THE first Premier of Western Region of Nigeria, Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment along with others for allegedly planning a coup against Nigeria.

When the military took over power on January 15, 1966, late General Aguiyi-Ironsi became the Head of State. Awolowo was said to have written a petition to Ironsi for his release.

There has been controversy on who actually released Awolowo from prison between General J.T.U. Aguiyi-Ironsi and Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon.

While some argued that it was Gowon, not many knew that Aguiyi-Ironsi had worked for his release but could not effect it because he along with Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi were assassinated on the day Awolowo was to be released.  Gowon claimed the glory over Aguiyi-Ironsi.

READ FULL FACTUAL STORY IF THE EVENTS THAT LED TO AWOLOWO'S RELEASE

"Awolowo petitioned the new Head of State, General J.T.U. Aguiyi-Ironsi asking that he be released along with his lieutenants who were also serving various jail terms across the country.

Ironsi was sympathetic and so was the military Governor of the West, Lt. Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi.

But Luis Edet, the Inspector General of Police, IGP advised against it claiming that Awolowo may have known about the bloody coup that took the lives of his bitterest enemies including Akintola, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, the Premier of the Northern Region, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa, the Prime Minister and Chief Festus Okoti-Eboh, the Minister of Finance.

But Ironsi insisted on releasing Awolowo and his men. He conceded to Edet that security precautions should be taken about his release.

Therefore, he instructed that Awolowo should be moved first from Calabar to Ikoyi Prison in Lagos.

A modernized cell was prepared for him, putting him under house arrest was also considered. On July 27, 1966, Mr. Olu Olofin, the Editor of Irohin Yoruba brought a message from Colonel Fajuyi to Awolowo in Calabar that the Supreme Military Council had approved his petition and that he will be released very soon. The following morning, the one-engine Plans was dispatched to Calabar to fetch Awolowo.

But he declined to travel in a single engine plane.

On July 29, 1966, another bigger Plane was sent to Calabar, a two-engine Plane, however, on that fateful day Ironsi and Fajuyi were kidnapped in Ibadan and subsequently assassinated.

The Pilot who flew to Calabar could not carry out his assignment. In view of the National crisis, instead, Mr. Luis Edet ordered his arrest and the Pilot was thrown into Enugu Prison.

Awolowo too remained behind bars for three days after Ironsi and Fajuyi were assassinated, Nigeria had no government.


Finally, on August 1, 1966 the coup makers installed Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon as the new Head of State.

He was Ironsi's Chief of Army Staff and therefore was privy to the Supreme Council decision.

Two days after he came to power on August 3, 1966, Gowon signed the Executive Order releasing Awolowo from Calabar Prison in the then Eastern Region (now capital of Cross River State) where he had been held for many months.

It was in that Prison that Awolowo wrote his seminal book, "Thoughts On The Nigerian Constitution."

Though he had prayed and hoped for the freedom, when it came, it took Awolowo almost by surprise because he was not expecting Gowon to act so fast.

He was met early in the morning by the Prison Governor who read to him the proclamation of his freedom.

He was then driven to the Airport and flown to Lagos when he met the new Head of State, Gowon for the first time.

It was a warm encounter. Everything was happening so fast."

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The Supreme military council under Ironsi had already decided that Awolowo would be released

It is important to note that Gowon could not have possibly released Awolowo, as at August 3 1966, nobody in Nigeria even recognised that Gowon was military head of State, most didn't even know that Ironsi was dead

Can a dead person release anyone from prison?

Same topic for traffic

This has been argued on nairaland since 2007...

Awolowo did not petitioned to be released from prison. He wrote Ironsi twice that his incarceration was politically motivated. And he should set up a judicial panel to take a look, if found wanting he remains incarcerated.
It is there in Awolowo's book "My march through prison"

Odin13:
Same topic for traffic

This has been argued on nairaland since 2007...

We can still argue it in 2024

He was sentenced to death by tafawa balewa for treason but Ojukwu released him from Calabar prisons and he gave his word to Ojukwu he will seek secession but went to aburi and betrayed Ojukwu

Stop peddling lies.. Yakubu Gowon released Pa Obafemi Awolowo from Calabar prison where Azikiwe ganged up with the Northern Prime Minister to lock him up over trumped up charges..
The internet is there, free to use.. Go on youtube and watch Awolowo's visit to Gowon while still on prison uniform shortly after his release.

Walahi the days of Yoruba docility are over.. no Yoruba leader will be bullied or killed like rat as was in the 60s'.

