How British Former Admins, Nigerian Collaborators, Hatched Sabotage Plan That Pitched Awolowo, Akintola Against Each Other

BY CHIEF ‘LEKAN ALABI

As an invited panelist, to the 2025 S.L. AKINTOLA Memorial  Lecture & Colloquium, coming up on Thursday, January 16, 2025, I shall, at the programme, recall how the former British colonialists were shocked that the now-defunct Western Nigeria, rather than crumble on their departure, after granting independence to Nigeria on October 1, 1960, was galloping ahead in administration, the economy, education, social welfare services etc under Premier Obafemi Awolowo (1952-1959), later Premier Samuel Ladoke Akintola,(1959-1966).

Awolowo’s immediate successor, they (the shocked British former administrators and their Nigerian collaborators, hatched the sabotage plan that pitched the otherwise two great friends, Awolowo and Akintola against each other, thereby brought down the progressive Western Nigeria Government.

How? Please, await the answer on Thursday, January 16, 2025 at the above-named programme.

As Yoruba say: “Ehinkule l’ota wa, inu ile l’aseni ngbe” (The killer-enemy lives within).

Thank you.

*Chief ‘Lekan Alabi, the Maye of Olubadan of Ibadanland writes from Ibadan, Oyo State.