Samuel Ladoke Akintola

Nigerians need to learn a lot from he following article about the politics of the First Republic, especially, in the South West

Samuel Ladoke Akintola In the eyes of History

By Femi Kehinde

BORN INTO WEALTH

Samuel Ladoke Akintola was born on the 10th of July, 1910 into a family whose attributes were wealth, valour, courage and bravery, and such person must naturally measure up to the family standard- “omo tekun ba bi, ekun ni yoo jo.”- (a young tiger will always live like its forebears). His father was Akintola Akinbola and his mother, Akanke. Ladoke was an enigma of a man, a Baptist Lay Preacher, a Yoruba Fundamentalist, verbally gifted and naturally gregarious Attorney, former Editor of Daily Service, School Teacher, Railway Worker, Scholar, Linguist, street and world wise, brilliant, witty, scholarly and humorous, lived a full blown life for 56 years, July 10, 1910- Jan. 15, 1966.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Premier of Western Region, 1952-1959, had relinquished his seat as Premier, for a higher calling as Prime Minister, unfortunately his party; the Action Group could not make it. Ladoke Akintola as Leader of the opposition in the Federal House of Representatives and Deputy Leader of the Action Group, was asked by his party- the Action Group, to vacate his seat at the House of Representatives and contest election to the State House of Assembly, for him to succeed Awolowo as Premier of Western Region. A loyalist party member vacated his seat and Akintola emerged unopposed as candidate from Ogbomosho South East State Constituency.

HIS EARLY LIFE

The Akintola family, famed in Military background and substantial wealth, emigrated with Ladoke to Minna in 1914, where he had his early education at C.M.S. Minna. Shortly after, his father was caught in the Adubi War on his way to Lagos to buy textiles and did not return until 1918. Ladoke was thereafter sent back to Ogbomosho in 1922, to live with his grandfather, Akinbola, where he continued his education at the Baptist Day School from 1922-1925. In Minna, he had honed his skill and proficiency in English, Yoruba, Nupe and Hausa language.

After his elementary education, he moved to Baptist College Ogbomosho – a teacher training and Seminary school in 1925 and after completion of Secondary Education in 1930, being a brilliant student, he was sent to Baptist Academy, Lagos, as a tutor of General Science, Biology and Bible Knowledge. Whilst in school, he had started dating Faderera Awomolo, a sister of his friend in Baptist College, who had also trained as a Nurse in Baptist Hospital, Ogbomosho. Faderera’s father, a very strong willed Policeman, from Igbajo- an Ijesha speaking community, in present day Osun State, also had very strong views. Faderera inherited her father’s stubbornness and married Samuel Ladoke Akintola in 1935 when she was sent on a domestic errand to Lagos.

In the life of Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Faderera like her father, had strong views and influence. She begat five children- Modele, Yomi, Abimbola, Ladipo and Olatokunbo. Samuel Ladoke Akintola was a teacher and House Master in Baptist Academy, Lagos for an uninterrupted period of 12 years, between 1930-1942. S.O. Gbadamosi, who later became a strong politician and influential business man, was one of his students at the Baptist Academy.

After the drudgery and stagnant life of a school teacher and lack of career prospect, he resigned from the Baptist Academy in 1942, to join the Nigerian Railway Corporation, where he worked briefly, before relocating to the profession of Journalism, by joining the Nigerian Daily Service Newspaper of Ernest Ikoli in 1942, from where he rose steadily to become its Editor. The profession of journalism had then been described by Chief Obafemi Awolowo as that belonging only, to the “flotsam and jetsam” of the society. Ernest Ikoli was distinguished enough then, to own a bicycle.

MEETING OBAFEMI AWOLOWO

Ladoke had met Ernest Ikoli, Akinola Maja, Obafemi Awolowo, H.O.Davies, Samuel Akisanya, later Oba Odemo of Isara and some other Nationalists in 1943 at the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) where Awolowo was then Secretary. It’s a funny coincidence, that at a later time in the Western Regional Crisis, the Ladoke Akintola Government had reduced the salary of Oba Samuel Akisanya then Odemo of Isara, to One Pound per annum, when the Odemo crossed to the other side of the divide.

Funnily, Akintola had once in 1943, supported Ernest Ikoli, an Ijaw man against Samuel Akisanya for election to the Nigerian Legislative Council In 1943, when Sir Dr. Kofo Abayomi vacated the seat, to proceed for further studies in ophthalmology in the United Kingdom.

