Black History Month = Yoruba History Month, part II, 2013.

Sooooo who do you think I am?

One can't give too many clues about this next famous historical Yoruba icon - without revealing the mystery man himself. So here goes with just the essentials...


I was born in 1909, the son of a peasant. In order to raise money for tuition, my entrepreneurial spirit came through working my way as a clerk, a produce trader, money lender, teacher, taxi driver and a newspaper reporter/editor.

I organized and led trade unions in the late 1930s like the Nigerian Produce Traders Association and the Nigerian Motor Transport Union. 

I studied law in London in 1944, and while there I founded the Egbe Omo Oduduwa (“Society of the Descendants of Oduduwa”), a Yoruba cultural society. I am the author of several books - if I told you one of them, it'd give the game away.

I advocated for a federal constitution for Nigeria and I was a principal participant in the struggle for Nigerian independence. I spent several years in federal prison on charges of Treasonable felony (Can't give you the details, it'd be too easy then!) and later became the leader of the opposition in the federal house of representatives.

I am often commemorated for building the first stadium in West Africa, the first television station in Africa, running the best civil service in Africa at the time (in the Western Region), introducing free health care till the age of 18 in the Western Region, introducting free and mandatory primary education in Western Nigeria, and coining the name Naira for Nigeria's currency (formerly known as the Nigerian Pound). 

I have said too much. 

Who am I?



F. Abolade, M.D.