Chief Obafemi Awolowo would have turned 117 on March 6, 2026, marking 39 years since his death on May 9, 1987. Widely regarded as the best president Nigeria never had, Awolowo was the first premier of the Western Region and a pioneer of progressive governance in post-colonial Africa. He introduced free primary education, free healthcare, integrated rural development, and full employment, setting a benchmark in regional administration. In 1959, he launched Western Nigeria Television, the first television station in Africa. He also established the Liberty Stadium and the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University. His hometown, Ikenne in Ogun State, recently achieved Open Defecation Free status, with 171 communities meeting sanitation standards. His residence in Ikenne serves as a museum and mausoleum, housing personal effects including his 1979 and 1983 campaign vehicle, a grey Mercedes-Benz 230.6, his round-rimmed glasses, signature 'Awo Fez' cap, honorary doctorate gowns from the University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, and University of Cape Town, as well as his books, diaries, and awards. The site, commissioned by former president Olusegun Obasanjo, includes a library, conference hall, clinic, and administrative blocks. Yet many of Awolowo's infrastructure projects have deteriorated due to lack of maintenance.
A man who built Africa's first television station now has his legacy preserved in a museum with potholed roads leading to it. Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke's jab at "fake Awoists" cuts deep because the politicians wearing Awo's cap rarely fund public education like he did. When symbolism replaces substance, even a dynasty becomes decoration. For Nigerians, this means the ideals of free healthcare and rural development remain archived, not actualised.
