Yeah, this brings us to another area I have problem with Yoruba brand of politics.
There is this common belief every Yoruba must be in the same party - the Yoruba party.(AG, UPN, later AD).
Any Yoruba that is not in these so called Yoruba parties is seen as a bastard, or more nicely, sell-out.
Many Yorubas will quickly tell us that Abiola betrayed Awo in the second republic. Abiola pitched tent with NPN? And so what? Must every Yoruba man pitch tent with Awo's UPN? The likes of Akinloye, Akinjide and co that were Yoruba leaders of NPN were seen as outcasts for the simple reason that they didn't go with Awo's UPN. I have a problem with this brand of politics.

This is why a Yoruba party has never produced a president(UPN, AD). The stronghold doesn't go beyond the Yoruba territory.
Awo may be a more sagacious politician than MKO, I think MKO played wiser IMHO. MKO dodged politics of regional identification and was able to sell himself to whole Nigerians, easily winning a national election, a feat Awo did not achieve in three attempts.

This is not to take anything away from Awo, who I strongly believe, was the most visionary politician in Nigeria's history, but I have a problem with his style of politics.

Jarus:

Yeah, this brings us to another area I have problem with Yoruba brand of politics.
There is this common belief every Yoruba must be in the same party - the Yoruba party.(AG, UPN, later AD).
Any Yoruba that is not in these so called Yoruba parties is seen as a naughty person, or more nicely, sell-out.
Many Yorubas will quickly tell us that Abiola betrayed Awo in the second republic. Abiola pitched tent with NPN? And so what? Must every Yoruba man pitch tent with Awo's UPN? The likes of Akinloye, Akinjide and co that were Yoruba leaders of NPN were seen as outcasts for the simple reason that they didn't go with Awo's UPN. I have a problem with this brand of politics.

This is why a Yoruba party has never produced a president(UPN, AD). The stronghold doesn't go beyond the Yoruba territory.
Awo may be a more sagacious politician than MKO, I think MKO played wiser IMHO. MKO dodged politics of regional identification and was able to sell himself to whole Nigerians, easily winning a national election, a feat Awo did not achieve in three attempts.

This is not to take anything away from Awo, who I strongly believe, was the most visionary politician in Nigeria's history, but I have a problem with his style of politics.

How did MKO play wiser? He was told by the Northerners in the Second republic that he could not buy the presidency. Yorubas vote in a bloc yes, but we vote for those who will look after our interests, (my grandfather in AG lost to an NCNC candidate in Ibadan probably because the people felt the NCNC man would protect their interests better) the Akinloyes, Akinjides did not achieve anything for the yorubas, their sole existence was based on stopping Awo and not on delivering the goodies for their people. PDP's rule in the south west has been terrible, imagine having AC in those other states, yes AC people do steal but development will be there. What has Kwara got to show for its national politics?

See two articles below for more information.

"This is not far from the truth, for in January 1962, the hostility between Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the leader of opposition in the then federal parliament and leader of the Action Group party and his deputy as Premier of the Western Region, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, who was also the deputy leader of the party, led to a breakdown of law and order in western region.

The unresolvable dispute between Awolowo and Akintola, reached a high dimension at the National Congress of the defunct Action Group, AG, held in Jos. Akintola was accused of entering into a pact with the Premier of Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, "to trade away the Western Region." [/b]Some Akintola's supporters like the late Chief Ayo Rosiji, were equally criticised and he had to resign as General Secretary of the AG. He was instantly replaced with Chief S.G Ikoku.

[b]However, events reached a crescendo on Sunday May 20, 1962, when the Federal Executive Committee of the then AG unanimously voted for the immediate removal of Akintola as the deputy leader of the party and the Premier of the Western Region, for alleged "anti-party activities, mal-administration and gross indiscipline."

Similarly, majority of the AG legislators in the Western Regional House of Assembly voted for Akintola' dismissal from office on the grounds of alleged "anti-party activities and gross indiscipline."

Consequently, acting on these declarations, the then Governor of the Region, Sir Adesoji Aderemi, the then Ooni of Ife, accordingly dismissed Akintola as "he was convinced that he (Akintola) no longer enjoyed the support of the members of the House of Assembly." Alhaji Dauda Soroye Adegbenro, a former Minister for Local Government Affairs, was named to replace the purportedly sacked Akintola.