POLITICS, JOURNALISM AND LIFE IN UK

During this period of politicking and journalism, he passed the University of London Matriculation Examination and went to Fleet Street, London School of Journalism in 1946, on a one year British Council Scholarship for opposing as Editor of Daily Service, the general strike of 1946. Ladoke after completion of his study in Fleet Street, shifted to a degree course in Law and was called to the Bar in 1949. He had a tough life in the United Kingdom. He worked part time, with the British Rails, pushing wheel barrow at the Euston station as a porter, whilst also being in good contact with the West African Student Union (WASU) of Ladipo Solanke, founded in 1925.

Samuel Ladoke Akintola came back home in March 1950 and started his law practice in Lagos and later formed a Partnership in 1952 with Chris Oladipo Ogunbanjo and Micheal Odesanya as- Samuel, Chris & Michael (Solicitors), with Samuel Ladoke Akintola as the dominant figure. Micheal Odesanya, later Justice Rtd, direct sibling of S.O. Gbadamosi, was also his student in Baptist Academy, Lagos.

Awolowo had also qualified as a Lawyer in 1946 and started his law practice in Ibadan and later went into a partnership with Biodun Akerele, father of Lagos socialite- Hillario Babs Akerele, as- Awolowo, Akerele & Co. When Samuel Ladoke Akintola came back home in March 1950, one of the few people he visited, was Obafemi Awolowo in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, whom he had known as far back as 1940s then as a member of the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM)

On his way to Ogbomosho after his call to the Bar, he branched at Ibadan, where he visited only two places- the Awomolos- his in-laws and the Awolowos- his friend. Whilst in London, his son, Yomi had lived with Mr. Oyediran, an Offa man and Principal of MBHS Lagos, where he lived with Olukayode Oyediran- later Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, who later married Awolowo’s first daughter- Omotola, when Awolowo was in Calabar Prison.

Samuel Ladoke Akintola and Obafemi Awolowo were of the same age bracket- Awolowo being born on 6th March, 1909 and Samuel Ladoke Akintola, 10th July, 1910. They exchanged notes and started their Legal and Political friendship in 1952, they started the Action Group (AG) party together and they were jolly good friends. In the Action Group, Samuel Ladoke Akintola and Awolowo were prominent. Akintola later became the Legal Adviser of the Party alongside Arthur Prest. They were the brightest legal minds in the Action Group.

Chief Bode Thomas- 1918-1953, became the Deputy Leader of the Action Group. He later formed Nigeria’s first indigenous law firm called-Thomas, Williams, Kayode & Co. i.e. the trio of Chief Bode Thomas, Chief Rotimi Williams and Chief Remilekun Fani Kayode.

BODE THOMAS BARKS AT OBA ADEYEMI AND BARKS TO DEATH

Bode was a brilliant lawyer, but also very haughty and arrogant. He was made the Divisional Council Chairman in 1953 while the Alaafin of Oyo was a mere member. On his first appearance in council, after being appointed Chairman, all council members stood up for him in deference to welcome him, except Oba Adeyemi, who for cultural reasons could not show deference to anyone in public. Bode Thomas rudely shouted at the King for having the temerity and audacity to disrespect him- “why are you sitting, when I walked in, you don’t know how to show respect?”At that time, Bode Thomas was 35 years and Oba Adeniran was in his 60s.

The Alaafin felt very insulted and nonplussed. He said, “se emi lo n gbomo baun” (is it me you are barking at like that?). Oba Adeniran Adeyemi just told him — ma gbo lo baun (continue barking). Oba Adeniran Adeyemi II, was father of the incumbent Alaafin- Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III

The confrontation happened on 22 November 1953. Bode Thomas got home and started barking! He barked and barked like a dog all night, until he died in the early morning of 23 November 1953. He cut short his promising career. Oba Adeniran Adeyemi II was thereafter deposed and sent on exile in 1954, for sympathizing with opposition NCNC, because he had come in conflict with Bode Thomas who was Deputy Leader of the Action Group before his untimely death. He cut short his promising career both as a lawyer and deputy leader of the Action Group. In fact, at a session in the Parliament, Sardauna Ahmadu Bello, had described Bode Thomas as “arrogant and ungracious”

LADOKE AKINTOLA’S RISE

After the death of Bode Thomas, there was the need for Oyo-Yoruba to succeed Bode Thomas and after a keenly contested election, Samuel Ladoke Akintola, emerged as the Deputy Leader, by defeating Chief Arthur Prest, an Itshekiri lawyer and colorful politician, and thus his meteoric rise in the politics of Action Group, Western Region and Nigeria in general.

