Action Group (Nigeria)
Encyclopedia
Action Group was a Nigeria
n political party
established in Ibadan
on March 21, 1951, by the Ègbe Ọmọ Odùduwà
led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo
. The party was founded to serve as the platform for realizing his primary objective of mobilising the Yorùbá into one political umbrella. It was a result of the relationships developed at the Egbe Omo Ododuwa formed in Awolowo's days in London as a student.
The Action Group was a left-leaning political party formed in the 1950s, and which was supported largely by the Yoruba population of the then Western region of that country. It also had appeal in the later Mid-Western and Middle Belt regions of the country. The party's best known leader was the national politician, Obafemi Awolowo. The party had a liberal progressive platform, and won local power in the Western region while Nigeria was still under British colonial rule. The party took part in national elections prior to Nigerian independence in 1960, however it was able to garner little support outside the Western Region (includes Oyo,Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Ogun and Delta states of today) and the Nigerian capital city of Lagos. A conservative coalition was formed between the northern Muslim-dominated Northern People's Congress
and the Eastern National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons
, excluding the Action Group
from national power.
However, Chief Awolowo led the party as Leader of Opposition in the First Republic, renowned for in-depth policy analysis and intense debates on the floor of the Federal Parliament in Lagos. Although was socialist, the Party was largely regarded as having communist appeal, even though the leader denied this claim, and was largely regarded with suspicion by the West. The sagacity, popular appeal and pragmatic approach to power was however indisputable.
In the western region the Action Group had launched free primary education, and other advances, however the exclusion from national power, and what was considered a fair share of national revenues for the Western region, led to national tensions. Awolowo was arrested on what many consider trumped-up charges of treason, and plotting the overthrow of the national government. Meanwhile a pro-government party, the NNDP, was established in power by various maneuvers in the Western Region by Chief Samuel Akintola
who left the AG to forge alliance with the parties at the center. These tensions, and the failure of the elections of 1965 were among those that led to the 1966 military coup, and the subsequent Nigerian Civil War.
The Unity Party of Nigeria
in the Second Republic, and Alliance for Democracy
which later became Action Congress
in the Fourth Republic are regarded as successors to the heritage of the party. Followers of the party's philosophy commonly refer to themselves as Awoists
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
established in Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
on March 21, 1951, by the Ègbe Ọmọ Odùduwà
Egbe Omo Oduduwa
Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà, was a Nigerian political organization established in 1945, when Chief Obafemi Awolowo along with Dr. Oni Akerele, Chief Akintola Williams, Professor Saburi Biobaku, Chief Abiodun Akinrele, Chief Ayo Rosiji and others, met in London....
led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo
Obafemi Awolowo
Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo was a Nigerian politician, trade unionist, author and statesman. A Yoruba and native of Ikenne in Ogun State of Nigeria, he started his career as a regional political leader like most of his pre-independence contemporaries and was responsible for much of the progressive...
. The party was founded to serve as the platform for realizing his primary objective of mobilising the Yorùbá into one political umbrella. It was a result of the relationships developed at the Egbe Omo Ododuwa formed in Awolowo's days in London as a student.
The Action Group was a left-leaning political party formed in the 1950s, and which was supported largely by the Yoruba population of the then Western region of that country. It also had appeal in the later Mid-Western and Middle Belt regions of the country. The party's best known leader was the national politician, Obafemi Awolowo. The party had a liberal progressive platform, and won local power in the Western region while Nigeria was still under British colonial rule. The party took part in national elections prior to Nigerian independence in 1960, however it was able to garner little support outside the Western Region (includes Oyo,Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Ogun and Delta states of today) and the Nigerian capital city of Lagos. A conservative coalition was formed between the northern Muslim-dominated Northern People's Congress
Northern People's Congress
Northern People's Congress is a political party in Nigeria. Formed in June 1949, the party held considerable influence in the Northern Region from the 1950s until the military coup of 1966....
and the Eastern National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons , was a Nigerian political party from 1944 to 1966. The name included 'Cameroons' because Cameroon had become an administrative part of Nigeria in 1945. Cameroon had been a colonial territory of Germany...
, excluding the Action Group
Action group
In sociology and anthropology, an action group or task group is a group of people joined temporarily to accomplish some task or take part in some organized collective action....
from national power.
However, Chief Awolowo led the party as Leader of Opposition in the First Republic, renowned for in-depth policy analysis and intense debates on the floor of the Federal Parliament in Lagos. Although was socialist, the Party was largely regarded as having communist appeal, even though the leader denied this claim, and was largely regarded with suspicion by the West. The sagacity, popular appeal and pragmatic approach to power was however indisputable.
In the western region the Action Group had launched free primary education, and other advances, however the exclusion from national power, and what was considered a fair share of national revenues for the Western region, led to national tensions. Awolowo was arrested on what many consider trumped-up charges of treason, and plotting the overthrow of the national government. Meanwhile a pro-government party, the NNDP, was established in power by various maneuvers in the Western Region by Chief Samuel Akintola
Samuel Akintola
Samuel Ládòkè Akíntọ́lá or "S.L.A." was a Nigerian politician, lawyer, aristocrat and orator who was born in Ogbomosho, south west Nigeria...
who left the AG to forge alliance with the parties at the center. These tensions, and the failure of the elections of 1965 were among those that led to the 1966 military coup, and the subsequent Nigerian Civil War.
The Unity Party of Nigeria
Unity Party of Nigeria
The Unity Party of Nigeria was a Nigerian political party that was dominant in western Nigeria during the second republic. The party revolved around the political leadership of Obafemi Awolowo, a sometimes polemical but effective administrator. However, the party's main difference with its...
in the Second Republic, and Alliance for Democracy
Alliance for Democracy (Nigeria)
The Alliance for Democracy was a progressive opposition political party in Nigeria. It was formed on September 9th 1998. At the 2003 legislative elections, 12 April 2003, the party won 8.8 % of the popular vote and 34 out of 360 seats in the Nigerian House of Representatives and six out of...
which later became Action Congress
Action Congress
The Action Congress of Nigeria , formerly known as Action Congress , is a classical liberal Nigerian political party formed via the merger of the Alliance for Democracy, the Justice Party, the Advance Congress of Democrats, and several other minor political parties in September 2006. The party...
in the Fourth Republic are regarded as successors to the heritage of the party. Followers of the party's philosophy commonly refer to themselves as Awoists