Who really released him,and how come he was part of the planning of the igbo coup that destroyed Nigeria as I just read here.

Op who cares?

Awo is dead, Aguyi is dead, Gowon is closer to his grave than ever. Why are your hobnobbing with the dead,do you wish to join them ni?

No harm meant, I am just asking

So was it Ironsi that signed the documents that was used to release Awolowo?
How come you guys want to force others to accept that Ironsi released Awolowo?

Easternmind:
Who really released him,and how come he was part of the planning of the igbo coup that destroyed Nigeria as I just read here.

Gowon is a kind man.. he wasn't as power drunk as the coup plotters and that was why the mantle of leadership fell on him at barely 31yrs of age instead of Murtala Mohammed..

Gowon released Obafemi Awolowo unconditionally from Prison and gave him position in his government.. Man still went to Aburi to meet with Ojukwu on talks to avert the civil war but all pleas fell on deaf ears and Ojukwu still went ahead to commit treason by declaring the biafra republic.

We saw the jubilation after the war and how Nigerians quickly embraced Igbos back into their societies as if no war ever happened. Same Gowon introduced the NYSC scheme to unite all Nigerians.
Give it to that man, he is a rare gem.

flokii:


Gowon is a kind man.. he wasn't as power drunk as the coup plotters and that was why the mantle of leadership fell on him at barely 31yrs of age instead of Murtala Mohammed..

Gowon released Obafemi Awolowo unconditionally from Prison and gave him position in his government..Man still went to Aburi to meet with Ojukwu on talks to avert the civil war but all pleas fell on deaf ears and Ojukwu still went ahead to commit treason by declaring the biafra republic.

We saw the jubilation after the war and how Nigerians quickly embraced Igbos back into their societies as if no war ever happened. Same Gowon introduced the NYSC scheme to unite all Nigerians.
Give it to that man he is a rare gem.

Man still went to Aburi to meet with Ojukwu on talks to avert the civil war but all pleas fell on deaf ears and Ojukwu still went ahead to commit treason by declaring the biafra republic.

What fell on deaf ears?
Who reneged on the aburi accord Gowon or Ojukwu?

We saw the jubilation after the war and how Nigerians quickly embraced Igbos back into their societies as if no war ever happened.

Where they fully embraced back into society by giving them an equal playing field with the rest of country?
What about the reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation?

Give it to that man he is a rare gem.

Ok

One of ibos biggest lies. They always thought they can deceived superior beings that are way above them. Nnamdi azikwe out of envyness of awolowo's brilliance instigated awololos arrest! And for the fact that ,'he was the one that curtailed azikwe from trying to penetrate Lagos. He poisoned aguyin Orosi's mind not to release him. GOWON RELEASED AWOLOWO,GO AND READ AWOLOWO'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. Part of why ibos should never be trusted for anything. Now that tables has turned,power was forcefully taken from them,they want to deceive people. Ojukwu and zik are very wicked entities that should never be forgiven,the same thing they did to Adaka Boro,the founder of nigerdelta when he tried to raised awareness of ojukwu's greed of using southsouth oil to develope only the core eastearn part that he belongs, Aguyin ironsi and Ojukwu quickly sentenced him to death ,as the head of state and the only governor of the eastern part. Part of why Awolowo death with them seriously during the civil war.

@Easternmind
the tribal leaders that make up Nigeria made contributions to the creation of 1960 constitution. What was their contributions in the creation
of Aburi Accord or the abrogation of 1960 constitution

LegendHero:
I was involved in an argument with a guy tonight on Nairaland and he was so brainwashed that he believed Ojukwu released Chief Awolowo from prison. Even when I tried showing him the actual prints of the August 5, 1966 edition of the New York Times Newspaper, he still doubted the truth in that assertion.

Most of these guys have been brainwashed by their fore-bearers that Awo betrayed them and their elders made sure they plant the seed of hatred in their children born and unborn by telling them Ojukwu released Awolowo from prison. Many of the folks on the other side still believed this and I think it is now time to kill that false narratives that have been peddled for over 5 decades.

I hope this truth resonates forever among the Awo antagonists born and yet unborn that have been emotionally brainwashed that Ojukwu released Chief Awolowo from prison by their fore-bearers.

Continue to RIP Chief Ọbáfẹ́mi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awólọ́wọ̀, GCFR ( 6 March 1909 – 9 May 1987)

Video:
Title: Nigeria Chief Awolowo Released From Prison 1966
Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMNa4671Yuw