They Never Allowed Our Heroes To Lead Us But Tinubu’s Courage

By Kunle Awosiyan

It was the former Governor of the old Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo that told Chief Obafemi Awolowo that the late sage would never be allowed to rule Nigeria as president.

He described Awolowo as a meticulous person that would love to enforce all laws to the letter, including telling the Central Bank of Nigeria to always close its account everyday. “They will not want such an upright person in power”, Olunloyo said but did not mention the “They”.

Awolowo tried twice in 1979 and 1983 but failed. He is our heroe, a Yoruba Avatar that has continued to live on. He remains the best president Nigeria never had, according to the late Biafran Warlord, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Awolowo was a torchbearer in the struggle for democracy, having contributed immensely to the delivery of the constitution that set the path of this nation to civil rule,however the heroe of democracy was never allowed to lead.

In 1993, Bashorun MKO Abiola threw his hat in the ring to contest for the president of this nation. He was regarded as lover of the masses just like Awolowo even though the two never shared similar democratic values, Chief Abiola’s idea of “Talakawa democracy”, his policy direction and bluntness were so visible to those that would not allow him to rule.

The rest is history, the circumstances that led to the death of MKO actually turned him to a heroe of democracy even though he was never allowed to get there.

Today, he is being celebrated even by those who killed his dream. Abiola will be regarded anyday as a heroe of democracy who struggled to lead but was killed in the custody of the government.

I remember Chief Gani Fawehinmi and his Conscience Party of Nigeria. The fiery lawyer was a torn in the flesh of every successive governments but when he ran to rule, the masses who always hailed him refused to vote for him. He will forever be remembered as a heroe of democracy who used laws to define civil rule.