But Akintola did not allow this to go unchallenged. On Tuesday May 22, a day after the Premier was announced, Akintola, accompanied by Oba Akran, Chief Ayo Rosiji, Chief Agbaje, Chief Akinloye, Mr. J. O. Adigun, Mr. S. Salami, gained entry to the Premier office and restated that Akintola was still the legally recognised Premier of Western Nigeria. Meanwhile, Adegbenro, acting on the backing of Awolowo and the then governor of the region, Sir Adesoji Aderemi, assumed the responsibilities of office as Premier. The die was thus cast and the battleline drawn between the two warring combatants in the Region's political turmoil.

It was not therefore surprising that on Friday May 25, when the then Western House of Assembly met to deliberate on the motion of confidence on the new Premier, crisis broke and honourable members engaged themselves in dishonourable fighting.

Trouble started when Chief Jonathan Odebiyi, minister of Finance and Leader of the House stood to move a motion for the days business. [b]In a commando-like fashion, Mr. E. O Oke, a honourable member representing Ogbomosho South West (Chief Akintola's immediate constituency) jumped up, and threw a chair across the floor of the House, just as Mr. Ebubedike representing Babagry East seized the mace, the instrument of authority of the House, smashed it on the Speaker's table while Mr. S. A Adeniya, another House member drew a chair and hit Mr. K.S.Y Momoh Minister of Trade and Industry on the head. [/b]Similar event took place recently at the Osun State House of Assembly.

Expectedly, the free for all fight that followed in the Western Region House of Assembly was uncontrollable. The Federal Government responded with declaration of state of emergency and the appointment of Dr. Moses Adekoyejo Majekodunmi, a personal physician to Prime Minister, Sir, Tafawa Balewa, as sole administrator of the Western Region.

Majekondunmi promptly assumed office on May 31, in Ibadan. But later Pa Awolowo's followers challenged the emergency powers of the Federal Government, an action that further blew-up the crisis in the Region. This was to build-up to the 1965 Regional Election which finally broke the camel's back as angry mobs descended on Akintola and members of his government some of his cabinet members included Chief Remi Fani-Kayode, Chief A. S. Tinubu, Chief J.O Oshuntokun and Chief A. O Adeyi."

http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/12/25/20011225ige12.html

DayoKanu would have us believe that Akintola didn't commit any crimes. Yet he was dismissed for anti-party activities and brought thuggery to the House of Assembly. To buttress the point of pursuing anti-party activities, read excerpts of Pro Aluko's interview below. Akintola was opposed to the welfare programs being promoted by Awo which would explain why he was hated.

"The Akintola/Awo crisis

In fact, it was we, who caused the problem between Akintola and Awolowo. There was a group in the university then, led by Prof. Oyenuga. He was chairman of the Committee of Civil Liberty at that time. We had Prof. Odumosu, Prof. Wole Soyinka, some Europeans and myself. We said, as a group, the way things were going, we must have an ideology guiding us. Some were saying at that time that what the people were doing was only to take care of the rich, giving them big cars, staying in government houses, enjoying themselves except Awolowo who was living in his own house. So, we thought we had to have a guiding principle.

One, to plan the economy. Two, to inform government what individuals in government must do. So, we had what we called democratic socialism, which now became the policy of the Action Group. So, Awo said this democratic socialism we must try it, which he did into concrete programmes like agriculture, health, roads etc.

So, we were writing papers for him in Oke-Ado, Ibadan every two weeks. So, those were the papers that Awolowo then took to the party and Akintola was opposed to it. Akintola said if a man had agbada, he must not have buba. If he had buba, he must not have sokoto. That was exactly what caused their problem. Akintola had become premier by then, so he said why should Awolowo be organising people to write philosophy for the party. That when Awo was premier, they were writing for him as premier and that since he (Akintola) had assumed the premiership, they should be writing for him. He felt that Awo was out to undermine him, and said no, things could not continue like that. The major thing that caused the rift was that Akintola didn’t like democratic socialism. We were not the main problem though, but we were part of the problem. He had wanted the NPC’s capitalistic elitist way of government, which we opposed. "

http://nigeriavillagesquare.com/j/forum/showthread.php?28501-Prof.-Sam-Aluko-on-Awolowo-Akintola-Abacha-Abubakar-and-Ajasin

