Obafemi Awolowo : Inside The Late Sage’s Ikenne Home

Obafemi Awolowo : Inside The Late Sage’s Ikenne Home

Obafemi Awolowo : Inside The Late Sage’s Ikenne Home

The Mercedes 230.6. Awolowo used to
travel the length and breadth of the
country during his electioneering
campaigns in 1979 and 1983
Some of the shoes Awolowo wore while
he was alive

The chair on which H.I.D Awolowo sat
on her wedding day

Some of the awards and post humous
awards bestowed on Awolowo

Some of the native attires of Awolowo

THE 11-day funeral rites for the late
matriarch of the Awolowo family, HID
Awolowo begin tomorrow and end on
November 25. Since her passing on
September 19, the Ikenne home of the
late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo has
been a mecca of sorts. Visitors from all
walks of life have been going there to
pay tributes to her.
At the middle of the compound is the
main house and Sopolu Library built in
honour of Awolowo’s father. Efunyela
Hall too has been receiving a plethora of
visitors. It was built in 1979 in memory
of Chief (Mrs) Efunyela Awolowo,
Awolowo’s
mother. Important functions are held
there.
At the entrance to the hall is written on
the wall, one of Awolowo’s popular
quotes in 1963: “I have no doubt, and I
say this without any spirit of immodesty,
that in the course of my political career,
I have rendered services to this country
which historians and the coming
generation will certainly regard as
imperishable.”
Also inscribed on the wall is what the
late Dr Nnamidi Azikwe said about
Awolowo: “From generation to
generation, Chief Awolowo’s
contribution to the history of Nigeria in
particular and Africa in general shall be
a landmark and inspiration to guide our
people in the holy crusade for a place in
the Sun.”
Inside Efunyela Hall are different
photographs, including that of the
defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN’s)
campaign rally at Mapo, Ibadan on
February 26, 1983. Others include the
photographs of Obafemi Awolowo and
Queen Elizabeth (II) of England in March
1956, when she visited the then Western
Region of Nigeria. The picture was taken
during the Children’s

Rally at Race Course, Ibadan.
Also there are the photographs of
Awolowo with the Emir of Kano, Alhaji
Ado Bayero and the late Alake of
Egbaland, Oba Oyebade Lipede at the
opening of hotel of Prince Sijuwade of
Ile-Ife.
The portraits of Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Sir
James Robertson, Sir Ahmadu Bello,
Mobolaji Bank Anthony, Kwame
Kwrumah of Ghana and those of the five
UPN Governors: Ambrose Alli, Michael
Ajasin, Bisi Onabanjo, Lateef Jakande
and Bola Ige are also there.
Another popular saying of Awolowo is
inside the hall: “I have never regarded
myself as having a monopoly of wisdom.
The trouble is that when most people in
public life and in the position of
leadership and rulership are spending
whole days and nights carousing in clubs
or in the company of men of shady
character and women of easy virtue, I,
like a few others, am always at my post
working hard at the country’s problems
and trying to find solutions for them.”

There is also a museum by the entrance
to Awolowo’s residence. Inside it is an
eight-sitter grey Mercedes 230.6.
Awolowo used it to travel the length and
breadth of the country during his
electioneering campaigns in 1979 and
1983. It was bought in 1970. The museum
was commissioned on August 4, 1989 by
H.I.D Awolowo.
Inside the museum is the University of
Cape Town Honoray Doctor of Law (LLD)
Degree Academic Gown given to
Awolowo in recognition of his immense
contributions to the social and political
development of the African continent.
There are also the Academic Gown of the
University of Lagos Honorary Doctor of
Letters degree in 1968 and Honorary
degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) of the
University of Ibadan (UI) in 1961.
The cap “Awo Fez cap’ synonymous with
Awolowo is there as well. He was widely
known with this cap and his followers
wore the cap to show their loyalty to the
sage.
Finally, there is the Awolowo
mausoleum, the centerpiece of the
compound.