Obafemi Awolowo Released | Arrival in Lagos | Met By Lt. Col. Gowon & Lt. Col. Muhammed | Aug. 1966

Early August 1966.
Rare footage of Chief Obafemi Awolowo on his release from prison by the new military regime headed by Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon.
Awolowo, the leader of the Action Group Party and former Prime Minister of the Western Region, had been imprisoned by the civilian government of Nigeria in 1963 for "Treasonable Felony".
Awolowo was flown to Lagos after his release from a prison in Calabar where he met Gowon. Also present and captured in the newsreel is Lt. Colonel Murtala Muhammed one of the leaders of the July uprising by soldiers of Northern Nigerian origin which overthrew the government headed by Major General J.T.U. Aguiyi-Ironsi.
Original source: Reuters.
NB.
. Controversy.
Who released Awo: Ironsi, Gowon or Ojukwu?
After ignoring internatonal requests and refusing a personal plea from Awolowo himself, Ironsi had begun the process of releasing him at the time he was assassinated on July 29th 1966. Gowon gave effect to it as soon as he assumed power in early August 1966 and Ojukwu who governed the Eastern region where Awo was being held (Calabar) did not oppose the release of the man who was a prisoner of the federal government.
. His own words.
"At this juncture, it is of interest to narrate the nature of Ironsi’s proposed release as it was disclosed to me after my actual release. The plan was to take me to Ikoyi prison until it was judged safe to set me free. A cell had been prepared for me there which contained extra facilities . If I did not like the place, I could be placed under house arrest at Ikenne. If I wanted to travel abroad, every facility would be afforded me to do so. That was why my intended release was not announced, even though a plane had been dispatched to Calabar to bring me to Lagos. Until negotiation with me on the above lines had been concluded, Ironsi’s team did not want the public to know that I had been transferred back to Ikoyi prison or to my house under house arrest, with my own consent."
- Excerpt from Obafemi Awolowo’s published diary.

[@DamaniDanDadar]

0:28 is a historical moment with three icons. Murtala, Gowon, and Awolowo.

[@Adebayobamidelealfredmoses]

Great man !

[@gaddafiabdullahi6028]

Murtala d only awo boy RIP

[@olufunsofamuyiwa7823]

Great Awo!🙌

[@adetunjiolajide48]

Articulate Awo! Mercuria Awo! Legendary Awo!!!!!.Great Acumen Awo!

[@ELoops]

Funny enough the stories we've been told. More reason unadulterated history should be made can compulsory in the primary and secondary schools so that we can judge the character of these men ourselves.

[@ugojoshua4963]

it was his detention that saved him from the coup.
he could have been executed had he emerged as the Premier of the Western region that Akintola took his mandate

[@oluwaseunadeleye7773]

A good man went to prison for what he knows nothing about yet vindicated.

[@LawalOshoma]

One funny thing is that certain tribe always accused him if killing their people
When we know it was their founding fathers that betrayed him and form an unholy alliance with some people

[@bestokechukwu6100]

The life of Awo was in Ojukwus hands, if he truly meant bad, he would have killed him, instead he released him and sent him to Lagos