So, we were writing papers for him in Oke-Ado, Ibadan every two weeks. So, those were the papers that Awolowo then took to the party and Akintola was opposed to it. Akintola said if a man had agbada, he must not have buba. If he had buba, he must not have sokoto. That was exactly what caused their problem. Akintola had become premier by then, so he said why should Awolowo be organising people to write philosophy for the party. That when Awo was premier, they were writing for him as premier and that since he (Akintola) had assumed the premiership, they should be writing for him. He felt that Awo was out to undermine him, and said no, things could not continue like that.

This quote actually showed what the issue was, The part in bold showed how overbearing Awo was. Akintola was premier yet Awo was doing a lot of covert stuff to undermine him.

If you are made a governor and another an-ex governor was giving orders (Almost similar to Tinubu-Fashola) Would it be reasonable for ppl to expect fashola to just be a stooge of Tinubu?

The point is Akintola refused to be a stooge of Awolowo. Since they are equally educated its an insult to take orders from anyone. An Aare Ona Kakanfo for that matter.

@katstumoto, i am really learning from you. You are now part of my mentors. Your posts are really informative for a young and progressive YORUBA guy like me. Please keep it up.

Jarus:

Yeah, this brings us to another area I have problem with Yoruba brand of politics.
There is this common belief every Yoruba must be in the same party - the Yoruba party.(AG, UPN, later AD).
Any Yoruba that is not in these so called Yoruba parties is seen as a naughty person, or more nicely, sell-out.
Many Yorubas will quickly tell us that Abiola betrayed Awo in the second republic. Abiola pitched tent with NPN? And so what? Must every Yoruba man pitch tent with Awo's UPN? The likes of Akinloye, Akinjide and co that were Yoruba leaders of NPN were seen as outcasts for the simple reason that they didn't go with Awo's UPN. I have a problem with this brand of politics.

This is why a Yoruba party has never produced a president(UPN, AD). The stronghold doesn't go beyond the Yoruba territory.
Awo may be a more sagacious politician than MKO, I think MKO played wiser IMHO. MKO dodged politics of regional identification and was able to sell himself to whole Nigerians, easily winning a national election, a feat Awo did not achieve in three attempts.

This is not to take anything away from Awo, who I strongly believe, was the most visionary politician in Nigeria's history, but I have a problem with his style of politics.

How many northerners do you know were in any party outside the NPC? Are you aware that there were many non-Yorubas who were elected to positions in the Western House of Assembly? There were no non-northerners in the Northern House of Assembly and similarly, there were no non-easterners in the Eastern house of Assembly. It was difficult for non-northerners to win the the position of PM/President was because the British lied about the census and gave more seats to the Northerners in 1959 on the basis that the Northerners were/are more. Do you know that when the Egbe Omo Yoruba was formed in 1945, There was the Arewa (North), Ibibio State Union and the Ibo Federal Union; which were political action committees of the Ibibio and the Igbo respectively.

dayokanu:

This quote actually showed what the issue was, The part in bold showed how overbearing Awo was. Akintola was premier yet Awo was doing a lot of covert stuff to undermine him.

If you are made a governor and another an-ex governor was giving orders (Almost similar to Tinubu-Fashola) Would it be reasonable for ppl to expect fashola to just be a stooge of Tinubu?

The point is Akintola refused to be a stooge of Awolowo. Since they are equally educated its an insult to take orders from anyone. An Aare Ona Kakanfo for that matter.

But Awolowo was still the leader of the party now. Are Ona Kakanfo do take oders from his Leader - the alaafin.

dayokanu:

This quote actually showed what the issue was, The part in bold showed how overbearing Awo was. Akintola was premier yet Awo was doing a lot of covert stuff to undermine him.

If you are made a governor and another an-ex governor was giving orders (Almost similar to Tinubu-Fashola) Would it be reasonable for ppl to expect fashola to just be a stooge of Tinubu?

The point is Akintola refused to be a stooge of Awolowo. Since they are equally educated its an insult to take orders from anyone. An Aare Ona Kakanfo for that matter.

