Hannah and Obafemi Awolowo

In the treasonable trial years of the 1960s, the late Chief H.I.D. Awolowo stood by her husband like the rock of Gibralter. In fact, at a point, as Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late Premier of the old Western Region put it in “My March through Prison,” when the Police laid siege to their home, she was, in the name of searching for incriminating materials, almost stripped naked, a development that, as the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo narrated, made him feel extremely humiliated.

Awo narrated: ‘“Even God himself will fight for us”’, my wife added ‘“Now that all the powerful people in the country are against us, it is God alone and our loyal friends and colleagues who we can count on. Our enemies imagine that they have the power of life and death over us and our friends. They have worldly power, but God is our armour. He will see us safely through, and by His power we will overcome.”’

Later at dinner my wife did not eat much; she felt very distressed. I cheered her up. “These trials are a test of our faith, and we must not fail the test,” I said. I ate well as usual.

We went to bed only to wake up the following morning to a rude shock. My wife wanted to go out to see some of our friends, and in particular to see Pastor S.G. Adegboyega (of blessed memory) and Pastor I.G. Sakpo, both of whom, as well as many others of The Apostolic Church, ceaselessly helped us with prayers.

She was asked to go into a cubicle already erected. There she was searched. But a ruder shock was to come. The police girl, who was in charge, was replaced after a week by another police girl. The latter was extremely vicious and hate-ridden. She stripped my wife absolutely naked – “absolutely naked” is the appropriate description – in conducting her search.

When my wife reported this shabby treatment to me, I felt utterly humiliated. If I had had tears, I would have wept. What dangerous and subversive materials could my wife be hiding in parts of her body to warrant this degrading and wicked assault on her? Each time she went out, and each time she came in, this provocative routine was carried out. I suggested that she should stay away from 7 Bell Avenue, but she insisted on remaining there with me whatever the degree of humiliation. I complained to the A.S.P. in charge. He was sympathetic. He tried to bring about an improvement, but he too was quickly replaced by a less humane character. On 29 September, I was given permission to attend the proceedings of the Coker Inquiry. I too was searched. But I was not treated in the same inhumane way as that second police girl bad treated my wife.”

When eventually Awo was imprisoned, HID held forte; she was unbroken.