From Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Premier of the old Western Region between 1959 and 1966, was a brilliant politician whose legacy remains a blend of towering achievements and deep controversy. His fallout with his friend and political ally, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, spiraled into one of the fiercest political rivalries in Nigeria’s history, ultimately ending with his assassination during the January 15, 1966 coup.
Read full story @ Livetimes9ja
Early Life and Political Rise
Born in Ogbomosho, present-day Oyo State, Akintola—fondly called SLA—was a lawyer, politician, aristocrat and celebrated orator. After training in the United Kingdom, he returned to Nigeria in 1949 and joined other elites of the Western Region to form the Action Group (AG) under Awolowo’s leadership.
Akintola served at the federal level as parliamentary leader of the House of Representatives, later becoming Minister for Health and Minister for Communications and Aviation. His sharp intellect and political skills soon earned him the premiership of the Western Region in 1959.
Feud With Awolowo
The crisis between Awolowo and Akintola was rooted in ideology and strategy. Awolowo opposed joining the coalition federal government, but Akintola believed this decision weakened Yoruba influence, especially as the Igbo-led NCNC had aligned with the ruling party. He also resisted AG’s socialist leanings, advocating instead for conservative policies.
By 1962, tensions boiled over. A vote of no confidence was passed on Akintola, and the Western House of Assembly descended into chaos. The federal government declared a state of emergency, removing Akintola temporarily. Though he lost his legal challenge at the Privy Council, he was restored as Premier in 1963, this time leading the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) in alliance with the Northern People’s Congress (NPC). His position was reaffirmed after the controversial 1965 regional elections.
Political Interpretations
Opinions remain divided over the feud. Elder statesman Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, in a 2013 interview, argued that Akintola was a realist who understood the importance of alliances. He described Awolowo as brilliant but inflexible, noting that “Nigeria is too fragmented for you not to have allies.”
Akintola’s son, Chief Abayomi Akintola, has also defended his father’s reputation. He dismissed suggestions of enmity with the Awolowo family, recalling his close friendship with Awolowo’s late son Segun. “My father had nothing against the Awolowos,” he insisted, stressing that the bond between both families remained strong despite the political battles.
Coup and Assassination
On January 15, 1966, the first military coup struck Nigeria. Soldiers stormed Ibadan, where Akintola was at Premier Hotel. According to his son, gunfire erupted after his father had taken a call from Mrs. Fani-Kayode, who cried that her husband had been abducted.
Coup participant Captain Emmanuel Nwobosi later revealed how Akintola resisted arrest, firing a submachine gun through his bedroom door until his bullets ran out. He eventually waved a white handkerchief in surrender but was dragged outside and executed. His body was riddled with bullets, fulfilling the grim myth of the Aare Ona Kakanfo title he held—that its bearer seldom dies peacefully.
Legacy and Memory
Despite the turbulent end, Akintola’s contributions to Nigeria’s growth were significant. He completed the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1962 and championed projects like Premier Hotel. A master orator, he shaped much of the political discourse of his time.
His children carried on his legacy. Chief Yomi Akintola and Dr. Bimbo Akintola served as finance ministers in Nigeria’s Third Republic, with Yomi also serving as ambassador to Hungary. Tokunbo Akintola broke barriers as the first black student at Eton College, while Victor Ladipo Akintola chronicled his father’s life in the biography Akintola: The Man and the Legend.
Institutions like Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, stand today as monuments in his honour.
Conclusion
Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola’s life was a mix of brilliance and tragedy. His feud with Awolowo reshaped the politics of the Western Region, and his assassination marked the bloody collapse of Nigeria’s First Republic. Yet his legacy—as an orator, politician, and nation builder—remains firmly etched in the annals of history.