Your subjectivity will not permit you to analyse issues in an wholesome manner. Prof Aluko lightly touched on the main problem; political ideology. Awo espoused democratic socialism yet Akintola wanted the feudal structure practiced by the North where a few would be educated and the rest would look up to them. Everyone in the West saw that Akintola wanted there to be an elitist group of Yoruba while Awo wanted to empower many Yoruba youths through free education and other welfare programs. Akintola was opposed to free education and sought to increase the cost of education to local communities, yet his son was the first Nigerian at Eton. He could afford to send his son to the most prestigious school in England yet he was opposed to the Western Government giving free education. Perhaps it was wrong for Awo not to handover Prof Oyenuga's group to Akintola but it might have been evident to everyone in the AG then that Akintola was not a socialist.

This post is being used to malign the person of Chief Awolowo, Akintola was a political heavyweight not doubt, but he was too ambitious.

What do you mean by he was too ambitious? Can you give us actions that suggest he was too ambitious? And what was wrong

Again we must consider the fact that Chief Awolowo
contested the election to the Federal House of
Representatives against the majority wish of his
party, the Action Group.

The party wanted him to go to Lagos only if they were
in a position to form the Federal Government in which
case an elected member would step down and he would go
in by way of bye election.

Chief Awolowo rejected the advice that as a national
leader he should not go to Lagos to rub shoulders with
the lieutenants of his fellow national leaders, Sir
Ahmadu Bello and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, unless he was
going there as head of government. He rejected that
sound advice.

http://www.dawodu.com/agbe1.htm

We can see how Awolowo's overbearing ambition led to his humiliation in Lagos despite being warned by Party leaders not to go to Lagos unless he was going to head a government.

Sardauna sent his boy-boy, But Awolowo chose to go and battle a boy-boy when the main man was chilling in Kaduna/Sokoto

Also during behind the scenes negotiations to form the
Federal Government that would usher in Independence,
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa risked the displeasure of
Sir Ahmadu Bello by proposing a national government.
Chief Awolowo insisted that he could only serve in a
government headed either by himself or Dr. Azikiwe. He
implied by his stance that the Northerners were
inferior and should not be at the helm of affairs even
though they won the greatest number of seats in the
National Assembly. The problem with Chief Awolowo was
that he ignored the fact that our Constitution
provided that we practice democracy and not
meritocracy.

With the foregoing analysis it is easy to see why the
Yorubas in federal establishments did not see Chief
Awolowo in the same way the Yorubas of the Western
Region saw him. While he was being hailed as a great
benevolent and provident leader in Western Nigeria,
the Yorubas in Lagos and in federal establishments all
over the country felt abandoned.

The truth is now coming out here

OAM4J:

But Awolowo was still the leader of the party now. Are Ona Kakanfo do take oders from his Leader - the alaafin.

Correct, if you have a deputy who refuse to tow the party, what do you do with him/her? Awo and the AG were very patient in getting rid of Akintola. They waited until he had acted against the party in several instances before unanimously expelling him.

Before Independence, the federal parliament was Chief
S. L. Akintola's turf where he performed the duties of
Leader of Opposition intelligently and effectively
with a joviality that earned him the love, respect and
admiration of a wide spectrum of Nigerians cutting
across regional, tribal and political boundaries.

Chief Awolowo within weeks of his arrival in the
Federal House of Representatives created for himself
the image of someone with a chip on his shoulder whose
mission in the parliament was to do battle with other
parties whom he perceived as his irreconcilable
enemies. The other parties responded in kind by going
out of their way to slap him down, cut him down to
size and rub his face in the mud. The fact that the
leader of the Yorubas could be so trampled upon gave
other tribes the courage to kick the Yorubas around
like football.

When Chief Akintola left the federal parliament to
become Premier of Western Nigeria he went with a
reservoir of goodwill from the constructive,
effective, and contagious humour with which he had
conducted his opposition. Yoruba public servants in
the federal service found him easier to complain to,
than the unyielding Chief Obafemi Awolowo

http://www.dawodu.com/agbe1.htm

dayokanu:



http://www.dawodu.com/agbe1.htm

We can see how Awolowo's overbearing ambition led to his humiliation in Lagos despite being warned by Party leaders not to go to Lagos unless he was going to head a government.

