Obafemi Awolowo (1909 to 1987) was one of the most influential Yoruba and Nigerian political leaders of the twentieth century. A lawyer, writer and nationalist, he led the Action Group, served as the first Premier of the Western Region and is remembered for introducing free primary education. This guide covers his life, achievements and legacy.
Early Life and Education
Awolowo was born on 6 March 1909 in Ikenne, in present-day Ogun State. He trained as a lawyer in the United Kingdom, and while in London he was involved in founding the Yoruba cultural group Egbe Omo Oduduwa in 1945, which later fed into the Action Group party. He also wrote Path to Nigerian Freedom (1947), an early nationalist work.
Premier of the Western Region
As the first Premier of the Western Region (1954 to 1959), his government introduced free primary education in 1955, expanded health services and developed agriculture. The region also launched Africa’s first television station in 1959 and later the University of Ife in Ile-Ife; see Ile-Ife: cradle of the Yoruba.
National Politics
Awolowo was a leading opposition figure after independence and was imprisoned in the 1960s following a treason trial, before being released and serving in the federal government during the civil war era. He later ran for president as a party leader in the Second Republic. His career is part of the wider story of Yoruba politics; see the history of Lagos and Yoruba states and their capitals.
Legacy
Awolowo died on 9 May 1987. He remains a major reference point in debates about education, federalism and Yoruba identity, and is both widely admired and debated. Read about other leaders in famous Yoruba people, and about contemporaries from Abeokuta in Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. For a full timeline, see Wikipedia’s Obafemi Awolowo page.
Obafemi Awolowo FAQs
Who was Obafemi Awolowo?
A Yoruba lawyer, nationalist and the first Premier of Nigeria’s Western Region.
What did Awolowo introduce in the Western Region?
Free primary education in 1955, among other programmes.
When did Obafemi Awolowo die?
He died on 9 May 1987.
