Awo on the Trail Of A Titan: Essays in Celebration of the Obafemi Awolowo Centennial

Description“… his trajectory was providentially placed in a nation that, more than any other developing country, needed him most, a space of  both human and material  resources that was singularly  fitted to his massive capabilities, and this, sadly, was denied.” … Wole  Soyinka. Chief  Obafemi  Awolowo, Nigeria statesman and one–time premier of Nigeria’s Western Region spent most of his life analyzing problems that beset the country as well as suggesting viable solutions to them. As a politician and head of government,  he set a pace of development that should by now have taken Nigeria to an enviable position among the world’s leading economies, if the whole country had followed his example. In 1987 when he died,  Nigeria was still groping in the dark and reeling under the yoke of military rule; and now in 2009, the country merely drifts on. In this book celebrating the centennial of his birth, many scholars examine the record of this great African philosopher, politician, and leader, and show that his thoughts and methods – especially his emphasis on the development of individual man –contains the remedy for Nigeria’s, nay Africa’s, underdevelopment.Contents/SummaryThe bibliography includes bibliographical references and an index.ContentsPrologue: for Obafemi Awolowo / Niyi OsundareForward: a guru for all times and all places / Wole SoyinkaFounding Philosophy / Obafemi Awolowo FoundationAcknowledgment / Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosumupt. I: Obafemi Awolowo as LeaderObafemi Awolowo: politician, prophet philosopher and patriot / Akinjide OsuntokunThe essence of the Awolowo phenomenon / Itse SagayThe quintessential Awo / Wale AdebanwiObafemi Awolowo and the golden era of the Yoruba / Segun GbadegesinAwo as a humanist / Sam A. AlukoRemembering Awo: reminiscences / Mvendaga JiboObafemi Awolowo: reflections of a native son / Richard Josephpt. II: Obafemi Awolowo’s legacy for NigeriaFundamental Essentials of the Awolowo Heritage / Banji AkintoyeObafemi Awolowo’s development legacy / David O. OkeResuscitating Awo’s development legacy / David O. OkeAwo and the Opticom idea / Akin L. Mabogunjept. III: Footprints on the sands of timeAwoism, the Awoist and Awology / Francis I. OgunmodedeRebuilding the Nigerian educational system for the 21st Century / Anya O. AnyaAwo on minorities and revenue allocation / Obaro IkiemeAwolowo and culture / Ropo SekoniIn the fraternity of the pen: Obafemi Awolowo as a journalist / Olatunji Darept. IV: Awolowo in and through historyThe Titan and the Titanic / Asebayo WilliamsA corporate profile: Odu’a Investment Company Ltd.Index.