Sardauna sent his boy-boy, But Awolowo chose to go and battle a boy-boy when the main man was chilling in Kaduna/Sokoto

dayokanu:

The truth is now coming out here

Nothing that you have posted exonerates Akintola. Awo had his failings like all leaders but he always acted in their best interests. Was Awo wrong in arguing that himself or Zik should have been PM? We have seen how under-developed the North is under feudal leaders; that in itself vindicates Awo.

The problem with Chief Awolowo is that he was obsessed
with leadership. He could not function except as a
boss and would refuse to serve in any situation that
does not confer on him absolute and unquestionable
power and leadership.

Excellent Points. Because Akintola went about his case in a very matured manner while Awolowo was the more violent one made people to think of Awolowo as larger than Life

Chief Obafemi Awolowo was
appointed leader of the Action Group because his
comrades and colleagues perceived that being named
leader meant so much to him. I challenge anybody to
declare that Chief Awolowo was head and shoulders
above the other founding fathers of the Action Group.

As a leader of the Action group, Awolowo rather than
function as primus inter pares, blew himself up as
the sole guardian who alone knew what was good for
every Yoruba man, woman and child. The mistake of
Chief Akintola and other great Yoruba leaders was that
they allowed Chief Awolowo to claim for himself as a
person all the great programmes and achievements of
the party. For the sake of peace and harmony, they
allowed Chief Awolowo to present himself as a forest
rather than as a tree in the forest.

Katsumoto take note of the part in BOLD

It is time we woke up to the fact that every
achievement, every stride taken by Western Nigeria in
the first republic was the handiwork of the Action
Group rather than of the man Awolowo. It follows
therefore, that every Western Nigerian who had cause
to be grateful to Awolowo should equally be grateful
to Chief S.L. Akintola and other Yoruba leaders of the
Action Group without whose collaboration and input the
successes arrogated to Chief Awolowo would not have
been possible. Take Chief Ayo Rosiji, for instance. He
was recognized within the Action Group as the party's
master planner and strategist, so much so that Chief
Awolowo personally nicknamed him the professor.

I wish to emphasise that all that was done for and in
Western Nigeria, were not Awolowo's personal
'achievements but that of the Action Group as a party.

ain we must consider the fact that Chief Awolowo
contested the election to the Federal House of
Representatives against the majority wish of his
party, the Action Group.

The party wanted him to go to Lagos only if they were
in a position to form the Federal Government in which
case an elected member would step down and he would go
in by way of bye election.

Chief Awolowo rejected the advice that as a national
leader he should not go to Lagos to rub shoulders with
the lieutenants of his fellow national leaders, Sir
Ahmadu Bello and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, unless he was
going there as head of government. He rejected that
sound advice.

Did you see evidence that Awolowo kicked against the party advice and went against all advise to Lagos to battle Sardaunas slave.

seanet02:

@katstumoto, i am really learning from you. You are now part of my mentors. Your posts are really informative for a young and progressive YORUBA guy like me. Please keep it up.

Thanks

DayoKanu,

You are posting articles which cite opinions and not facts. That is still allowed as it permits us to analyse Awo's leadership style. Many great leaders have autocratic styles. Balewa was PM but he was taking orders from Bello who was regional leader. You started this thread with the objective of discussing Akintola's perceived betrayal; I believe I have addressed that.

When the Action Group broke up into the Awolowo
faction and the Akintola faction, the N.C.N.C. rallied
round Akintola and contributed largely not only to
Awolowo's downfall, but also to his imprisonment. With
Chief Awolowo temporarily incapacitated, the N.C.N.C.
believed that Western Nigeria would fall into its lap
like an over ripe apple. The N.C.N.C. had the wrong
but widely accepted notion that Chief Awolowo was the
only power to be reckoned with in the West and with
his departure, they (the N.C.N.C.) could just march in
and take over.

It therefore, came as a great shock to the N.C.N.C.
when every notable Yoruba leader rallied to the
support of Chief S.L. Akintola. Yoruba political
stalwarts like Chief Richard Akinjide, Chief
R.Fani-Kayode, Prince Made Lamuye and a host of others
saw in Chief Akintola the type of leader the Yorubas
needed and decamped from the N.C.N.C. to join him in
the NNDP. Even Chief T.O.S. Benson, a national Vice
President of the N.C.N.C, after a brief hesitation,
also crossed over to accept Chief Akintola's
leadership.
Akintola's legacy was that he reconciled Yoruba
leaders who were considered irreconcilable under Chief
Awolowo's leadership.