In 1953, and under the new government of Sir John McPherson, the Action Group in accordance with the McPherson Constitution of 1951 nominated four members to the Central Cabinet- S.L. Akintola, Arthur Prest, Bode Thomas and Sir Adesoji Aderemi and thus Chief S.L. Akintola became Minister of Labour and he was able to settle the Iva Valley incidence of the coal miners in Enugu.

Samuel Ladoke Akintola who had earlier been seen as anti-labour whilst in the Daily Service as Editor, was able to settle this crisis, to the applause and satisfaction of the labour movement.

In the cabinet, the Governor General- Sir John McPherson described him as a “master of ambiguities” and Chief Anthony Enahoro buttressed this when he said “Akintola derived virtue in ambiguity” and Chief Obafemi Awolowo after the London Conference of 1953 described S.L. Akintola as “an able lawyer. He is a brazen and affable character who cannot be ruffled easily, if at all. His peculiar gift consists in his capacity to argue and defend two opposing points of view with equal competence and plausibility. This quality backed by a sense of humor and his capacity for nuances made him a puzzle to opponents”

The Sardauna of Sokoto- Ahmadu Bello also described Akintola as “being quick and could be friendly and interested in all around him”. All these periods, Akintola had since 1930, been a Lagos man. In fact, he built his first house on 20 Ajasa Street in the city of Lagos and was very friendly with Lagos elites like S.O.Gbadamosi- his former student, Ayo Vaughn, Sir Kofo Abayomi, H.O. Davies, Dr. Akinola Maja, Sir Kofo Abayomi, Dr. Akanni Doherty and others.

 

During this period of politicking and journalism, he passed the University of London Matriculation Examination and went to Fleet Street, London School of Journalism in 1946, on a one year British Council Scholarship for opposing as Editor of Daily Service, the general strike of 1946. Ladoke after completion of his study in Fleet Street, shifted to a degree course in Law and was called to the Bar in 1949. He had a tough life in the United Kingdom. He worked part time, with the British Rails, pushing wheel barrow at the Euston station as a porter, whilst also being in good contact with the West African Student Union (WASU) of Ladipo Solanke, founded in 1925.

Whilst Obafemi Awolowo had since 1927, lived and been an Ibadan man, Ladoke Akintola was a Lagos man, even though he did not speak the Lagos variant of Yoruba language- “mo de, mi de”. Whilst Samuel Ladoke Akintola remained a member of the Federal House of Representatives in Lagos and Opposition Leader in the Parliament, Awolowo was fully entrenched in Ibadan, as Premier of the Western Region.

AS MINISTER OF HEALTH, COMMUNICATIONS AND AVIATION

Samuel Ladoke Akintola, later became the Minister of Health. He was, whilst as Minister of Health associated with the completion o f the University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ibadan (UCH), between 1954-1956 and was able to release the sum of £10 Million Pounds to aid its quick relocation, from the then Adeoyo Hospital, established in 1926, which had housed the hospital.

In 1957, he was re-appointed back to the Federal Cabinet, alongside Ayo Rosiji despite the disapproval of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He was thereafter made Minister of Communication and Aviation and he was instrumental to the founding of Nigerian Airways to compete with the West African Airline Company (WAAC), British Overseas Airways Company (BOAC), the precursor of British Caledonian Airways and later British Airways, that had hitherto dominated the aviation sector in Nigeria and in 1958, he travelled to Holland to source for the set of airplanes for Nigeria Airways.

As Minister for Health, the great Samuel Ladoke Akintola, was on a tour of hospital establishments in the Northern Nigeria in 1957. The Great Diplomat, humorist and wordsmith, was being taken round the Nassarawa General Hospital in Kano, when his eagle eyes fell on a young dazzling beauty and damsel- Ms Rosannah Bolanle Adedeji, a Yoruba Nurse in the Hospital. In his characteristic humour, he wondered what a Yoruba damsel was doing in the Sahara Desert. As if by design, they both had near identical facial marks.

That encounter, became a love at first sight that eventually produced Ladiran Akinniyi Akintola in 1959. Ladiran is now a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Oyo State. He gave the child a name-Ladiran and his cousin, Ladokun was present at the naming ceremony. His bossom friend, Hon. Dejo Adigun and Ladoke’s younger brother-Akinbowale Akintola became regular emissaries. It is a striking coincidence, that Ladiran later married Simisola Oluwatoyin Ige, daughter of Dele Ige and younger brother of Bola Ige- Ladoke’s implacable foe at the 1962 Jos Conference.