₦airaland Forum

oyatz:
Awolowo like all other mortals had his shortcomings but he was neither a Billionaire nor a thief.

He was comfortable but NOT rich. He was a successful business man and an outstanding Lawyer.


His Newspapers Empire, The Nigerian Tribune
& Sister Titles published by African Newspapers PLC (Established in 1949) is the oldest surviving newspapers in Nigeria and about the only Nigerian company being managed by the 3rd-4th Generation.

He was also a substantial shareholder in Nigerian Bottling Company and has reasonable Real Estate investments.

Awolowo, Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Bello, SLA Akinjola and many of the politicians of the First Republic didn't have mansions in London, USA, Dubai or Saudi Arabia.

bigpicture001:
He is exactly like tinubu...infact tinubu is crazy about being awo....both are yoruba leaders nd billionaires without owning any business....

Government corridor thieves!

Vanhooijdonk:
[s]Obafemi Awolowo, the first premier of the Western Region, was found guilty of corruption by the Coker Commission in 1962. In 1954, the Western Region Marketing Board had L6.2 million. By May 1962, it had to exist on overdrafts amounting to over L2.5 million. A loan of L6.7 million was made to the National Investment and Properties Co., Ltd. for building projects out of which only L500, 000 was ever re-paid. The Western Region Finance Corporation and the West Nigeria Development Corporation also received loans of millions of pounds, which were never re-paid. The Coker Commission found Awolowo responsible for the all the ills of the Western Region Marketing Board, and Awolowo “without a doubt has failed to adhere to the standards of conduct which are required for persons holding such a post.”
http://stopcorruption-nigeria.com/chronology-of-corruption-in-nigeria.html[/s]

LegendHero:
Rubbish. That was when the government was trying to find something to nail Awolowo with. He was later found not guilty coz they can’t substantiate their claim.

The charges that took him to prison for treason did not contain this rubbish up here by the Coker commission.

Vanhooijdonk:
Coker was a Yoruba man.

LegendHero:
And what was that supposed to mean?

Vanhooijdonk:
He was not biased when he found him guilty of corruption

LegendHero:
lol, what will Coker do when the government are the one behind the scenes lol.

Do you even know Awo recruited a British lawyer later on when he learnt to know that the government is intimidating all the Nigerian lawyers trying to defend him?

When the British lawyer reached the shores of Nigeria, the customs had to stop him from entering under the order of the government and he had to be sent back to England.

You don’t know the forces fighting against Awo during those period and even if his brother was to be Coker, if he’s not strong the government will control him.

No one is powerful than the government, especially a tyrannical government!

Timatayo1:
Man of honour....... Man wet in work pass any Nigeria president... Talk of free education cocoa house first television's in African liberty stadium Ibadan many oduduwa investment in south western state among oluwa glass ado ekiti textile oil miil baba awolowo I troy way salute rest in peace

Vanhooijdonk:
Coker was a man of integrity. Why are you assuming he was forced to find him guilty.

LegendHero:
What is integrity in the eyes of tyranny? Even if Coker won’t do it another person will do it. So forget that bro.

Either way, they later found out the corruption charges against Awo is useless like a thrown away baby diaper.

That was when they charged him for training AG party youth in overseas on how to shoot gun and they also said they found a pistol in the possession of Awolowo.

Just like Buhari now charging Sowore of treason , in 50years time our children might not know the actual state of the news and they will all think Sowore was guilty without knowing its due to tyranny.

Remeber the judge that initially accommodated Sowore case was also from the south!

Chibuzoc:
Before the military boys gave him otapiapia to drink

Vanhooijdonk:
When did corruption start in Nigeria?Coker found him guilty of corruption and never came out to say otherwise.
That was in 1962 when judges had integrity and Nigeria was not the world capital of corruption.

sapele914:
Just imagine how stupid you sound, but the same Military honored him by putting his bust on the money you spend?

LegendHero:
Why are you confusing yourself. Awo was not given a fair hearing and he wasn’t charged of any corruption. Stop saying what you don’t know. That he was accused and investigated dosen’t mean he was charged.