When Chief Akintola's N.N.D.P. took the Yorubas to
their rightful place in the  federal government, Chief
Ayo Rosiji became Federal Minister of Information,
Chief Richard Akinjide became Federal Minister of
Education, Chief A.M.A. Akinloye was Minister of
Industries, other Ministers I cannot quite remember
their portfolios were Prince Made Lamuye and Victor
Lajide.

The N.N.D.P. Ministers mentioned above represented a
bridge between the federal government and the core
Yoruba elements of Western Nigeria as against the
Lagos Yorubas whom Chief T.O.S. Benson and Chief J.M.
Johnson catered for.

This shows S.L Akintola was a rallying point for Yoruba politicians compared to Awolowo who was fighting everybody. Akintola was the more matured person and leader.

TOS Benson Vice president in NCNC even decamped to NNDP.

I first heard about this when I was in OAU ife when one lecturer from Ilesha told me how bad Awolowo was, I thought he was blaspheming the Legendary Awo but when he explained some things, He was a supporter of Chief Fadahunsi of the NCNC from Ilesha

I never knew much about Akintola aside what my grand-mother told me but reading all these makes me even more proud to be from the lineage of the 8th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land

Katsumoto:

DayoKanu,

You are posting articles which cite opinions and not facts. That is still allowed as it permits us to analyse Awo's leadership style. Many great leaders have autocratic styles. Balewa was PM but he was taking orders from Bello who was regional leader. You started this thread with the objective of discussing Akintola's perceived betrayal; I believe I have addressed that.

Katsumoto.

Most of the stuff you posted are also opinion of people too I wasnt born during the first republic and I depend on what I read.

I have read a lot in support of Awolowo that potrays Akintola in bad light. I grew up believing this. I actually thought to myself that I need to find out more for myself.

If I have read 10 articles 8 would be lauding Awolowo 1 neutral and 1 lauding Akintola. I decided to find out for myself

If you look at it critically, Anyone would notice that in that crisis, Akintola was the more matured person, He was the one who was wronged by a domineering and selfish friend.

I listened to one man who was telling how Chief Awolowo met with party faithfuls on the aftermath of his loss to Shagari in 1979 and was planning to disrupt the government.

One young man behind just raised his hand and asked if Awolowo can lead the uprising and they can start from Ikenne.

Awo cursed the man immediately. That was his leadership STYLE

dayokanu:

This shows S.L Akintola was a rallying point for Yoruba politicians compared to Awolowo who was fighting everybody. Akintola was the more matured person and leader.

TOS Benson Vice president in NCNC even decamped to NNDP.

I first heard about this when I was in OAU ife when one lecturer from Ilesha told me how bad Awolowo was, I thought he was blaspheming the Legendary Awo but when he explained some things, He was a supporter of Chief Fadahunsi of the NCNC from Ilesha

I never knew much about Akintola aside what my grand-mother told me but reading all these makes me even more proud to be from the lineage of the 8th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land

Now that explains it better.
Akintola rallied politicians who were not reckoned with in the West. Tell us, how many elections did TOS Benson, Akinloye, Akinjide, Fani-Kayode, Rosiji win in the West? After the 66 coup, how many of these people were even heard of again? I knew you had to biased for a reason, now I know what that reason is. Some of the articles that you posted were written by Yomi Akintola, Ladipo Akintola, and Fazil Ope-Agbe, an Akintola leuitenant.

And for your information TOS Benson joined NNDP after having disagreements with Michael Okpara in NCNC.

So why didnt TOS Benson join the A.G why did he join NNDP? He found that Awolowo was impossible to work with

The pattern of killings left nobody in any doubt that
the coup was meant to give the Ibo tribe the supremacy
over the rest of Nigeria which their politicians had
been unable to achieve in the political arena. It was
trumpeted that the army stepped in to remove corrupt
politicians but nobody has been able to explain how
army officers like Brigadier Ademulegun, Brigadier
Maimalari, Colonel Shodeinde, Col. Largema, Col. Pam
etc could pass for corrupt politicians. As for the
murdered politicians, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar
Tafawa Balewa, Chief S. L. Akintola and Chief F. S.
Okotie-Eboh, I present this article as a challenge to
anybody to catalogue sins exclusive to them which
could not be found in any Ibo politician, none of whom
lost a single hair of their head.

