Fani-Kayode Tackles Osita Chidoka Over Claim Awolowo Introduced ‘Ethnic Politics’ In Nigeria

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has tackled former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Osita Chidoka, for accusing the late premier of the old Western State, Obafemi Awolowo, of introducing ‘ethnic politics’ in Nigeria.

Chidoka, who once served as minister of aviation, had also described Awolowo as “rigid” and “unforgiving”.

The former Anambra governorship aspirant had said in a Facebook post: “My first conflict with my father was his disagreement with me over my choice of Awo as a role model. He told me what he did during the war against the Igbos and his introduction of ethnic politics in Nigeria. I agree with him on both counts but yet I still admired the man”.

Chidoka, in the March 22 Facebook post, extolled the many virtues of Awolowo but noted that his “unorthodox mechanism for party funding…has continued to plague Nigeria to this day.”

Some Nigerians who reacted to Chidoka’s post on social media had claimed that Awolowo’s alleged introduction of “ethnic politics” in Nigeria had cost the late Nnamdi Azikiwe the opportunity of becoming the first premier of the Western State of Nigeria in the 1960s.

But Fani-Kayode, whose late father Remi Fani-Kayode was deputy premier of the Western Region in 1963, described Chidoka’s narrative as false.

The former minister tweeted: “This is false. Awolowo did NOT introduce ethnic politics to Nigeria. Ethnic politics was introduced by OTHERS from OUTSIDE Yorubaland long before Awolowo came on the scene and Action Group was formed.

“Facts are sacred and opinion is cheap. Historical revisionism is a very dangerous and irresponsible thing. I know the history inside out.

“We know when ethnic politics started, how it started, who started it and where it took us to.

“I advise you learn more about what happened in the early and mid-1940’s.”

Chidoka has yet to respond to Fani-Kayode as of the time of filing this report.