Hannah Awolowo Explained

Office:Spouse of the Premier of the Western Region
Term Start:1 October 1954
Term End:1 October 1960
Successor:Faderera Aduke Akintola
Honorific Prefix:Chief
Birth Name:Hannah Idowu Dideolu Adelana
Birth Date:1915 11, df=yes
Birth Place:Ikenne, British Nigeria
Resting Place:Ikenne, Ogun State, Nigeria
Party:UPN
Otherparty:Action Group (1950–1966)
Relatives:
    Children:5
    Education:Methodist Girls' High School

    Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo (; 25 November 1915 – 19 September 2015), popularly known as HID,[1] was a Nigerian businesswoman and politician.

    Biography

    Born to a modest family in the small Ikenne community of Ogun State in Nigeria, she attended Methodist Girls' High School in Lagos.[2] She was married to politician Obafemi Awolowo from 26 December 1937 to his death in 1987.[3] He famously referred to her as his "jewel of inestimable value". She was also a successful businesswoman[4] and astute politician. She played an active role in the politics of Western Nigeria. She stood in for her husband in the alliance formed between the NCNC and the AG, called the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA), while he was tried and in jail.

    The plans were that she would contest the elections, and if she won, would step down for her husband in a by-election. To fulfil his dream of becoming president in the Second Republic, she toured the length and breadth of the country with her husband campaigning. She also coordinated the women's wing of the party and was always present at all party caucuses. A successful businesswoman, she became the first Nigerian distributor for the Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC) in 1957. She was the first to import lace materials and other textiles into Nigeria.

    In addition to a variety of other titles, she held the chieftaincy of the Yeye Oodua of Yorubaland. On 19 September 2015, she died at the age of 99 just over 2 months short of her 100th birthday.[5] [6] [7] She was buried beside her husband in Ikenne on 25 November 2015.[8] The Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, is married to her granddaughter, Dolapo Soyode.[9]

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Oyetimi. Kehinde. Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo(HID) clocks 95 on Thursday. 23 November 2010. 5 August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131217212621/http://www.gbooza.com/group/nigeriapolitics/forum/topics/hannah-idowu-dideolu#axzz2b4DP1Dgr. 17 December 2013. dead.
    2. News: How Awolowo met, married HID. Musa . Odoshimokhe. 25 November 2015. 16 June 2016. The Nation.
    3. Book: Adeniyi, Tola . The Jewel: the Biography of Chief (Mrs.) H.I.D. Awolowo . 1993 . Gemini Press . 978-978-31953-0-1 .
    4. Web site: 2015-09-20 . How HID Awolowo died Premium Times Nigeria . 2022-03-10 . en-GB.
    5. News: Bada . Gbenga. Late politician's wife dies at 99. 19 September 2015. Pulse Nigeria. 19 September 2015.
    6. News: Mama died in my arms – Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu. The Punch. Nigeria. Samuel . Awoyinfa. 22 September 2015.
    7. News: 1915 - 2015 'Mama died singing, praying'. Earnest . Nwokolo. The Nation. 20 September 2015. 22 September 2015.
    8. News: Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo: Buried in grand style. Daud . Olatunji. The Vanguard. 27 November 2015. 6 December 2015.
    9. Web site: . Goodbooksafrica.com. 22 May 2018.