Awolowo is the best president Nigeria didn’t have ― Chief Solanke

The first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and pioneer staff of Western Nigeria Television (WNTV), Chief Folake Solanke, on Monday stated that the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo is the best president Nigeria never had, adding that people for reasons best known to them do not accept superiority nor recognize talent.

Chief Solanke made the assertion when she led the alumni of WNTV/WNBS under the aegis of First in Africa Television Alumni Association to the Tribune House in Ibadan to honour the memory of Chief Awolowo for his unquantifiable contributions to the development of Nigeria, especially the Western region and to solicit support for the upcoming 60th anniversary of television in Nigeria.

“Baba Awolowo is the best president Nigeria did not have and his contribution to Nigeria is unquantifiable. There are professors now who were sent to school because of the free education programme of the Action Group. It is a pity that in Nigeria and elsewhere, talent is sometimes not recognized and for reasons unknown to others, people do not like to accept the superiority of others in every dimensions of life.”

I am so delighted to be here because God has spared my life to lead the team of WNTV/WNBS during this visit. When I was chairman in 1972\1974, we tried to implement the triple goal of broadcasting; to inform, educate and entertain. It must be two years ago that NTA vigorously celebrated 40 years anniversary and there wasn’t one word about the first in Africa television. I was so upset about it but there was very little that one could do.

“In 1959, there was great excitement in the land because on the 31^st of October 1959, Baba Awolowo established the first television station and he had the foresight to call it first in Africa. I remember that the western region established their own television station and they called it second to none. This is why we are embarking on this celebration, veteran journalists who are here brought themselves together to do something about the serious error in history,” Chief Solanke stated.

Also speaking, Ambassador Yemi Farounbi stated that Chief Awolowo is a visionary who Nigeria cannot go on without honouring, adding that, “we need to celebrate our own, a nation that cannot celebrate its notable achievements cannot command respect outside. We are celebrating Awolowo for many things he thought about at a time others are not doing so, he established the first housing estate, first industrial estate, first Olympic sized stadium, first television and a newspaper organization.

“When we were celebrating 24 years of television, South Africa had no television, when we were celebrating 20 years, China was battling to have none but today, we are looking up to South Africa. If we had learnt to celebrate our own and develop on it, we won’t be dependent on others.

“We should give lofty tributes to Chief Awolowo and during this 60 years celebration of television in Nigeria, we must give him honour. Nobody cares about the heritage or inheritance of Awo in WNTV. Those of us who were made by passing through WNTV must celebrate him. If others do not do it, the Awolowo foundation, Awolowo family, the WNTV/WNBS alumni and Tribune will continue doing so,” Farounbi stated.

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In her response, the Chairman of African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles, Dr Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosunmu, stated that Awo’s legacy is constantly eroded in every area especially in politics and thanked the alumni for taking over because they will be able to do more in terms of depth and firsthand experiences.

“Our generation and that of our children have messed up because we passed our values onto their generation,” she stated, adding that this generation have a duty to preserve the legacy bestowed on it so that the coming generation will have an option of choice.”

She concluded that the Awolowo Foundation will continue to stand for the purity of his ideas which is being eroded especially by politicians and pledged the support of Tribune to the project.

The alumni based on the belief that the best way to correct errors is to write the correct version has commissioned a book on the history of television in Nigeria as the first volume while a second volume will be on the television experience and the third on assessment of the television industry. Also, there will be a documentary, a hall of fame and a museum among other projects.

Present at the meeting was the former Chairman of ANN Plc, Rev. Tola Oyediran and the management staff of Tribune while the alumni in Chief Solanke’s entourage include Agbaakin of Ibadanland, Oloye Lekan Alabi, Ayo Fasoro, Tunji  Adepoju, Jare Sobaloju, Grace Alo, Sade Bankole and Ayo Babajide