Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani Kayode has stated that it was false that Chief Obafemi Awolowo introduced ethnic politics in Nigeria.
FFK revealed that ethnic politics was introduced by others outside the Yorubaland long before Awolowo came on the scene.
Recently, a former aviation minister, Osita Chidoka, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan wrote on his Facebook wall, on Monday, that even though he chose Awolowo as a role model, he agrees that he introduced ethnic politics in the Nigerian system of politics.
Refuting the stance, FFK wrote;
“Awolowo was unforgiving, he introduced ethnic politics to Nigeria” – @osita_chidoka.
This is false. Awo did NOT introduce ethnic politics to Nigeria? Ethnic politics was introduced by OTHERS from OUTSIDE Yorubaland long before Awo came on the scene & Action Group was formed.
Facts are sacred and opinion is cheap. Historical revisionism is a very dangerous and irresponsible thing. I know the history inside out. We know when it started, how it started, who started it and where it took us to. Learn more about what happened in the early & the mid-1940s.”
Chidoka, who is currently the Special Adviser on Strategy and External Engagements to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, while displaying some books written by Awolowo such as ‘My March Through Prison’ and ‘The Travails Of Democracy And The Rule Of Law, he, however, described the late Awolowo as a great disciplinarian, a fine writer and a courageous man who modernised campaigning in Nigeria.
His post reads;
“Still on the box from my past. I found three books I bought between 1998 and 1999. Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a great influence in my life”.
“I started reading him in secondary school when I read his biography My Early Life, which I later learnt was influenced by Winston Churchill’s biography of the same title. I am infatuated by Winston Churchill too, but another story for another day”.
“My first conflict with my father was his disagreement with me over my choice of Awo as a role model. He told me what he did during the war against the Igbos and his introduction of ethnic politics in Nigeria. I agree with him on both counts but yet I still admired the man”.
“The man Awo is exemplary in his discipline, the iron cast will and determination to achieve his life goals. He went to university as a grown man and read law at great personal cost. He lost his properties to an auction due to loan default and overcame it”.
