“Obafemi Awolowo was Greater than Nelson Mandela” – Poet, Odia Ofeimun

Nigerian poet/writer Odia Ofeimun has made a startling statement that Nigerians that has got everyone talking.

In an interview with Sahara TV, the literary critic rated that the late Nigerian politician above the South African legend; stating that although “Mandela was good for the liberation” of his people, Awolowo made more impact in the lives of many Nigerians.

He described the processes of leading to independence in both countries by the leaders followed the exact same pattern.

Read Odia Ofeimun’s statement;

“I am too much of an Awolowo man not to see that the process of moving into independence in South Africa and in Nigeria followed exactly the same pattern. It was based on a negotiated settlement. The liberation struggle did not create the end of apartheid. It was a negotiation and Nigerians negotiated exactly the way Mandela negotiated.

You can hype it if you like, but the pattern was exactly the same. You move from one meeting to the other, discussing politics and economics, and they successfully convinced Mandela to buy the pig in a poke of an economy and they also successfully succeeded in convincing Nigerians to buy the pig in a poke of an economy.

The only man in Nigeria, who stood up against it, was (Obafemi) Awolowo. He was quickly jailed and all his men scattered across the prisons in Nigeria. Some driven abroad and the educational system that he had put in place was smashed.”

What do you think?