As Africa’s search for leadership intensifies, Awolowo’s ideals take centre stage at anniversary lecture

The timing could not have been more appropriate. The recent public lecture, organised by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation (OAF) to mark its 30th anniversary, and the posthumous birthday celebration of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, could not have come at a better time.

The general election year is almost here, and the nation is, again, on the verge of choosing another set of leaders who would pilot her affairs for another four years; and the consultations have begun. But not a few Nigerians, especially participants, see the public lecture as a way of bringing home the message, regarding the need for Nigerians to avoid those mistakes of the past, and be more circumspect this time around. And, one of the ways they believe that could be achieved is for the nation’s leaders and her aspiring ones, to follow the  leadership template, established by Chief Awolowo, as a politician and former  premier of the Western Region.

The guest speaker, at the virtual event tagged: ‘Values for Africa’s Development’, Right Reverend Professor Adedapo Asaju, described Nigeria as retrogressing, despite possessing abundant potential. For the former Vice Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University, it was inconceivable that the country that was once brimming with quality leadership in almost every region, could be experiencing quality leadership ‘drought’ so soon.

“Africa once had a good array of leaders of international standards, who built their respective nations, following the tragic eras of Atlantic Slave Trade and European colonisation. Today, there appears to be few stars in the political leadership of African nations,” he argued.

Describing Chief Awolowo as a political thinker and pragmatic leader, Professor Asaju noted that it had become imperative for any leader, desirous of making a positive impact on his community to use the life, principles, methods and intellectual thoughts of the former Western Region Premier, as their guiding principles, since those values remain key to national development till date.

“Chief Obafemi Awolowo towers as a great leader, intellectual giant, philosophical model and pragmatic example of African development. This was registered when the Western Region under the premiership of Obafemi Awolowo, established the first television in the entire continent of Africa; even before some European countries. This singular feat, amongst many others, stamped Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo as the ideal role model for African development and good leadership,” he stated.

Awo, a reference point for today’s leaders—Fayemi

Sharing the cleric’s sentiments, Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, described the late sage as a reference point for today’s leaders and the aspiring ones. “For anyone who aspires to lead in our country, most especially in this part of the country that I come from, one of the very first reference points you would get is to benchmark such person against what Awolowo stood for.

“Awolowo remains fearless. In our annals of democratic governance, and at every opportunity, we always refer to him and the works that he did, more importantly. All of Awolowo’s works, particularly intellectual works, refer to the values of love and empathy, and for me, everything rises and falls on people’s values and value system. The people’s values ultimately determine how they assign importance to things, and how the social fabric of the society is woven. Values represent the abstract and the invisible; these are pillars on which the people’s civilisation is constructed. The people’s collective values define their very core essence.

“And this is something that Chief Awolowo taught us, not only through his writings or speeches, but also through his actions. By focusing on literacy in the Western Region, Chief Awolowo made it possible for a generation of educated kids to be born in the society. We need to thank Chief Obafemi Awolowo for the work he did, and as an inspiration,” Fayemi added.

He, however, agreed that the present crop of leaders has not lived up to Awo’s expectations. “The job is not yet done because we haven’t done half of what he was able to achieve, or live up to his expectations. But his soul represents for us that goal that our country must attain in order to earn a pride of place in the comity of nations,” he added.

The departing colonial authority denied us of more Awos— Professor Akinyemi

Nigeria’s former Foreign Affairs Minister, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi would, however, attribute the leadership deficit in Nigeria, and Africa; and the inability of the country and the continent to create more leaders in the mould of Awolowo to the continent’s former colonial masters.

“Though available, the departing colonial authority ensured that we did not get the type of leaders we needed. They killed them, assassinated them, or if they managed to escape their attention, they would overthrow them,” he stated.

According to him, the first military coup in Africa south of the Sahara, Togo, was orchestrated by the country’s colonial authority, just because the country’s leader, then, Sylvanus Olympio, frowned at the proposal of France, foisting a common currency on all its colonial territories.

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“Olympio was killed just because he asked the question: ‘Why can’t I have a currency for Togo?’ on becoming the country’s president. That was his offence. They organised a coup against him, he was shot; and Gnassingbe Eyadema took over. There was a colonial pact that France forced its territory to sign, that 75%  of all their foreign reserves would be kept in Paris. If they want to use their own foreign reserves, they can borrow from it, but at a commercial rate. But in the meantime, France has been using those funds to build herself up.

“Also French army had been in Mali for nine years, supposedly fighting the terrorists, yet the terrorists are still there. Why is the French army still there? France does not have any gold mine, but has the largest gold reserves in the Central Bank in Paris. Mali has one of the largest gold mines in the world, and yet it doesn’t have any gold reserves. You can see why they would always want African leaders that can do their biddings,” Professor Akinyemi argued.

Awo’s free education made me eternally indebted to Nigeria – Professor Tomori

While extolling the virtues of the late sage, renowned professor of virology, Oyewale Tomori, in his contribution, attributed his life’s accomplishments to the free and compulsory education policy of Chief Awolowo.

“I owe this country more than I can ever pay back because of Obafemi Awolowo. Awo’s free and compulsory education made me who I am today, especially coming from a multi-gamy family, where the possibility of going to school was very remote at that time,” he stated.

The former vice chancellor of the Redeemer’s University, however, expressed regret that 30 years after, the country has not been able to replicate Awo’s style of leadership. He, therefore, called on the foundation to continue to engage in activities that will touch more lives and impact more people.

We need a leadership school named after Awo—Otunba Osibogun

The president of the Yoruba Ko’Ya Leadership and Training Foundation (YKLTF), Otunba (Giwa) Deji Osibogun, believes there is the need to put up a leadership institution that will equip young Nigerians with the requisite leadership skills.

This, he argued, will go a long way in preventing the ideologies of those former leaders from going extinct. “At the risk of the ideologies of great leaders such as Awolowo and Nkrumah going extinct, we need to build a leadership school named after Awolowo. What is wrong with us is that there is no pool of leadership. When people say ‘I’m an Awoist,’ it must go to the extent of being able to replicate what Awolowo did, while alive. We must not lose our values. We must not lose the legacy of Obafemi Awolowo,” he added.

Without doubt, the recent outing of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation has, again, confirmed the relevance of the late sage, on the nation’s political space, 30 years after his demise.

More soothing is the fact that the event was one of a series lined up to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the foundation and the sage’s posthumous birthday, a confirmation of the organisers’ determination to keep the legacies of the former Western Region Premier alive in the consciousness of Nigerians for a long time to come. The Executive Director of the Foundation, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu said that much. She believes the exploits of the foundation, in the past three decades, and the support it had enjoyed from notable individuals in the continent, are eloquent testimony that the late sage still holds huge political capital, even after his transition.