Any doubt as to the intention of the coup was laid to
rest when Ibos trooped out on the streets in the North
singing war songs jubilating over the death of the
Sarduana and praising their sons who committed the
murders; that tactless behaviour led to the massacre
of hundreds of them in the streets of Kano and other
Northern cities.

A few hours after the confirmation of the deaths of
the Northern and Western political and military
leaders Mr. Cyprian Ekwensi, Director of Information
rang and told me Fazil, I'm back; you people don't
understand the caliber of people you are dealing
with. He had been sent on compulsory leave and
directed to resume as Chief Librarian at the Old
Secretariat, Marina.

A diversion: The last paragraphs shed some light on the Easterners outlook then and the remote causes of the civil war.

Katsumoto:

Now that explains it better.
Akintola rallied politicians who were not reckoned with in the West. Tell us, how many elections did TOS Benson, Akinloye, Akinjide, Fani-Kayode, Rosiji win in the West? After the 66 coup, how many of these people were even heard of again? I knew you had to biased for a reason, now I know what that reason is. Some of the articles that you posted were written by Yomi Akintola, Ladipo Akintola, and Fazil Ope-Agbe, an Akintola leuitenant.

And for your information TOS Benson joined NNDP after having disagreements with Michael Okpara in NCNC.

My grandmother is from the same compound as Akintola and used to tell us how they would see Awolowo coming to their compound to visit Akintola regularly in the 40's and 50's when the going was good.

She was a trader and moved to the North with her husband as typical of Ogbomosho people and became very involved in Plateau politics.

She was a prominent political figure in her locality in Plateau State/ Nasarawa State( Akwanga). She was an ally of Solomon Lar who actually sent represntatives to my naming ceremony in the South West.

She was a major supporter of Bagudu Hirse NRC candidate in Plateau gubernatorial election of 1992. Bagudu Hirse lost to Fidelis Tapgun.

She died in 2000.

My dad never allowed us to be political and the only thing he told me was how he escaped from Adeyemi College in Ondo at the peak of Operation Wetie by Awolowo loyalist. He had Ogbomosho tribal marks and was easily spotted.

I dont belong to any political party never voted and I consider myself a supporter of AC, AD etc (See Fasholas campaign thread here on Nairaland) my research are just basically an academic exercise and revealed the truth about the myths sorrounding Chief Jeremiah Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo

Head or tail, Dayokanu or Katsumoto, this thread has been very enlightening. We thank God Becomrich did not see it, or else . .  .
Much respect to both Awo and Akintola defenders, as everybody has been able to marshal his points, devoid of insults.

I, for one, still hold Awo in high regard, but I will not join those that see Akintola as a traitor.

So what was the Awolowo legacy? Chief Awolowo*s
policies resulted in a chain reaction that led to the
military overthrow of civilian governance in Nigeria,
the civil war and the eventual emergence of a latter
day Northerner who was arrogant, domineering and
greedy. The Hausa leaders whom the military boys
butchered in January 1966 were humble, principled,
cultured and very pleasant. It is a great pity that
they did not live to impart their noble qualities on
those who eventually succeeded them.

This is one thing I stand by. If Awolowo had played his cards differently and has been more matured, We would never have witnessed demons like IBB, Abacha, OBJ and co rule this country

Awo would rather serve under a semi Illiterate 29yr old soldier than work with Ahmadu Bello as long as he has access to Power. That shows his obsession

After the civil war, I was passing through Abeokuta
and I decided to drop in on the Alhaji and exchange
views on the eventual outcome of things. I received
the greatest shock of my life; I can not find adequate
words to describe the squalor in which I found Chief
Adegbenro, at a time when Chief Awolowo whom he fought
and sacrificed so much for, was Federal Minister of
Finance and Deputy Head of the Federal Military
Government.

