26 Facts About Obafemi Awolowo

Obafemi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awolowo was a Nigerian politician who served as the first Premier of the Western region of Nigeria.

Obafemi Awolowo was known as one of the key figure towards Nigeria's independence movement from 1957 to 1960.

Obafemi Awolowo was the official opposition leader in the federal parliament to the Balewa government from 1959 to 1963.

Obafemi Awolowo later became founder and publisher of Nigerian Tribune of African Newspapers of Nigeria Ltd.

Obafemi Awolowo was the first premier of the Western Region and later federal commissioner for finance, and vice chairman of the Federal Executive Council during the Nigerian Civil War.

Obafemi Awolowo was thrice a major contender for the country's highest office.

Obafemi Awolowo was responsible for much of the progressive social legislation that has made Nigeria a modern nation.

Obafemi Awolowo was pardoned by the government in 1966, after which he appointed the Minister of Finance.

In recognition of all of this, Obafemi Awolowo was the first individual in the modern era to be named as the leader of the Yorubas.

Obafemi Awolowo was the only son of David Shopolu Awolowo, a farmer and sawyer, and Mary Efunyela Awolowo.

Obafemi Awolowo's father was born to a high chief and member of the Iwarefa, the leading faction of the traditional Osugbo group that ruled Ikenne.

In 1896, Obafemi Awolowo's father became one of the first Ikenne natives to convert to Christianity.

Adefule, Awolowo's grandmother, believed that Obafemi was a reincarnation of her father.

Obafemi Awolowo often challenged worshippers of the god of smallpox, Obaluaye.

Obafemi Awolowo attended various schools, including Baptist Boys' High School, Abeokuta; and then became a teacher in Abeokuta, after which he qualified as a shorthand typist.

Obafemi Awolowo went to the UK in 1944 to study law at the University of London and was called to the Bar by the Honorable Society of the Inner Temple on 19 November 1946.

In 1949, Obafemi Awolowo founded the Nigerian Tribune, a private Nigerian newspaper, which he used to spread nationalist consciousness among Nigerians.

Obafemi Awolowo was a keen advocate of minority rights and the relocation of the Federal Capital away from Lagos, advocating for Lagos rights to be governed by the Western region of largely Yoruba stock.

Obafemi Awolowo supported limited public ownership and limited central planning in government.

Obafemi Awolowo believed that the state should channel Nigeria's resources into education and state-led infrastructural development.

Obafemi Awolowo helped developed the system of national revenue sharing and fiscal allocation, which enabled newly created states that boosted minority rights to thrive and survive to this day.

Obafemi Awolowo is credited with naming the new national currency, the NIGERIAN NAIRA introduced under his leadership.

In 1992, the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation was founded as an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organisation committed to furthering the symbiotic interaction of public policy and relevant scholarship with a view to promoting the overall development of the Nigerian nation.

Obafemi Awolowo died peacefully at his Ikenne home, the Efunyela Hall, on 9 May 1987, at the age of 78 and was laid to rest in Ikenne, amid tributes across political and ethno-religious divides.

Obafemi Awolowo married Hannah Idowu Dideolu Adelana, from Ikenne, on 26 December 1937.

Obafemi Awolowo is featured in the 100 Naira banknote since 1999.