Obafemi Awolowo
Obafemi Awolowo | |
|---|---|
 Taken in 1959 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jeremiah Obafemi Oyeniyi Awolowo 6 March 1909 Ikenne, Ogun State, Nigeria |
| Died | 9 May 1987 (aged 78) Ikenne, Ogun State, Nigeria |
| Political party | Action Group (1950–1966) Unity Party of Nigeria (1978–1983) |
| Spouse(s) |
Hannah Adelana (m. 1937) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | University of London |
Obafemi Awolowo (6 March 1909 – 9 May 1987) was a Nigerian politician and lawyer. He was the first Premier of the Western Region of Nigeria.[1] He later served as minister for finance during the Nigerian Civil War.[2]
Early life
Awolowo was born on 6 March 1909 in Ikenne, Ogun State, Nigeria. His father died in 1920 when Awolowo was about eleven years old.
He attended Baptist Boys' High School in Abeokuta. He then went to the University of London to study law and qualified as a lawyer in 1946.[3]In 1949, he started the Nigerian Tribune newspaper.[4]
Political career
Premier of the Western Region
Awolowo was Premier of the Western Region from 1954 to 1960. He introduced free primary education and free health care for children in the region. He also helped build the first television station in Africa in 1959.[5]
Leader of the Opposition
After leaving the role of Premier, Awolowo led the opposition in the federal parliament. In 1963, he was put on trial and sent to prison for ten years. The charge against him was treason.[6] The government pardoned him and he was released in 1966.
Minister for finance
After his release, Awolowo became minister for finance. He held this role from 1967 to 1971. He helped bring in the naira as the national currency of Nigeria.[7]
Presidential elections
Awolowo ran for president in 1979 and again in 1983. He lost both elections to Shehu Shagari.[8]
Personal life
Awolowo married Hannah Idowu Dideolu Adelana on 26 December 1937. They had five children.[9]
Death
Awolowo died on 9 May 1987 in Ikenne, Ogun State. He was 78 years old.[10]
Honours
References
- ↑ "Obafemi Awolowo". Britannica. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
- ↑ "Obafemi Awolowo: Awo of The West". The Guardian Nigeria. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ↑ Glickman, Harvey (1992). Political Leaders of Contemporary Africa South of the Sahara: A Biographical Dictionary. Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313267819.
- ↑ "Obafemi Awolowo". Britannica. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ↑ "IN MEMORIAM: Awo, the sage who named the naira, drew his last breath 30 years ago". TheCable. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ↑ "Nigeria Imprisons Opposition Head for 10 Years". The New York Times. 12 September 1963. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ↑ "IN MEMORIAM: Awo, the sage who named the naira, drew his last breath 30 years ago". TheCable. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- ↑ "Obafemi Awolowo". Britannica. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ↑ "Obafemi Awolowo Foundation Books". Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
- ↑ "107th posthumous birthday: Remembering Awolowo's legacies". Vanguard. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ↑ "Nigeria 100 Naira 1999–2014". Banknote Museum. Retrieved 12 March 2024.