The late Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo would have been killed through food poison before his death on May 9, 1987, eldest son of Awo’s successor as premier, Alhaji Dauda Adegbenro has revealed.
At the height of the political crisis in the then Western Region, Awolowo was arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government of the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. After the initial detention in Ibadan, he was moved to Lagos and later detained at Lekki for about two months until the commencement of his trial.
The tumult of 1962 led to the declaration of a state of emergency in the western part of the country during which Alhaji Dauda Soroye Adegbenro, who later died on Septembr 28, 1975, succeeded Pa Awolowo as premier.
After Papa Awolowo was released from prison in 1966, he was appointed Minister of Finance under the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon.
In an interview with Saturday Sun, shortly after the 40th memorial prayers to mark the death of Alhaji Adegbenro in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Niyi, the eldest son of Adegbenro said Pa Awolowo would have been killed, particularly during his detention at the Lekki camp.
His words: “Papa Awolowo was alive till May 9, 1987 when he died in Ikenne by the grace of God. He could have been killed during his detention at Lekki, where he was kept after he was moved from Ibadan to Lagos.”
Adegbenro, who claimed he was with his father throughout the crisis, period further said: “Let me tell you that several attempts were made to kill Papa Awolowo through food poison and other methods, but God delivered him from the evil machinations of some people”.
He added: “When the plots to kill him through food poison leaked, those keeping watch on him made it compulsory for even his family, including his late wife, Mama HID to always taste any food they brought before he (Awolowo) could eat it”.
Recalling the turbulent period, during which his father was also arrested, Adegbenro said: “My father was addressing a rally at Amuto in Lagos State, where he was arrested and taken to Osogbo.
“When we got to Osogbo, my father was put under house arrest and restricted within a three mile radius. But good enough, throughout my father’s incarceration, well-wishers from neighbouring states came with food and cash in order to keep the spirit of the man up.
“They knew Adegbenro didn’t have wealth, he had no money, and so people were keeping his spirit alive with all their support. And those were ordinary people, not leaders. Thus, his spirit was high throughout the detention period”, he recalled.
During the prayers, former minister of Mines and Steel Development, Alhaji Sarafa Tunji Isola paid glowng tributes to the late Adegbenro, describing him as “a rare loyal and committed politician who stood by Papa Awolowo till the end”.
Adegbenro lamented that the presidential system of government being run in the country will not bring the desired change because it is too expensive to run.
“If we must get to the promised land, we must revert to the parliamentary system of government because the system we are presently practising is too expensive.
“As a country, we will not achieve much and the desired change Nigerians are clamouring for will not be achieved under the current system of government”, he added. (The Sun)