BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF.
For those who don’t know well the former Premier of the old western region, former regional Minister, old western region, Chief Sir Samuel Ladoke Akintola SLA, who within the short time of ascension to the premiership achieved alot and attracted development to the old western region in continuation of what Chief Obafemi Awolowo left behind.
Late Akintola who was the Aare Ona- Kakanfo of Yoruba land , The Generalissimo, a title confered on him after attaining the premiership of the old western region from late Obafemi Awolowo in a keenly contested election between the then Action Group AG of Awolowo and National Democratic Party NDP “Egbe Demo” formed when Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola SLA, breakaway from the Action Group AG political party earlier formed by both of them in the 60s.
This was a result of his dissatisfaction and political rancor with then leadership of Action Group AG of Chief Obafemi Awolowo politically and administratively, particularly interms of distribution of government social amenities, appointments in the western region.
Akintola’s breakaway after series of observations in the subsequent election in the then 60s after all series of appeal to attract development to the old Ogbomosho-axis consisting of the current Osun, and Oyo State .
He accused the former Premier, Chief Obafemi Awolowo of concentrating development in the Ogun state axis, his home state and only at the center in Oyo State, Ibadan and abandoned other parts of the region of the old Ogbomosho, Osun-axis.
Worried by that act of the old premier of the Western region, Akintola decided to wait for him in the next election after breaking away from AG to form NDP “Egbe Demo ” which was quite democraticu popular and sportmanly.
Akintola popularly known as SLA gathered his team in 1965 and defeated the then Prime Minister, Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the 1965 regional election to become the new Prime Minister of the old western region.
The political situations then does not made late Chief Ladoke Akintola SLA either a greedy or hungry politician, but he imbibed a sane democratic norms and process accepted by the then people of the old western region to vote, attain or win power to Ogbomosho axis from Ogun axis.
For what people don’t know , even the western region was divided, because we have Ogun axis, Ibadan axis and Ogbomosho axis within the western region , with every axis wanting to taste the regional head, power then , hence the emergence of Sir Adesoji Aderemi too .
So for anyone comparing the then politics of the old western region to what is happening in the small Yoruba enclave of Kogi , known as Okun land and Kogi state is completely ignorant, irrational and a departure from real history.
Akintola fought politically and defeated Awolowo, a political spirit and struggle that was rare both in the old and present dispensation, that is what we want Okun people to know and do .
For an unknown and premature writter who called himself one “Samuel Adewale from Ilorin “to call Late Sir Late Samuel Ladoke Akintola a “Hungry Politician” is a disservice to humanity and Yoruba kingdom, as Awolowo Akintola, and Aderemi were the true foundation of the political emancipation of the Yoruba kingdom.
Akintola on ascension of power as the Regional head in 1965 quickly constructed all the roads leading to the old Osun and Ogbomosho-axis to Ibadan , the regional capital , built a hospital in Osogbo and Ogbomosho of teaching hospitals status and many other places, constructed a large and gigantic water boards/scheme still in existence till date, built more primary and secondary schools started by the previous administration of Late Sir Chief Obafemi Awolowo among many other laudable developments, by the then Premier.
He appointed many then politicians like Chief James Oladejo Adigun as Minister of Regional Planning from Ogbomosho and Osun area got Chief Tinubu among many other cabinet members, for the people of the area to fill the pulse of government and governance in that axis.
Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Samuel Ladoke Akintola SLA and Sir Adesoji Aderemi are been celebrated many decades after in the region and beyond , but someone is there putting down a pen to write and make reference to history calling the then Aare Ona-Kakanfo and premier of the old western region, Samuel Ladoke Akintola SLA a “hungry politician”.
“The legacy of Samuel Ladoke Akintola serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power and ambition. It’s time for the people of Kogi West to rise up and demand better leadership that provides equal opportunities for all.”
The write up and quotation made above against the architect and one of the founders of the old western region and a pan Nigerian is out of place , needless, non chalant , erratic and should be withdrawn using same public space .
For SLA, he will forever be adored, glorified rather than vilified in any circumstances of Nigeria’s history with reference to his administration in the old western region.
Criticizing Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola SLA, that many edifices was named after including roads , Airport and a University among many others is erratic and madness.
Akintola who was killed in the 1966 coup by the Military made huge sacrifices for ascending to a political throne and winning election that was transparent and fair .
History will continue in the positive way , the legacies of the late premier old western region, Chief Sir Samuel Ladoke Akintola SLA.
Oghomosho -Ogbomojugun.
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
