The Brief Life -Story of Chief Obafemi Awolowo And His Achievements For YORÙBÁ Nation Before He Died
O̩bafemi Awolo̩wo̩ was born in 1909, in the town of Ike̩nne̩ (present-day Ogun State). His father was a farmer, who died when O̩bafe̩mi was only 7 years old. He received his primary education at the Baptist School, Ike̩nne̩ Ogun State.
He then proceeded to Wesley College in Ibadan, O̩yo̩ State. At an early age, Awolo̩wo̩ began to work odd jobs to raise money for tuition fees for his external exams. He served as a Clerk at the Wesley College and later as a correspondent for the Nigerian Times Newspaper.
In 1937, Awolo̩wo̩ met and married his wife Hannah Dideolu, and they had 5 children. He went to London in 1944 to study law, and while there, he founded the “E̩gbe̩ O̩mo̩ Oduduwa” (Society of the Descendants of Oduduwa) to promote the culture and the unity of the Yoruba people.
Awolo̩wo̩ returned to Nigeria in 1947 and became a practicing lawyer. He founded the “Action Group” political party in 1951, and became its first President. The party called for an immediate end to British rule, and the development of several social welfare programs.
In 1951, Awolo̩wo̩ won the first Western Region election, and was chosen to be the Minister for Local Government Structure, a role in which he established elective councils.
In 1954, he became the first Premier of the Western Region. As the Premier of the Western Region, Awolo̩wo̩ worked to improve education, social services and agricultural practices.
His administration introduced programs that provided free healthcare for children, and free primary universal education. In 1963, Awolo̩wo̩ was tried and convicted for conspiracy to overthrow the government, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
He was released in 1966, during the first military coup d’etat that led to the suspension of the Nigerian federal constitution.
In 1967, he was invited to serve as Federal Commissioner of Finance and vice chairman of the Federal Executive Council. He coined the name “naira” for the Nigerian Standard Monetary Unit (formerly known as the Nigerian Pound) during his tenure.
Awolo̩wo̩ died on May 9, 1987 at the age of 78. In recognition of his contribution to Nigerian development, the Federal Government renamed the “University of Ife” to “O̩bafe̩mi Awolo̩wo̩ University” on May 12, 1987. Today, his portrait adorns the 100 naira note.
Credit: ogunupdate