The Evergreen Legacies of Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Premier of Western Region
What he did in his last two years a Premier
The last two years of Awolowo as Premier of Western Region was concentrated on efforts to write his name in the book of Legends.
He incorporated Western hotels which invested in Premier and Lafia hotels in Ibadan and Lagos Airport hotel respectively.
He set up Western Nigeria Development Corporation to finance mega corporations. This was established in 1958.
It encouraged plantation development with six agricultural plantations covering 20,517 acres in collaboration, with Cooperative societies, eleven additional plantations covering 8,468 acres with crops ranging from Cocoa , rubber, oil palm, citrus, cashew and coffee had been put in place all over the region .
WNDC, a clearing house for multitude of companies, established for the rapid industrial development and revolution of the region.
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
WAPCO at Ewekoro for cement, with enough capacity to serve the whole country.
Nigerite Ltd, producing asbestos and roofing sheets.
National Bank
Wema bank
Nigerian General Insurance
Great Nigeria Insurance
Gravil Enthoven and coy
Vegetables Oil Ltd, Cocoa Processing industry Ogba Ikeja
Odua Textile Ltd
Wrought Iron Ltd
Union Beverages Ltd
Sungas company
Wemabod Estates, Owner of Western House tallest building, then on Broad street, and other estates.
Western livestocks
Fisheries services Ltd
Caxton Press
Epe plywood
Asakar paints
Nigeria Crafts and Bags Ltd
Nipol Plastics in Ibadan
Phoenix Motors
Opened up of biggest Industrial layouts in Ibadan, Oluyole and Lagos Oba Akran axis and Ilupeju in Mushin axis with over 120 factories for mass production of different needs.
Nigeria Textile mills
West Africa Breweries, Dunlop tyres
Crittal hope Aluminum
Tower Aluminium
Nidogas
Nigeria Wire and Cables in Ilupeju.
Laid the foundation for Odua Investment, the largest Regional conglomerates in Nigeria as at 2004 with worth over N10 trillion worth of Asset
Civil Service
He paid the Western Nigeria Civil servants the highest salaries far above Federal government.
So much jobs were created by vast industrialisation drives.
All these were achieved without Oil revenue 1951-1959.
He also touched the road construction with bitumen & laid road network covering over 2000 kilometers throughout the region
Cocoa House
The tallest building in West Africa for decades
Liberty Stadium, the most modern in the entire Africa
First Radio & Television in Africa.
General Hospitals and dispensaries in rural areas.
Free education and Free Health.
His effort in Cooperative society development gave birth to establishment of Cooperative Bank in 1953 and Cooperative College.
Since 1999, the entire South West States cannot boast of any industry established by any of them or collectively by them.
The eight years most of this present Governors spend, was the same with Pa Awolowo, covering 8 states nowdays, yet he achieved so much.
Most of our present day Governors could not mention one world class company, corporate institution or industry set up to create jobs for teaming youths being turned out year in year by our ivory towers.
Today leaders should at least emulate the late sage foot steps instead of the temporary empowerment programs (motor cycle, Keke napep, pepper grinding machine, casava grinding machine, deep freezer, fridge , clipper etc ) being used to cajole the electorates at the turn of election every four years.
A time will come in this nation that people aspirants must show a well laid out plan before the electorate.
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