Awolowo Stadium at last

The Hard Fact

Awolowo Stadium at last

Written by Sam Adesua Tuesday, 23 November 2010

The proposal to rename the famous Liberty Stadium after the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, was said to have been forwarded to the Presidency some years before Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan assumed the reins of power as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The powers that be would not allow something that would further emphasise the unique and unparallelled excellence of the sage in contemporary Nigeria of his time and even till today.

A discussion with Nigerians outside the self-conceited power elite from every part of the country would always reveal that Chief Obafemi Awolowo remains adored for what he was and what he did in his life time. But many members of the power elite, whose negative performances in office are always exposed by the incredible exploits of Awo in public office, would feign ignorance of the sage’s unparallel achievements.

It was quite unfortunate that during his time, the nation’s central government, including under the British colonialists, had no room for excellence; hence the emphasis on which part of the country a person came from to qualify for anything, especially public office. The seed of mediocrity sowed since then, and which perpetually “zoned” Awo out of power in both the First and Second Republics, continues to bear rotten fruits of retrogression till today.

No wonder a former British leader was quoted once as saying that the sage came at a time Nigeria was not ripe for the calibre of his personality. According to him, if Awo had been born in Britain, he would be one of the best Prime Ministers in the country, or, if in the United States, he would be one of the best US presidents. Yet, Nigeria treated him politically as an unwanted baby. This is obviously the root of Nigeria’s underdevelopment or, rather, outright retrogression, today.

Awo’s socio-political stature was too intimidating for his envious enemies and their heirs. This trend has continued unabated. When the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) was celebrating 50 years of television in the country last year for example, we all watched with utter disbelief as the Authority’s Director- General spoke for about 10 minutes on the coming of television into the country without making the mistake of mentioning the name of Awolowo, who was the brain behind the event they were celebrating.

Some of Awo’s contemporaries who never built any stadium have stadia named after them. Even the person who looted the nation’s treasury dry during his tenure has a stadium named after him. Yet, pressure had to be mounted by right-thinking Nigerians for a stadium built by the sage to be named after him. The situation really accentuates the level of depravity among the nation’s ruling elite.

When Chief Obafemi Awolowo built the Liberty Stadium during the golden era of his tenure as the Premier of the defunct Western Region, it was the best and first of its kind in black Africa. Yet, pressure had to be mounted for the stadium to be named after him, as a mark of honour and recognition of his pioneering efforts. Fortunately, it is not possible for Awo’s avowed enemies to re-write history. In other words, what history has recorded for the sage cannot be obliterated by the fury of his enemies’ hatred.

Nigerians must appreciate President Goodluck Jonathan’s departure from the unenviable past, which had been more disposed towards the glorification of mediocrity in the country. The re-naming of the Liberty Stadium as Obafemi Awolowo Stadium is a mark of Jonathan’s progressive move and departure from the ugly past.

Some regard this as belated, but according to an aphorism: “it is better late than never.” The famous Liberty Stadium has become Obafemi Awolowo Stadium at last. The fact that Mr President shunned the seemingly formidable opponents of Awo’s incredible exploits in public office to honour the memory of the sage reveals his sincerity and patriotism.

Patriotic Nigerians, who contributed one way or the other to ensure this befitting honour for the sage, including President Jonathan, deserve commendation. They have proved that they prefer merit to mediocrity. They have also done what posterity would remember them for.

President Goodluck Jonathan should ensure that he ties every loose end to make the great achievement irreversible by those whose hatred for Awo knows no limit. The necessary paper works on the issue must be completed without any delay. Moreover, the ongoing renovation work at the stadium should be accorded utmost priority. The Obafemi Awolowo Stadium must be brought to the international standard and high level of excellence that would reflect the sage’s known stand for excellence in all ramifications.

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