Quote: "The President recalled that the late Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) leader started his political career early in life, explaining that the main ambition of Awolowo in life was to improve the quality of life of Nigerians."

That devotion to the life of the average Nigeria is the main reason why the man is both the most beloved and hated figure in Nigerian politics - depending on which side of the river you are standing. What is not in doubt are his legacy of contributions in terms of concrete & lasting achievements, and the many lifes he touched with policies that continue to pay forward for those who took advantage of the opportunity. Always in our hearts.

Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji
November 12, 2010 08:09PM

Twenty-Three years after the death of the former premier of the old Western Region, Obafemi Awolowo, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday re-named the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan after the late sage.

The President made the announcement during a visit to the Ikenne home of the late politician as part of activities marking his 2-day official visit to the state. The stadium was built during Awolowo's tenure as the Premier of the old Western Nigeria.

Mr Jonathan who was accompanied by the Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel, and his Oyo State counterpart, Adebayo Alao-Akala pledged to continue with Awolowo's dreams and vision, saying, "Awo, the voice of Wisdom, Awo, the voice of reasoning, Awo, the voice of courage."

The President recalled that the late Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) leader started his political career early in life, explaining that the main ambition of Awolowo in life was to improve the quality of life of Nigerians.

"Chief Awolowo was a visionary leader. We will continue with his vision. We will continue with his dream to transform this great country so that those of us who are alive with his children, by the time his great grand children will get to our age, Nigeria will be a different country."

The President profusely thanked Hannah Dideolu Idowu Awolowo, the late sage's wife, for supporting his administration. "The Awolowo family is not the family of Ogun, it (family) has grown beyond his town, his region and state, it is now the family of Nigeria".

Earlier in her address, Mrs Awolowo told the visiting President "I wish to encourage you to be very strong and focused in your service to the fatherland. I would not wish to feign ignorance of the enormous challenges prevalent in governance in Nigeria, especially as such level as the Presidency".

She added further "The challenges are insurmountable. The presence of challenges is not to stop a man from reading his goal but to bring out the best in him." She volunteered to donate some books that her late husband wrote to analyze the challenges of the country and the solutions to them.

Mrs Awolowo thanked the President for honouring her late husband at Nigeria's 50th anniversary celebration as well as naming the Liberty stadium after him.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5641861-146/jonathan_renames_liberty_stadium_after_awolowo.csp

20 pound policy is still on my mind!

As long as that nonsense name stays in his land then so be it.

Awolowo has had University of Ile-Ife named after him. The liberty stadium would have been named after Fajuyi or former Oyo state gov--Bola Ige. This is wrong.

abadaba:

Awolowo has had University of Ile-Ife named after him. The liberty stadium would have been named after Fajuyi or former Oyo state gov--Bola Ige. This is wrong.

I am not sure about that. Chief Bola Ige certainly did his part to carry on Awo's legacy, but his time on the political scene was shorter. I am sure things that represented his legacy have been named after him, but these are things Pa Awo did 50 years ago that still rank well with the best we have built since then.

Also, that useless Akala man is eating crow trying to fight for his political life - one of the things he supported early in his tenure was a flimsy excuse by some people to remove Awo's statue. I don't know if he ever replaced it, although he seem to have suggested he would!

We need to recognize where politics end and where our common interests begin - those who have castigated Awo's accomplishment in Yorubaland have shown little compared to the man. Moreover, the Nigerian unity they "claimed" to be fighting for turned out to be a big ruse by dictators and corrupt politicians alike to arogate power to themselves.

Pa Awo deserves it.

Yeah, Chief Awolowo deserves it

Topman40:

Yeah, Chief Awolowo deserves it

No he does not deserve it. The univ at Ile Ife was named after him. The biggest hostel in Unibadan was named after him. You can not name everything after him.
I suggest the Cocoa House is named after him and Liberty stadium remains Liberty stadium or Bola Ige stadium, even Fajuyi deserves a short.

Mazi adabada, kedụ maka ụmụ, It is sure a shame,  So they did not think awolowo merit anything new, than the over 50 years liberty stadium. O ma see.

If they loved awolowo they could have said they was going to build a new stadium or  airport in Ogun state  and named it after Awolowo, Old building, Oma see. So they do not even believe awo deservse anything in abuja. ?? O mase.

An ordinary stadium in lagos with better facility was named after thunder balogun. O mase, awolowo ni wa wa se ba yi. Iya ti je Yoruba. Yoruba people are suffering.   But they find it ok to build new road in the east, but they could not find it to built anything new.

