Awolowo, the reference point for posterity

“Every Nigerian citizen must be educated at public expense to the limits of his natural ability, to enable him to be in the finest possible state to produce the utmost he is capable of.”

That was vintage Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the irrepressible political titan and sage. He made the famous quote in 1955. In subsequent years, the urbane and foresighted statesman reinforced the message about his vision and mission to wholly empower the people through free and functional education. Through realistic policies, he fought gallantly against poverty and ignorance, which he said posed a major threat to the future of the country. His veritable weapon in the battle against the social malaise was making formal education accessible and free to the people. Thus, at another time, Chief Awolowo reinforced the motive for his doggedness and tenacity of purpose on the commitment. He said: “Education is the foundation for progress. It is the cornerstone of rapid social, economic and political development.”

 

Human capital development

Conscious of the strategic importance of human capital in the life of a nation, Awo, as he is fondly called, began to invest heavily in human capital development as the engine of growth and development.  He saw education as the catalyst for the prosperity of the majority and deployed his sharp acumen and energy towards fully developing the human resource and harnessing latent opportunities and talents since ideas rule and propel the world. His redefining efforts soon began to pay off handsomely in many ways.  There was an upward swing in the literacy level, abundant skilled manpower in virtually all sectors; a well-educated populace that could compete favourably with those in other climes and who began to replace the colonial officials holding public offices after independence of the country.

 

Eyes on the ball

From February 6, 1956 when Chief Awolowo became the first Premier of the defunct Western Region, his eyes were fully on the ball. He had a clear and definite vision about his mission in government. In that year, only 35 percent of children of school age attended school in the region. Also, there were only 25 secondary grammar schools in the entire region. Awo launched a free and accessible education scheme, with a principle that no school should be located more than two miles to make things easy for pupils. The scheme was a huge capital outlay for the government. Whereas it was envisaged that about 275, 000 children would be eligible for enrolment, almost 500, 000 children were enrolled. The total number of secondary school students rose from a mere 6,775 in 1952 to 841, 374 in 1959, a figure that outstripped the population of students in the other regions combined. Awo complemented that aggressive free education scheme with a scholarship scheme. He oversaw an industrialisation that led to the Odu’a conglomerate and created industrial hubs, initiatives on healthcare, agriculture, rural development and integration. Above all, he came up with the Nigerianization policy which was designed to make Nigerians to fully take charge of the civil service.  The vision of this quintessential leader and motivator coveted the region with lazing the trail in so many fields. His visionary leadership imbued with integrity and transparency still resonates with the vast majority of Nigerians, who referenced the Awo tenure as the golden era of the country. The generation of professionals, technocrats and academics emanating from his foresight has multiplied and can be found in strategic positions across the world.

 Emancipation of the Minorities

He led the struggle to emancipate the ethnic minorities in parts of the country from the oppression of a few feudal lords. Awo championed the course almost at the jeopardy of his chequered political career and that of his staunch allies, associates and friends. Some intriguing details of the bitter struggle are captured in the array of books authored by major political actors from the pre and post colonial era to the First Republic and the Second Republic, as well as contemporary Nigeria.

 

The Awo creed

Even the critics of Awo widely acknowledge his dexterity, brilliant political and administrative acumen. But they had played politics at a time that called for pragmatism. For instance,  a radical figure, Mokwugo Okoye, attested to the pedigree, character and reputation of Awo as true statesman, administrative genius and consummate politician, who was able to carve a niche for himself. Okoye said:”With Awo’s death we shall, no doubt, miss his tremendous energy and moral integrity, his courage, intellectual acumen and organisational skill.”

His transition elicited serious sober reflections in the international community about Nigeria. His passage variously described a colossal loss and the end of an era in the country.  The condolence message of the then United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Arthur Princeton-Lyman, will suffice. He said Awo was “one of Nigeria’s greatest leaders (who) embody the soul of this great nation.”

The renowned academic and satirist, Dr Adebayo Williams, describe Awo as “a great philosopher, an outstanding political theorist, an exceptional metaphysician, an economic wizard, an organisational genius, a moral avatar and a distinguished polemical and political warrior.” Williams recalled that Chief Awolowo had a seamless relationship with intellectuals, identified talents from far and wide and effectively deployed them in the service of the people. In the words of Williams, “He did not use them for Machiavellian purposes or as expendable pawns in a game of self-glorification and personal aggrandizement. Himself gifted with a sharp mind and a formidable intellect, he did not exhibit any inferiority complex or crude aggression towards intellectuals. He truly and genuinely enjoyed the cut and rapier-like thrusts of intellectual debates. It must be remembered that many of the intellectuals who gathered around him were not even members of the Action Group.”

 

Endorsements

The trajectory of the Awolowo Foundation prize has been a resounding blessing of the winners since its inception. The process of the choice of recipients has been seamless since the exercise commenced, thus the acclaim and endorsements by international figures and organizations.

