Samuel Akintola
Encyclopedia
Samuel Ládòkè Akíntọ́lá or "S.L.A."(July 6, 1910 - January 15, 1966) was a Nigeria
n politician
, lawyer
, aristocrat
and orator who was born in Ogbomosho
, south west Nigeria. In addition to serving as one of the founding fathers of his native country, he also served as the Oloye Aare Ona Kakanfo XIII
of the Yoruba.
After he was trained as a lawyer in the United Kingdom
, Akintola returned to Nigeria in 1949 and teamed up with other educated Nigerians from the western region to form the Action Group
(AG) under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo
. As the deputy leader of the AG party, he did not serve in the regional Western Region Government headed by the premier
Awolowo but was the parliamentary leader of his AG party in the House of Representatives of Nigeria
. At the federal level he served as Minister for Health and later Minister for Communications and Aviation.
In preparation for Nigeria's independence, scheduled for 1960, the Action Group party took a decision which affected the career of Akintola, the party and Nigeria when the party in late 1959 asked him to swap political positions with Awolowo by becoming the premier of the Western Region while the latter (who also was the national leader of the AG) became the party leader in the Federal House of Representatives and also its Leader of the Opposition
The division of roles in the Western Nigeria government led to a conflict between him and Awolowo; the AG party broke into two factions leading to several crises in the Western Region House of Assembly that led the central/federal government, headed by the Prime Minister
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to declare State of Emergency
rule in the Western region and an Administrator was appointed. He was restored to power (after a lengthy court battle)as Premier in 1963 and won in general election of 1965 not as member of the Action Group party but as the leader of a newly formed party called Nigerian National Democratic Party
(NNDP) which was in an alliance with the Northern People's Congress
(NPC) the party that then controlled the federal government.
Akintola was assassinated in Ibadan
the capital of Western Region on the day of Nigeria's first military coup of 15 January 1966—which terminated the First Republic
—along with many other leading politicians, mostly members of the Northern People's Congress. He had five children, two of whom were finance ministers in the Nigerian Third Republic
(Chief Yomi Akintola and Dr Bimbo Akintola). Chief Yomi Akintola served as Nigeria's Ambassador to Hungary and SLA's daughter in law, Mrs. Dupe Akintola is Nigeria's High Commissioner in Jamaica. His fourth child, Chief Victor Ladipo Akintola, dedicated much of his life to ensuring the continued accurate accounting of SLA's contributions to Nigeria's position on the world stage. He published many works including a biography that highlighted his fathers love of his country and lifelong commitment to its progression (Akintola: The Man and the Legend). It is unique in giving an invaluable, not to mention personal,biography of this great Nigerian political figure. Chief S L Akintola's youngest son, the late Tokunbo Akintola, was the first black schoolboy at Eton College, enroling two terms prior to the arrival of Dilibe Onyeama (author of Nigger at Eton).
A number of institutions, including Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, were established in both the Oloye's home town and other Nigerian cities as a means of remembering him posthumously.
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 politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, aristocrat
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
and orator who was born in Ogbomosho
Ogbomosho
Ogbomosho is a city in Oyo State, southwestern Nigeria, on the A1 highway. It was founded in the mid 17th century. The population was approximately 645,000 as of 1991; as of March 2005, it is estimated to be around 1,200,000....
, south west Nigeria. In addition to serving as one of the founding fathers of his native country, he also served as the Oloye Aare Ona Kakanfo XIII
Oyo Empire
The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire of what is today southwestern Nigeria. The empire was established before the 14th century and grew to become one of the largest West African states encountered by European explorers. It rose to preeminence through its possession of a powerful cavalry and wealth...
of the Yoruba.
After he was trained as a lawyer in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Akintola returned to Nigeria in 1949 and teamed up with other educated Nigerians from the western region to form the Action Group
Action Group (Nigeria)
Action Group was a Nigerian 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...
(AG) under the leadership of 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...
. As the deputy leader of the AG party, he did not serve in the regional Western Region Government headed by the premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
Awolowo but was the parliamentary leader of his AG party in the House of Representatives of Nigeria
House of Representatives of Nigeria
The House of Representatives of Nigeria is the lower house of the country's bicameral National Assembly. The Senate of Nigeria is the upper house....
. At the federal level he served as Minister for Health and later Minister for Communications and Aviation.
In preparation for Nigeria's independence, scheduled for 1960, the Action Group party took a decision which affected the career of Akintola, the party and Nigeria when the party in late 1959 asked him to swap political positions with Awolowo by becoming the premier of the Western Region while the latter (who also was the national leader of the AG) became the party leader in the Federal House of Representatives and also its Leader of the Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
The division of roles in the Western Nigeria government led to a conflict between him and Awolowo; the AG party broke into two factions leading to several crises in the Western Region House of Assembly that led the central/federal government, headed by the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to declare State of Emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
rule in the Western region and an Administrator was appointed. He was restored to power (after a lengthy court battle)as Premier in 1963 and won in general election of 1965 not as member of the Action Group party but as the leader of a newly formed party called Nigerian National Democratic Party
Nigerian National Democratic Party
The Nigerian National Democratic Party , was Nigeria's first political party.Formed in 1923 by Herbert Macaulay to take advantage of the new Clifford Constitution, the NNDP successfully organized various Yoruba interest groups into a single group that was able to compete politically...
(NNDP) which was in an alliance with the 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....
(NPC) the party that then controlled the federal government.
Akintola was assassinated 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...
the capital of Western Region on the day of Nigeria's first military coup of 15 January 1966—which terminated the First Republic
Nigerian First Republic
The First Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966 governed by the first republican constitution.-Founding :...
—along with many other leading politicians, mostly members of the Northern People's Congress. He had five children, two of whom were finance ministers in the Nigerian Third Republic
Nigerian Third Republic
The Third Republic was the planned republican government of Nigeria in 1993 which was to be governed by the Third Republican constitution.- Founding :...
(Chief Yomi Akintola and Dr Bimbo Akintola). Chief Yomi Akintola served as Nigeria's Ambassador to Hungary and SLA's daughter in law, Mrs. Dupe Akintola is Nigeria's High Commissioner in Jamaica. His fourth child, Chief Victor Ladipo Akintola, dedicated much of his life to ensuring the continued accurate accounting of SLA's contributions to Nigeria's position on the world stage. He published many works including a biography that highlighted his fathers love of his country and lifelong commitment to its progression (Akintola: The Man and the Legend). It is unique in giving an invaluable, not to mention personal,biography of this great Nigerian political figure. Chief S L Akintola's youngest son, the late Tokunbo Akintola, was the first black schoolboy at Eton College, enroling two terms prior to the arrival of Dilibe Onyeama (author of Nigger at Eton).
A number of institutions, including Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, were established in both the Oloye's home town and other Nigerian cities as a means of remembering him posthumously.