The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo has been named by veteran Nigerian actor Pete Edochie as his favorite Nigerian politician. Edochie praised the former premier of the Western Region for his contributions to broadcasting and education as well as his approach to governance.
In an interview with content creator Adebayo Abidemi, better known by his stage name Isbae U, on Curiosity Made Me Ask, Edochie, 79, expressed his admiration for Awolowo. Saturday saw the publication of the interview.
When asked to name the Nigerian politician he most admired, the actor specifically mentioned Awolowo despite claiming he had no interest in partisan politics.
He said;
“First of all, I love the Yorubas a lot. One of my sons is married to a Yoruba girl, I didn’t tell you that, so you’re my in-law. I’m not into politics, no. But, if you ask me who is or was my favorite politician, I will tell you Awolowo.”
“You people were not born when Awolowo was in active politics. But Awolowo will tell you, ‘I’m going to build this thing. It will cost certain amount, and this is where I’m going to get it.’ There has been no politician to achieve that, no. Outside Awolowo, then M.I. Okpara in the East.”
“Which is why Awolowo introduced a lot of things in Nigeria that were not there previously. Awolowo brought television into Nigeria.”
“He did. Then you would hear, ‘This is WNBC, first in Africa,’ under Awolowo. That was in 1959,”
“Awolowo introduced free primary education. And he surprised everybody who was born then in the West. No matter where you came from, you benefited from it, you know?”
“So, on a couple of occasions, when I tell people that this man was my favorite, regrettably, he never became the president of the country, right? But he wasn’t somebody who would invest so much energy promising.”
Ultimately, everyone has their own unique perspective and preferences when it comes to politicians. What resonates with one person might differ for another, as each individual values different qualities, leadership styles, and legacies. It is this diversity of opinion that makes political discourse rich and meaningful, reminding us that no single politician can be universally admired by all
