Atiku at biography presentation: HID was created to help Awo

Former vice president of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday, described the late Yeye Oodua of Ile-Ife, Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo as an extraordinary woman married to the most extraordinary man Nigeria had the privilege to have.
 Abubakar said this at the public presentation of “In the radiance of the Sage: The life and times of HID Awolowo,” a biography written in honour of the late chairman of the African Newspapers Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles.
 The book presentation, held at the Awolowo family compound in Ikenne, amid fanfare, with a live band welcoming guests to the venue with the best of Chief Ebenezer Obey’s numbers before the event formally took off.
 Abubakar, who was the chief presenter on the well attended occasion, stated that Mama was created to help Chief Obafemi Awolowo actualise the vision God gave to him, adding that Mama was a natural partner, who was always beside her husband when it mattered most, including during his political travail.
“He (Awolowo) could not have done all that he did and achieved all he achieved and perhaps, could not have survived those difficult political challenges without the counsel, support, patience, prodding and perseverance of his beloved wife, the late Chief (Mrs) Awolowo.
“And there is no better qualified person to say so, other than the Venerable Chief Awolowo himself. In his autobiography, “My Early Life,” published in 1968, he said: “Throughout all the changing fortunes of my life, my wife, Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo (nee Adelana), has been to me a jewel of inestimable value.
“She is an ideal wife. The outpouring of her love and devotion to me and to our family is exceeding and beyond words. I do not hesitate to confess that I owe my success in life to three factors— the grace of God,  spartan self-discipline and a good wife. Our home is to all of us, a true haven; a place of happiness and of imperturbable seclusion from the buffetings of life,” he said.
 The Turakin of Adamawa added that Mama was more than a loyal and supportive housewife, just as he stressed that she courageously became a leader in her own right and held Chief Awolowo’s political family together during his incarceration.
  The courage, grace, tenacity and fortitude with which the late Chief (Mrs) Awolowo held the fort during Chief Awolowo’s imprisonment and after he passed away, according to Abubakar, affirmed not only what her husband said about her, but that she was a true leader.
  “She showed that she was a leader of people, including her family, and the South-West civic and political community. The Awolowo home remained a Mecca for political and civic leaders, not only from the South- West, but also from across the country. Let me borrow from the late Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who said that the late Chief (Mrs) Awolowo was the best First Lady Nigeria did not have,” he declared.
 Welcoming dignitaries to the occasion on behalf of Awolowo’s family, Ambassador (Dr)Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu revealed that the former vice president had made it a habit to be present at Awolowo’s family events.
 She noted specially that Abubakar shared the same birthday with Mama and thus, shifted forward the Founder’s Day of his American University, Yola, to attend Mama’s funeral rites.
 Dr Awolowo Dosumu, therefore, thanked him for his consistency and others, who also identified with the family. 
 The former ambassador to The Netherlands also showered encomiums on the author of the book, Professor Wale Adebanwi and revealed how Mama personally commissioned him to write the book in commemoration of her 100 years birthday.
 Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Adigun Agbaje, while reviewing the book, expressed his delight for being a witness to the life of the subject of the book and that of the author including some dramatic events captured in the book about Mama.
 Professor Agbaje also commended the author, whom he referred to as his student at the University of Ibadan, for competently presenting the stories of Papa Awolowo and his Jewel of Inestimable Value, Mama HID Awolowo, a couple which, he noted, was united by love and loyalty to their family, Yoruba race and Nigeria, describing Papa and Mama as “two eminent personalities and major influence in the modern history of Africa.”
The professor of Political Science said: “From the two sides of what the author himself described as an entwined story of two great lives—Papa and Mama Awolowo, he has given us a rare gift of two seminal books within one year on a most distinguished couple that helped to shape the history of modern Nigeria and indeed, that of Africa. A couple that produced unparalleled leadership to one of the largest nationalities in the continent, Yoruba.
“The first book, Agbaje said was a 295-page book entitled: “Yoruba Elites and Ethnic Politics in Nigeria: Obafemi Awolowo and Corporate Agency,” which was published to global acclaim in 2014 by Cambridge University, adding that Adebanwi completed the story with another 311-paged focus on the life and times of Mama HID Awolowo, described famously by Papa Awolowo, her great husband and life partner as his “Jewel of inestimable value.”
Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran, in her speech, expressed her gratitude to Nigerians for celebrating Mama.
 She said the genuine love Nigerians demonstrated to the family from Lagos through Ibadan to Ogun State was evident of Mama’s fulfilled life..
“We are happy everybody celebrated Mama. The love Nigerians have shown to her is a testimony to the love Papa had for the country. All of you will live long to also be celebrated,” she prayed.
 Former Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Dimeji Bankole, on arrival, first paid his last respect to Mama Awolowo, where she was laid-in-state at the Efunyela Hall, Ikenne.
 Bankole saw Yeye Oodua clad in Ankara fabrics laden with white and silver stones and holding a white Bible in the glass casket.
 Other eminent personalities on the occasion included Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Sir Olaniwun Ajayi; former Lagos State governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; Chief Ebenezer Babatope; Honourable Oladipupo Adebutu; Mr Kunle Ajibade; Professor A.B.O.O Oyediran; Dr Gbolahan Dosumu; Bishop of the Remo Anglican Diocese, Olusina Fape; Mr Gboyega Nasir Isiaka; Senator Olabiyi Durojaye and Chief Titi Ajanaku.
 Also in attendance were Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, Bala Hassan; Commissioner of Police, Ogun State command, Abdul Majid Ali; Professor Kemi Rotimi; Senator Anthony Adefuye; Mrs Abba Folawiyo; Prince Adeniyi Ademola Adele; former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, represented by the Managing Director, Telegraph Newspaper, Funke Egbemode; Editor-In-Chief, Vanguard Newspapers, Gbenga Adefaye, Senator Femi Ojudu; Mr Tunde Fagbenle; Mr Odia Ofeimun and Chief Jayeola Taiwo, Mr Felix Adenaike and Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi, among many others.
 The duo of veteran broadcasters, Yanju Adegbite and Bisi Olatilo, made a perfect match in effectively coordinating the programme.
 A galaxy of Nollywood stars were also led to the occasion by Saidi Balogun, as they added spice to the event after the book had been formally unveiled.
 A full complement of policemen from Ogun State command and their Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) counterparts maintained peace at the venue. Ogin state government also provided free medical services at the event and is billed to do so durin subsequent burial rites for the late matriarch.

Nigerian Tribune