A timeless warning about leadership, education and the price of lost opportunities
On Saturday, April 4, 1987, just 35 days before his death, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, one of Nigeria’s most influential political leaders and intellectuals, delivered a powerful message about the consequences of neglecting Western education in Northern Nigeria. His words, spoken decades ago, continue to provoke debate about leadership, educational inequality and the relationship between education and socioeconomic development.
In a wide-ranging interview with Professor Moses Makinde, then of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), at his residence in Apapa, Lagos, Awolowo expressed concern about the long-term implications of the educational policies and priorities pursued by successive Northern leaders.
“I think that sooner than later the leaders of the North will see the repercussion of their selfishness and carelessness in their attitude towards Western education. But the time will not be too late, and if they don’t regret it or blame themselves for lack of foresight, the Northern youth may ask their leaders some questions when they see the rate of development that goes with education in many parts of Southern Nigeria.
“They may then wonder whether it was in their stars or in the selfishness, carelessness and lack of foresight of their leaders. If I had been given the chance in 1959 or 1979, I would have changed the fortunes of the North as a place that can be compared favourably with the South in terms of educational, social and economic developments.”
Awolowo, a former Premier of the Western Region, died on Saturday, May 9, 1987, barely five weeks after the interview. Today, his remarks remain relevant to conversations about Nigeria’s regional development gaps and the responsibility of political leaders to invest in the future of their people.
Education: The Foundation of Awolowo’s Development Philosophy
Awolowo’s emphasis on education was not merely rhetorical. During his tenure as Premier of the Western Region, his administration introduced a universal free primary education programme in 1955, significantly expanding access to formal education. The initiative reflected his conviction that education was essential to individual advancement, economic productivity and social transformation. Historical accounts of his administration identify the programme as a landmark in Nigeria’s educational development.
His concern about Northern Nigeria must also be understood within the historical context of the country’s uneven educational development. Research published in *The Journal of African History* documents the complex factors that shaped the spread of Western education in the North during the colonial period, including colonial education policies, limited educational infrastructure and the region’s distinctive religious and social circumstances. The history cannot be reduced to the actions of political leaders alone, but the choices made by successive governments undoubtedly mattered.
A Warning That Still Demands Answers
Nearly four decades after Awolowo’s death, his observations invite a difficult but necessary question: how effectively have successive administrations invested in education, particularly in communities where access to quality schooling remains a challenge?
Education influences employment opportunities, technological advancement, public health, civic participation and the capacity of communities to escape persistent poverty. Where children lack access to quality schooling, the consequences can extend beyond individual households to affect productivity, innovation and long-term economic competitiveness.
Awolowo’s warning was therefore more than a regional political argument. It was a statement about the consequences of leadership decisions and the danger of postponing investments whose benefits may take generations to materialise.
His words should not be interpreted as a condemnation of Northern Nigerians or a denial of the region’s achievements. Rather, they challenge political leaders to examine whether their policies have equipped young people with the knowledge and skills required to compete and prosper.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo passed away on May 9, 1987, but his message remains a compelling reminder that the future of any region depends, in significant measure, on the opportunities its leaders create for the next generation.
The question is no longer simply what Awolowo predicted. It is whether Nigeria’s leaders have learned the lesson he was trying to teach: neglecting education today can become the greatest obstacle to development tomorrow.
Sources consulted: The Guardian Nigeria’s historical account of Awolowo’s final interview and research published by Cambridge University Press on the history of Western education in Northern Nigeria.
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