Do you know in November 24th 1962, the government published a bill to prohibit non-Nigerian barristers practicing in Nigeria in an extraordinary government Gazette.

That stupid bill was implemented to stop Awolowo from bringing his British lawyer Mr. E. F. N. Gratiaens when Awo lost confidence in the Nigeria lawyers coz of too much intimidation from the government.

Vanhooijdonk:
Coker Commission investigating 4 corporations in the Western Region found him guilty of corruption. The commission was not setup to nail Awolowo, but investigate the finances of the four corporations.

LegendHero:
lol, what will Coker do when the government are the one behind the scenes lol.

Do you even know Awo recruited a British lawyer later on when he learnt to know that the government is intimidating all the Nigerian lawyers trying to defend him?

When the British lawyer reached the shores of Nigeria, the customs had to stop him from entering under the order of the government and he had to be sent back to England.

You don’t know the forces fighting against Awo during those period and even if his brother was to be Coker, if he’s not strong the government will control him.

No one is powerful than the government, especially a tyrannical government!

LegendHero:
Who is the primary target?

T9ksy:
Exactly! In actual FACT, this was a NPC/NCNC backed government hell-bent on destroying any major opposition to their despotic and hegemonic rule. Unfortunately, awo had always been their common foe.

LegendHero:
No mind them. They were running all around trying to pin one charges against the man with their established commissions.

If you know what the government made Chief Enahoro to go through also, you’ll know that nation Nigeria is already crazy since inception.

Before Enahoro was extradited to Nigeria, they fought that case multiple times in the British court coz the Naija government want to make sure they crush everyone that swore allegiance to Awolowo once and for all.

Vanhooijdonk:
They can't nail you with with corruption if your hands are clean.

LegendHero:
Can you list all the charges that sent Awo to prison? I want to see the corruption charges you’re taking about.

Vanhooijdonk:
The Coker Commission found Awolowo guilty of gross financial misappropriation and of diverting funds totaling N4.4 million in cash and N1.3 million in overdraft from government-owned corporations to finance political activities. This report, published on 31 December 1962, also absolved Akintola.
Why was Akintola absolved if the commission was biased?

LegendHero:
What is the punishment for the charges? Tell me now.

Yes, Akintola was a friend of the government then so don’t bring him into this discussion. Just like saying an APC political was discharged of corruption at present.

Now, again what is the punishment of Awolowo for the charge?

I’m trying to let you see where your deductions are wrong!

Vanhooijdonk:
Did the Coker Commission find him guilty of misappropriation?The answer is yes, end of story.

LegendHero:
Rubbish. They did not find Awolowo guilty.

Answer me, if he was found guilty, what was his punishment.

I want to learn!

Vanhooijdonk:
Again, in 1962, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the first Premier of the Western Region, was also investigated and found guilty of corruption by the Coker Commission of Inquiry. In 1954, the Western Region Marketing Board could boast of £6.2 million. However, by May 1962, the corporation had
to exist on overdrafts amounting to over £2.5 million. A loan of £6.7 million was made to the Western Region government-owned National Investment and Properties Co., Ltd. for building projects out of which only £500,000 was repaid. The Western Region Finance Corporation and the Western Nigeria Development Corporation also received loans of millions of pounds. None of these loans were ever repaid. The Coker Commission of Inquiry found Chief Awolowo culpable for the ills of the Western Region Marketing Board, due to his failure to adhere to the standards of conduct, which were required of persons holding public office
(Coker Commission, 1962; Magid, 1976: 73)

LegendHero:
Can you read the news you posted?

It says some loan were issued to the National investment & properties co for building projects and that they only paid back few of the money.

Also they said some of the Western region corporations received some loans which was not repaid back.

The last line was talking about code of conduct, and that was where your news stopped.

However going forward, it was learnt that the said loan and other stuffs holds not water as it cannot be said that Awo himself had a hand in it. That was why when they tried charging him altogether, those ones were dropped coz it had no concrete evidence to later back it up.

Vanhooijdonk:
The Nigerian politician free of corruption has not yet been born.

bigpicture001:
He is exactly like tinubu...infact tinubu is crazy about being awo....both are yoruba leaders nd billionaires without owning any business....

Government corridor thieves!