In Benin republic. We shall build a Brand new stadium to the glory of God, if they let go. Name after chief Obafemi Awolowo. Better than Abuja stadium.


The the grace of God if edo,delta and Yorubas join the republic of benin, awolowo name shall be on one of the stadium that looks like this. .


If not for fashola, Yorubas stadium all look like secondary school stadium over here.

Iya je Yoruba people. O mase.  May God hear our prayer and we leave the people.






Ghana stadium, in a small town about the size of Oyo town.



[img]http://3.bp..com/_xFPS9xyZgnI/S_Y9tMs-xrI/AAAAAAAAABU/4lC5beU5mQo/s1600/Stadium_tamale2.jpg[/img]

Not that I don't understand your point, but Awo was a watershed in Yoruba history. In a mere few years he advanced both infrastructure and education farther into the future than anyone has been able to do ever since. Fashola is showing flashes of that brilliance, but not quite yet -he is borrowing a lot of money to do it - still you cannot take away from him these past few years in Lagos, and if he carries it through and improves on it during his 2nd term his name would be written in gold.

[size=14pt]Liberty stadium was the first in the whole of AFRICA[/size] - you don't go putting someone else's name on that other than the one under whom it was built!

Awolowo was greedy for achievements on behalf of the people, we should be greedy in commending his legacy.

If Yorubaland developed at the rate Awo had in mind and could have achieved, but for petty politics, we would have so many stadia to name for whoever deserved it.

abadaba:

No he does not deserve it. The univ at Ile Ife was named after him. The biggest hostel in Unibadan was named after him. You can not name everything after him.
I suggest the Cocoa House is named after him and Liberty stadium remains Liberty stadium or Bola Ige stadium, even Fajuyi deserves a short.

@Becomerich: That is what am saying. Ogun state govt should change Gateway stadium to Awo stadium. The cultural centre near the stadium in Abeokuta should be called Abiola cultural centre.
Liberty stadium should remain as Liberty stadium or someone else.

It would surely have been better to have a brand new stadium named in honor of Awo, but that doesn't detract from his legacy. It merely shows the indolence and visionlessness of leadership in Yorubaland and Nigeria in general for the last so many decades.

I hope the day would come when the OA stadium would be rebuilt - but that would require replacing these indolent leaders roaming around our landscape.

becomrich5:

It is sure a shame,  So they did not think awolowo merit anything new, than the over 50 years liberty stadium. O ma see.

If they loved awolowo they could have said they was going to build a new stadium or  airport in Ogun state  and named it after Awolowo, Old building, Oma see. So they do not even believe awo deservse anything in abuja. ?? O mase.

An ordinary stadium in lagos with better facility was named after thunder balogun. O mase, awolowo ni wa wa se ba yi. Iya ti je Yoruba. Yoruba people are suffering.   But they find it ok to build new road in the east, but they could not find it to built anything new.

In Benin republic. We shall build a Brand new stadium to the glory of God, if they let go. Name after chief Obafemi Awolowo. Better than Abuja stadium.


The the grace of God if edo,delta and Yorubas join the republic of benin, awolowo name shall be on one of the stadium that looks like this. .


If not for fashola, Yorubas stadium all look like secondary school stadium over here.

Iya je Yoruba people. O mase.  May God hear our prayer and we leave the people.






Ghana stadium, in a small town about the size of Oyo town.



[img]http://3.bp..com/_xFPS9xyZgnI/S_Y9tMs-xrI/AAAAAAAAABU/4lC5beU5mQo/s1600/Stadium_tamale2.jpg[/img]

LMAO!!! OMG I loff becommrichh

Ileke-IdI:

LMAO!!! OMG I loff becommrichh

He he he - I am jealous o

Seriously, ask why becommrichh did not name the stadium - it is probably because that is the best they have down there. Not that Nigeria is much better, since we had to scrape by to find a few suitable stadium for the Under-17 world cup.

koruji:

He he he - I am jealous o

Seriously, ask why becommrichh did not name the stadium - it is probably because that is the best they have down there. Not that Nigeria is much better, since we had to scrape by to find a few suitable stadium for the Under-17 world cup.

LOL.

Get used to becommrich. . . .he'll say anything to make ppl support his YORUBA/EDO ==>BENIN case lol. It doesnt matter if the stadium is old or new jare.

becomerich is right

i think awolowo deserves better than what nigeria has offered

Ileke-IdI:

LOL.
Get used to becommrich. . . .he'll say anything to make ppl support his YORUBA/EDO ==>BENIN case lol. It doesnt matter if the stadium is old or new jare.

