Papa Awo - as he was fondly called by his followers - came to my village twice. First, it was in 1959 (I was not born then), and the second and last time was in 1979. I accompanied my Mom - a staunch supporter of the sage - to his campaign rally. In his speech, Papa Awo marveled at the resilience of the Ebho-Ikhimhin (Ewohimi people, for English). He said so many good things and I remember him saying: I was here in 1959 - this exact spot - and nothing has changed. Give me your vote and I will transform this peaceful village and make it a commercial hub. Before the trial and incarceration of Awo, my village had about thirteen Elementary Schools, Two Modern Schools, and a Grammar School - the prestigious Pilgrim Baptist Grammar School.
I became a huge fan of Awo based on the story about the man that my Mom told me and the answers to the two questions that I asked her about Awo when I was growing up.
I remembered vividly asking her why the face of my eldest sister is not as smooth as that of her immediate junior. My Mom's response was instantaneous: "Awo brought vaccine" - for vaccination against chickenpox. And that was the end of the story. A few years later after Awo's visit, I asked her again, this time, a funny, or maybe, a sarcastic question about her hero: I asked her why of all the names in the World, this your Awo man decided to bear the name of a popular plant in Esan and Edo land - Awolowo plant". Her answer transformed me for life.
Historically, there is a plant in my village and all over Esan land popularly called Awolowo. As I write, it is still referred to as the Awolowo plant. My Mom looked at me and said, before Abraham, Jesus Christ was born. Obafemi Awolowo came before the plant. According to her, the people of the Mid-Western region named the plant after Papa Awo The Man. And I kept quiet in total disbelief.
I remembered vividly asking her why the face of my eldest sister is not as smooth as that of her immediate junior. My Mom's response was instantaneous: "Awo brought vaccine" - for vaccination against chickenpox. And that was the end of the story. A few years later after Awo's visit, I asked her again, this time, a funny, or maybe, a sarcastic question about her hero: I asked her why of all the names in the World, this your Awo man decided to bear the name of a popular plant in Esan and Edo land - Awolowo plant". Her answer transformed me for life.
Historically, there is a plant in my village and all over Esan land popularly called Awolowo. As I write, it is still referred to as the Awolowo plant. My Mom looked at me and said, before Abraham, Jesus Christ was born. Obafemi Awolowo came before the plant. According to her, the people of the Mid-Western region named the plant after Papa Awo The Man. And I kept quiet in total disbelief.
The Awo phenomenon was beyond human imagination. His love and acceptance as a political leader by the people of the old Mid-Western Region was unadulterated. To them, he was everything. Like Christ, he was a savior of mankind. The rapid spread of his ideas, philosophy, vision, and popularity was beyond comparison. Just like Awo philosophy and vision the new plant spread like wildfire and take over farmland with vigor after the yearly harvest. That was how Awolowo the plant came into existence in Esan and Edo land.
That was the last question I ever asked my Mom about her beloved hero. I took it upon myself to study and educate myself about this man that my Mom never stopped talking about. I trust my Mom and her unblemished wisdom. Every pronouncement of her is a law.
I spent my adolescence and adult life reading everything I could lay my hand on about Awo - books written by Awo and those written by others about him. Including one written by Akin Omoboriowo - that was before the fall out with Chief Ajasin (the then Governor of Ondo State) and the Unity Party of Nigeria. I was addicted to reading the Nigerian Tribune every day at my Grammar School Library for the five years that I was there.
When Papa Awo died, the Nigerian Newswatch Magazine, was under proscription in the hands of the Nigerian Military Government at the time. Not to be left out of the coverage of the sage, the management of Newswatch Magazine, incorporates a brand new magazine devoted entirely to the story of the life and death of Awo. I bout three copies of the magazine - I had a copy in my rented apartment in Benin City, one copy in my Brother's house in Lagos, and one copy at our family house in the village - in that case, anywhere I am, I will be able to read the great work done on Awo by Dan Agbese, Ray Ekpu, Nosa Igiebor, Dare Babarinsa, and the other guys of the magazine. It was a great research piece.
Not surprisingly, Government and Literature in English became my favorite subjects. I completed the entire form three, four, and five syllabus as specified by the West African Examination Council in almost all the subjects that I took in my WASC when I was in form four. When I got to Form five - the final year - I purposely bought Advance Level Text Books meant for Advance Level Students in Economics and Government.
As expected, I became very comfortable providing tutorial classes to some of my classmates in Government and Literature in English. In fact, when I was in form four, I actually taught some form five students how to address questions on poetry and Macbeth, by Shakespeare. Not surprisingly, I received the top grade (A1) in the two subjects at the West African School Certificate examination. All thanks to my mother who introduced me to Papa Awo and his thoughts.
