Born Obafemi Jeremiah Oyeniyi Awolowo on March 6, 1909, in Ikenné, present-day Ogun State, Nigeria.
He studied law at the University of London and qualified as a barrister.
Awolowo founded the Action Group (AG) political party in 1951.
He served as the Premier of the Western Region from 1954 to 1960, later emerged the Leader of the Opposition in Nigeria’s federal parliament.
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He served as the Vice-Chairman of the Federal Executive Council and Minister of Finance, during the Nigerian Civil War, 1967–1971.
Awolowo introduced free primary education and free healthcare for children in the Western Region, which became a model in Nigeria.
He was widely known for his progressive policies, development of infrastructure, and commitment to education.
It's noteworthy that Awolowo contested for Nigeria’s presidency multiple times but never won, prior to his demise on May 9, 1987, in Ikenné.
He is remembered as a visionary leader and one of Nigeria’s “founding fathers”. He was often regarded as the best president Nigeria never had because of his unique ideas, discipline, and foresight.