I do like some, not all, of becom.'s mapped postings.

About his BENIN cause, has he ever explained why Yoruba must come out of Nigeria to become Benin instead of Yoruba or Odua? - becom. this questions if for you too or anyone that knows.

koruji, so what you are saying is that you believe they believe that Awolowo was a tribalist leader and all he deserve was NOT ABUJA STADIUM but the old 50 years broken down liberty stadium,  I see?? 

Is like people saying I tribalist for posting satellite picture on the internet. Man, it tell of all of the people that voted. They are either on crack or something.

You have to be on crack or a pure wicked person to believe fellow human being like you, do not deserve the same treatment like you.

I am not ashame of posting the satellite pictures, if I had may wish. I would have remove everybody  for not doing anything to correct it.   And I am telling you, if they leave the satellite pictures without doing anything.

They would would kill all the politician in Abuja. They are going to die for soon. They military would over thrown down very soon. The military would be watch and they would strike very soon. I know nigerian military.  The nigeria army  are not barstard children, they would over thrown this government very soon. I know them, they are just doing thier calculation for the right moment and the right time. I am telling the Nigeria army boys are not barstard. you dont know them.  You know Jonathan have been running from state to state not to be a target. Like they say in the military "stay target" 


You shall hear marshal music very soon. It is unstopable. I feel them removing the civil government for soon. they are doing thier calculation. The issue favour them now. the Nigeria army boys are not barstard.

Even a poultry farm named after Awolowo would have been a better choice.

There is nothing stopping Abuja stadium being named after Awolowo, even as Liberty is named after him. He alreaady has other things named after him in Abuja and more to come.

It is sad that all they have got to show in Ibadan is Awo's 50 year old stadium, but that is not a reflection on the man, but on Oyo State and Nigeria in general.

I don't know about all those other satellite stuff, but tell those army boys they are not wanted anywhere near Aso Rock!

Dawgpound:

Even a poultry farm named after Awolowo would have been a better choice.

Now you are trying to be funny or mischievious.

It is not a competition. Awolowo University is already in Ife, among other honors.

why dont you want the army to come. The civilian all rigged the election. They are illegal people in power. the military too would be illegal like the civillian too. 1 + 1 = 2

If the civillian do not want the military to kill all senators and house of representative members and thier families. The senators and house of representative should remove edo,delta and yorubas into benin republic, even bayelsa. i feel the military are getting ready

The renaming of Liberty Stadium after the late sage is an INSULT to every sensible Yoruba. The stadium is nothing but an abandoned FGN property -- THERE IS NOTHING WORKING THERE AS AT TODAY, I'm born and bred at OSOSAMI road, a stone throw from the stadium. I know the stadium inside out. Why did Jonathan not name it after his political Godfather (OBJ)but the best Yoruba man ever to live after our Oduduwa.

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i dont know for how long the hopeless and visionless politicians will continue to cling to Awo's name to get votes. GEJ visited Ogun State and renamed a stadium in Oyo State, he really lack ideas. He should rename Nigeria Nnamdi Azikwe to get vote from the Ibo's. What an insult! Mumu president.

Source: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5641861-146/jonathan_renames_liberty_stadium_after_awolowo.csp

you cant blame them, the only thing to name after awolowo in ogun state is olumo rock.  and  may be olumo rock is what they plan to name after  Obasanjo .  ( please dont laugh o)


Iya ti je Yoruba people. Yoruba people don suffer for nigeria.

So dont blame Jonathan for going all the way to ibadan to look for a 50 years old dumb building and name it after Awolowo. Is other option are any of this big stone you find in the picture. You can see that they are more than one, Bankole own stone is that small one to be name after him, if edo,delta and Yoruba do not join benin republic.

It was hard decision for jonathan , it was between this stones or that 50 years building.

Really? The stadium is non-functional. I admit to not knowing the condition of the stadium, but where does the football games in Ibadan take place.

If it was in a deplorable condition, it is possible that Jonathan himself doesn't know it, although that is not an excuse. Still, it is not a reflection on Awo - it is a reflection of the indolence of Yoruba and Nigerian leaders since the end of the first republic.