In a nutshell, it was the drive to know more about Awo, Ahmadu Bello, NCNC, Action Group, NPC, Osadebey, Shaka Momodu, Tafawa Balewa, Azikiwe, and Akintola and their stories as told by my Mother when I was growing up that created in me the addiction to reading newspapers. (By the way, I didn't know exactly what my Mom meant by "ensee-ensee" until I started taking Government classes in my form three year in Grammar school. That was when I realized that she was actually talking about NCNC, one of the three major political parties before and after independence). I developed an unparalleled passion for Government as a subject. She also took me to Irrua to visit the bullet-ridden house of late Shaka Momodu.
In essence, that was how the seed of the lawyer in me was planted, with the ambition to take to public service like Awo and the great men of the First Republic after my law degree. Same reason I choose to study Administration and Management when I got to Harvard instead of Law where I already had a bachelor's degree. It was all about government, administration, and public service.
When Papa Awo died, the Nigerian Newswatch Magazine, was under proscription in the hands of the Nigerian Military Government at the time. Not to be left out of the coverage of the sage, the management of Newswatch Magazine, incorporates a brand new magazine devoted entirely to the story of the life and death of Awo. I bout three copies of the magazine - I had a copy in my rented apartment in Benin City, one copy in my Brother's house in Lagos, and one copy at our family house in the village - in that case, anywhere I am, I will be able to read the great work done on Awo by Dan Agbese, Ray Ekpu, Nosa Igiebor, Dare Babarinsa, and the other guys of the magazine. It was a great research piece.
Not surprisingly, Government and Literature in English became my favorite subjects. I completed the entire form three, four, and five syllabus as specified by the West African Examination Council in almost all the subjects that I took in my WASC when I was in form four. When I got to Form five - the final year - I purposely bought Advance Level Text Books meant for Advance Level Students in Economics and Government.
As expected, I became very comfortable providing tutorial classes to some of my classmates in Government and Literature in English. In fact, when I was in form four, I actually taught some form five students how to address questions on poetry and Macbeth, by Shakespeare. Not surprisingly, I received the top grade (A1) in the two subjects at the West African School Certificate examination. All thanks to my mother who introduced me to Papa Awo and his thoughts.
In a nutshell, it was the drive to know more about Awo, Ahmadu Bello, NCNC, Action Group, NPC, Osadebey, Shaka Momodu, Tafawa Balewa, Azikiwe, and Akintola and their stories as told by my Mother when I was growing up that created in me the addiction to reading newspapers. (By the way, I didn't know exactly what my Mom meant by "ensee-ensee" until I started taking Government classes in my form three year in Grammar school. That was when I realized that she was actually talking about NCNC, one of the three major political parties before and after independence). I developed an unparalleled passion for Government as a subject. She also took me to Irrua to visit the bullet-ridden house of late Shaka Momodu.
In essence, that was how the seed of the lawyer in me was planted, with the ambition to take to public service like Awo and the great men of the First Republic after my law degree. Same reason I choose to study Administration and Management when I got to Harvard instead of Law where I already had a bachelor's degree. It was all about government, administration, and public service.
I got my law degree quite alright, but I left the country. In a similar vein, I got through Harvard successfully, despite severe emotional hardship (drove Taxi in the day time and attended classes at night), disappointingly, I did not do what Awo did when he completed his law degree in London, England. He went back home, but I went to Wall Street to work at a top law firm for an agency. The dream is not lost though because when there is life there is hope. I did more. I went back to school for a Master's level degree in law - this time, in Energy and Natural Resources Law and Policy. Energy is the future, and I will be a part of the men and women that will manage it.
It is a different world. At my age, Awo was already a power broker and a national hero. I may not be there yet, but two of my articles on energy and sustainable development are helping to shape ownership rights in mineral resources exploration all over the World. In addition, this Blog has been providing ready materials and ideas for other writers, domestic and international, to craft their articles or stories about Nigeria. In the interim, I will continue to churn out well thought out articles covering developing issues at home and abroad and how to make life better for the less privileged in the society. When I step on the scene, it won't be a learning process of trial and error, but a purposeful and vigorous start from where Awo and his disciples left the stage in the Second Republic. It is a promise. I know the mistake Awo made. I won't repeat it. Welcome to a new age.
It is a different world. At my age, Awo was already a power broker and a national hero. I may not be there yet, but two of my articles on energy and sustainable development are helping to shape ownership rights in mineral resources exploration all over the World. In addition, this Blog has been providing ready materials and ideas for other writers, domestic and international, to craft their articles or stories about Nigeria. In the interim, I will continue to churn out well thought out articles covering developing issues at home and abroad and how to make life better for the less privileged in the society. When I step on the scene, it won't be a learning process of trial and error, but a purposeful and vigorous start from where Awo and his disciples left the stage in the Second Republic. It is a promise. I know the mistake Awo made. I won't repeat it. Welcome to a new age.
"Awo And His Politics: A Silver Jubilee Intimate Reminiscence by Ayo Opadokun" is a very compelling story about Awo and I would recommend it to everybody.
Alex Aidaghese.
Alex Aidaghese.
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