It is extremely disheartening and distressing that this comparison was made. It could only have been made by an unrepentant and irredeemable sycophant who by the way has a right to so remain. Educated students of history know that while there are different levels of greatness and different ways to be great, the greatness of leaders is ultimately by popular informed acclaim.
My thinking is that the comparison is unnecessary and that Awolowo greatness is actually diminished by it. All who truly love Awolowo, are genuinely appreciative of his accomplishments, and do not need to earn their daily bread by milking Awolowo’s affiliations and memory, know not to make the comparison with Mandela or indeed any other leader. Awolowo was a great leader of his people by parochial acclaim. Mandela was a great world leader by universal acclaim.
There are those who feign faithfulness to Awolowo greatness and would have everyone believe that Awolowo was the greatest being that has walked on the planet Earth, to feather their private nest. They know deep in their hearts that he was not, fell well short, and could not be. They do not serve Awolowo’s memory well when they mindlessly dishonor the man by raising poisoned dust. The claim made for Awolowo is one more disingenuous and misguided attempt to misrepresent Awolowo’s legacy and rewrite Nigeria’s history. Africa and the world know better.
oa
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Chidi Anthony Opara
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2014 3:31 AM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Cc: jumoyin@gmail.com
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: On Odia Ofeimun's "Awolowo was greater than Mandela"
On what basis did Odia Ofeimum judge and pronounced Awolowo greater than Mandela? What were the criteria? Both were great men in different ways. It is like saying that Michael Imoudu was greater than Chinua Achebe or vice-versa. Anyway, I have long subscribed to Matthew Kukah's view some years back that Odia Ofeimun can never be unbiased in any matter involving Awolowo, he (Odia), being an Awolowo minion.
CAO.
On Saturday, 4 January 2014 20:20:35 UTC+1, Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso wrote:
Just a tiny piece of the ongoing debate...
http://mobile.saharareporters.com/article/symbolism-and-greatness-case-awolowo-and-mandela-remi-oyeyemi
Grace and Peace Sent from my BlackBerry®
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