Larufa:

The renaming of Liberty Stadium after the late sage is an INSULT to every sensible Yoruba. The stadium is nothing but an abandoned FGN property -- THERE IS NOTHING WORKING THERE AS AT TODAY, I'm born and bred at OSOSAMI road, a stone throw from the stadium. I know the stadium inside out. Why did Jonathan not name it after his political Godfather (OBJ)but the best Yoruba man ever to live after our Oduduwa.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
i dont know for how long the hopeless and visionless politicians will continue to cling to Awo's name to get votes. GEJ visited Ogun State and renamed a stadium in Oyo State, he really lack ideas. He should rename Nigeria Nnamdi Azikwe to get vote from the Ibo's. What an insult! Mumu president.

Source: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5641861-146/jonathan_renames_liberty_stadium_after_awolowo.csp

Larufa:

The renaming of Liberty Stadium after the late sage is an INSULT to every sensible Yoruba. The stadium is nothing but an abandoned FGN property -- THERE IS NOTHING WORKING THERE AS AT TODAY, I'm born and bred at OSOSAMI road, a stone throw from the stadium. I know the stadium inside out. Why did Jonathan not name it after his political Godfather (OBJ)but the best Yoruba man ever to live after our Oduduwa.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
i dont know for how long the hopeless and visionless politicians will continue to cling to Awo's name to get votes. GEJ visited Ogun State and renamed a stadium in Oyo State, he really lack ideas. He should rename Nigeria Nnamdi Azikwe to get vote from the Ibo's. What an insult! Mumu president.

Source: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5641861-146/jonathan_renames_liberty_stadium_after_awolowo.csp

gbam
really mumu president

why can,t he name the new airport in enugu as awolowo

i mean abuja nnamidi azikwe airport

lagos murtala airport

where is the yoruba name

Well the army would be illegal raised to the upteenth power. We will figure out how to eventually deal with these politicians only if the army stops cutting short our path to that fulfillment.

becomrich5:

why dont you want the army to come. The civilian all rigged the election. They are illegal people in power. the military too would be illegal like the civillian too. 1 + 1 = 2

If the civillian do not want the military to kill all senators and house of representative members and thier families. The senators and house of representative should remove edo,delta and yorubas into benin republic, even bayelsa.

alj harem:

gbam
really mumu president
why can,t he name the new airport in enugu as awolowo

Now you are really looking for a fight with that Enugu angle!

Like I said in an earlier reply this must be Akala trying to eat crow because of the disrespect he showed for Awolowo early in his tenure. He is fighting for his political life.

I could hear many igbo igbo shout, " kedụ onye mere ya" name the airport in enugu after awolowo, you make me laugh, the igbo would never use the properties again and they tell him to come and remove the properties from igboland. even if they name abuja after him, boro haram would go and burn down the place. and they shout one nigeria.
this is why edo,delta and yoruba needs to get out now

liberty may be the first, but nothing says Jonathan can not rebuilt it to a moderm stadium. If he had done that, and name it after awolowo, we would not do online.

becomrich5:

name the airport in enugu after awolowo, you make me laugh, the igbo would never use the properties again and they tell him to come and remove the properties from igboland. even if they name abuja after him, boro haram would go and burn down the place. and they shout one nigeria.
this is why edo,delta and yoruba needs to get out now

becomerich, i am seeing reason in what u are saying

lets wait tell the enugu airport is built finish and hear what they would name it after


how would yorubas go without causing trouble

alj harem:

becomerich, i am seeing reason in what u are saying
lets wait tell the enugu airport is built finish and hear what they would name it after
how would yorubas go without causing trouble

Naming the Enugu airport after Awolowo would really be a way to bring equality in that matter. I actually agree with you, but you are looking for trouble nevertheless.

if they name enugu airport after him, igbo people would stop visiting enugu state, some would change state of origin. I could hear many of them say "tu fia"  o mara what I am saying. agwu.  oyi beribe. ka chineke me sio ku.



Mazi Adesegun M
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toronto
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11 Ọnwa Iri na Otu  2010

Dem Orji kalu
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Dem Orji kalu,

Kedụ ka imere na nde ibegị? Echem onu di mma?

Ihe mere ngi ede akwụkwọ nu bụ achurumu ilo ụlọ na Ekesmesi. Achurumu ka iba na Ọnwa iri na abụọ cheremu na lagos ebe ụlọ ụgbọ elu na kwụsị nge okru awa anọ na nkeji ọgụ abụọ na ise.

Ag mụ edre gị akwụkwọ ọdu mgbe oge bira nso.

Ka omesia.

Nwanne gị nwoke

Adesegun M

becomrich5:

if they name enugu airport after him, igbo people would stop visiting enugu state

Now I see why ileke-idi loffs you so much