The choice of Adesina as the recipient of the 2024 edition has received many endorsements, with former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan being one of several world leaders that nominated Adesina. This is how President Jonathan reacted to the nomination: “He epitomises and combines qualities of extraordinary leadership that are often rare to find: great visionary, incredible courage, the ability to take on huge and difficult challenges, extraordinary dedication and commitment to deliver programmes and policies that transform the lives of millions of people.” Similarly, a former Prime Minister of Britain, Metonym Blair, extolled the leadership virtues of the AfDB president. He said: “His contributions to the African continent and global leadership have been exceptional. Under his leadership the African Development Bank has delivered bold interventions to address some of the greatest challenges of our time.” Also, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Global Center on Adaptation CEO, Professor Dr Patrick Verkooijen, issued a joint inspiring tribute on the historic conferment of the prestigious leadership honour on Adesina. It read: “We can think of no person more highly qualified or deserving of this prestigious award. Dr Adesina is forged in the same mould as Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a shining example of leadership.”

The African Development Bank (AfDB) group president as a winner resonates with African and other world leaders because of what Awolowo said about the continent at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) now African Union (AU) in Kinshasa, Kenya in 1967. He had represented Nigeria at the epochal gathering, where he said: “Today, Africa is a continent of competing beggar-nations. We vie with one another for favours from our former colonial masters….Unless a beggar resolutely shakes off, and irrevocably turns his back on his begging habit; he will forever remain a beggar. For, the more he begs, the more he develops the beggar characteristics of lack of initiative, courage, drive and self-reliance.” Incidentally, the new winner of the Awo leadership award, Dr Adesina is in the forefront of the initiative to redress the anomaly. The former Nigerian Minister of Agriculture has doggedly executed a five-pronged development priority code-named the High-5s.  From September 1, 2015 when he became the eighth elected president of the ADFB Group, Adesina robustly encouraged African countries to buy into the five cardinal programmes of the bank: (1) Light up and Power Africa; (2) Feed Africa; (3) Industrialise Africa; (4) Integrate Africa; and (5) Improve the Quality of Life for the people of Africa. The strategy has brought about a paradigm shift, because throughout the continent, there is ample evidence that a forward-looking development partner is at work, transforming the landscape and helping to create new capacities thereby making Africa a more attractive land of promise and sustainable viability than ever before. Consequently, AfDB’s impact has led to 6,338 projects embarked upon all over Africa since 1967.

 

Awo Prize

On March 6, which is the 115th birthday of the sage, Adesina is being formally honoured with the prestigious 2024 Leadership Prize at a ceremony in Lagos. The distinguished will comprise Heads of state and government; top diplomats; industrialists, development partners and leaders in academia and the various professions with General Yakubu Gowon presiding. Adesina is the fourth recipient of the award. The first three recipients are the Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka (2012); former President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa (2014), and legal luminary cum educationist, Chief Afe Babalola, SAN, (2018).

The epic event is remarkable in certain ways.  For instance, Professor Soyinka, an admirer of Awolowo, was a lecturer teacher at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) when Adesina was a student. There is a connection of the freedom fighter Thabo Mbeki, who became the President of South Africa after the legendary Nelson Mandela. Student leaders used to collect anti-apartheid posters at the African National Congress (ANC) offices in Obalende, Lagos, in the 70s. Then, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Aare Afe Babalola, who was the counsel for the Irikefe Tribunal in the days of the N2.8 billion oil saga.  So, Adesina is into the class of such distinguished professionals and no doubt, Awo would have been proud that such a visionary beneficiary of his free education policy is now a continental champion and global player on issues of good governance and economic development.

 

Epitaph

Most people in Nigeria and the Diaspora still hold Awo in awe because of his power and ability to read, analyse and project on the immediate and the future. He never criticized government policies without offing alternatives. Awo cautioned the country’s leaders about the gradually sinking of the ship of the Nigerian state in the Second Republic and advocated pragmatic measures to rescue the economy. Awo’s remarks when he marked his 78th birthday also underscored his calmness and depth about life, in spite of its vicissitude.  Awo had said: “What I am celebrating actually is the imminence of my transition to eternal life. The fact that I am happy to celebrate it means that the great beyond must be a happy place. Although my desire to serve has not been fully realised here on earth, my accomplishments in that respect are a source of eternal joy to me.”

A self-made man, Awolowo belonged to the class of statesmen and reformers, who the late 28th American president, Thomas Woodrow Wilson, said believed a nation is renewed from the bottom, not from the top. This philosophy, perhaps, propelled the “brilliant politician, teacher, cerebral thinker, dedicated manager, brilliant political economist and a social democrat” to ingrain his name in the psyche of Nigerians through indelible policies, programmes and projects. To quote American John Gunther, the author of the book titled: Inside Africa: “What would Nigeria be like today if the whole country had come under Awo’s free education policy?”

READ ALSO: Decomposing body found near filing station in Ebonyi