That buttresses the selfish streak in Awolowo, While he was Federal Minister of finance and defacto VP under a 29yr old soldier, His loyalist were living in abject penury

My own old man, now very advanced in age, was a first republic politician, a die-hard Awoist. He also spent few days in prison in the aftermath of that 1962/63 crisis.
He knew both Akintola and Awolowo in person. The greatest politician from our town, Chief Josiah Sunday Olawoyin, was also a core Awoist. But we being northerners(Kwara Yorubas) the Awoists were minorities in the northern parliament. JS was the opposition leader then. He was a firebrand politician with thick tongue. He was present as an observer at the 1959 London conference. He was also imprisoned with Awo and co in 1962.

So you can imagine growing up around these core Awoists. I dare not say Awo is not as saintly as he is being portrayed in teh presence of my old, or else I dey find trouble.
But the good thing is everybody is entitled to independently challenge beliefs he grows up with.

dayokanu:

This is one thing I stand by. If Awolowo had played his cards differently and has been more matured, We would never have witnessed demons like IBB, Abacha, OBJ and co rule this country

Awo would rather serve under a semi Illiterate 29yr old soldier than work with Ahmadu Bello as long as he has access to Power. That shows his obsession


That buttresses the selfish streak in Awolowo, While he was Federal Minister of finance and defacto VP under a 29yr old soldier, His loyalist were living in abject penury

So now, Awo is responsible for the January 1966 coup? And Awo is also responsible for producing military dictators? I guess he should have also used federal funds to assist Adegbenro? You are digressing seriously right now. You are trying to potray Awo as the devil while Akintola was a saint. Whether you like it or not, you will never be able to accomplish that. No amount of branding can change Yoruba folks view of both Akintola and Awolowo. As far as Yoruba people are concerned, Awo is a god while Akintola was a traitor.

Jarus:

Head or tail, Dayokanu or Katsumoto, this thread has been very enlightening. We thank God Becomrich did not see it, or else . .  .
Much respect to both Awo and Akintola defenders, as everybody has been able to marshal his points, devoid of insults.

I, for one, still hold Awo in high regard, but I will not join those that see Akintola as a traitor.

This is my own point too.  grew up reading Awo is good Akintola is bad.

I read things by myself, asked questions even though my father forbade political discussions at home(Especially First Republic ones).

I found out that the Awo thing was more like a myth. Awo is great but not as much as we think Akintola has been demonised by the media and the Awo sympathetic group since Awo himself outlived Akintola for over two decades

Katsumoto:

So now, Awo is responsible for the January 1966 coup? And Awo is also responsible for producing military dictators?

The Military coup of 1966 was linked to the crisis in the west. And Awo's willingness to embrace a military boy as VP showed he just wanted power at any cost. How can a democrat and intellectual like Awo rubberstamp a government like Gowon's who had no ideological and constitutional standing

If Awo had been less selfish or sought redress legally and constitutionally instead of the "wetie" and arson that prevailed things would have been different in this country.

Many people were terrorised by Awo led A.G and Adedibu-like people that they had to run into the Government house in Ibadan and turned the place into a mini refugee camp, these were the stuffs that led to the military intervention of 1966 and we slid into the pit.

The military coup of 1966 brought several military guys who had no business in governance into it and they ravaged the country for over 30yrs afterwards

dayokanu:

The Military coup of 1966 was linked to the crisis in the west. And Awo's willingness to embrace a military boy as VP showed he just wanted power at any cost.

If Awo had been less selfish or sought redress legally and constitutionally instead of the "wetie" and arson that prevailed things would have been different in this country.

Many people were terrorised by Awo led A.G and Adedibu-like people that they had to run into the Government house in Ibadan and turned the place into a mini refugee camp, these were the stuffs that led to the military intervention of 1966 and we slid into the pit.

The military coup of 1966 brought several military guys who had no business in governance into it and they ravaged the country for over 30yrs afterwards

I am sorry but you have gone off-tangent; I take my bow now.

Katsumoto:

I am sorry but you have gone off-tangent; I take my bow now.

I dont get you,
When you argued that Akintolas legacy brought Adedibu and thuggery into Politics despite that Adedibu was never in Akintolas party when the latter was alive, You were fine with it,

When I countered that Awolowo encouraged the Military rule with evidence of how he willingly worked under a Gowon regime who has no ideology for several years- You took your bow.

Would Awolowo have done that?