Awo or Zik: Who won the 1951 Western Nigeria Elections

By Ganiyu Olawale Dawodu

Who "introduced tribalism" into the politics of Nigeria? The 1951 Elections into the Western Regional House of Assembly is pivotal to this accusation. The author clearly states the facts of the matter which will allow the reader to make a judgement. This book is a must read for the general reader as well as the political pundit and inquirer. It deals with an issue that has plagued Nigerian politics since 1951 and which has created and continues to create tension between two major Nationalities, the Yoruba and the Igbo. There is hardly any discussion on relations between the two Nationalities, indeed within the general political discourse in and about Nigeria, that will not touch, even if tangentially, on this subject.This book lays to rest the controversy, with proofs of Action Group's direct victory. It also shattered the age-long obsession of allegations that the Yoruba Nation, through the Action Group, introduced "tribalism" into the politics of Nigeria. These allegations have endured in political discourse and determines the state of relations between the two Nationalities. With painstaking exposition of facts and figures, the author gives the lie to the claim by the rival NCNC of Nnamidi Azikiwe(Zik). Written in simple style and easily readable, it would be understood by history buffs and researchers as well as the young ones who may be inquisitive as to what transpired before the country attained its Independence and what the problem is, between the Yoruba and the Igbo. This account also shatters some myths about the nature of some of the political gladiators of that period, especially those of Nnamidi Azikiwe, who incidentally fired the first shot at accusing the Action Group of "tribalism".The book did not bother itself with a series of actions embarked upon during the early phases of the anti-colonial struggles because this 1951 Elections formally created an avenue for the various political actors to express themselves, in terms of organization, philosophy and acceptability among the generality of the people.The book is also coming out at a time the periodic tension between the Yoruba and the Igbo has once again become an issue on the political radar.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0615843999
• ISBN13: 9780615843995
• Release Date: September 2013
• Publisher: Southern Streams LLC
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.31 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.2" x 5.0"