What you don’t know about 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)

Click to read the rest here: www.thenewsnigeria.com.ng/2017/06/what-you-dont-know-about-samuel-ladoke-akintola/