rule Nigeria. May God polish all enemies of Awo black

.

Oga sirniyeh it's punish not polish.