A one time Transport and Aviation Minister, Chief Ebenezer Babatope on Monday dismissed the claim of the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in his book, My Watch, published by a national daily on Sunday that the Sage, Obafemi Awolowo was single handed made the Yoruba leader by his followers and not the entire Yoruba, saying that Obasanjo lied.
Babatope also debunked Obasanjo’s claim in the same book that the late Chief M.A. Akinloye opposed Papa Awolowo’s leadership, saying the late Akinloye was with Awolowo from 1952 to 1966, when the military coup took place.
Speaking with Nigerian Tribune in Abuja on Sunday, in reaction to the publication, Babatope who is an Awoist challenged Chief Obasanjo to produce documentary evidence to back up his claim or keep quiet.
According to Babatope, “Obasanjo not only lied, but is also trying to alter history to suit him and his co-travellers on Papa Awolowo’s leadership.
“Anybody who is conversant with the peculiar style of Obasanjo will not be worried about his claim, some of us who are Awoists, are waiting for the correct time to reply him. I am waiting for the release of my biography where I devoted a portion for what Obasanjo mentioned in his book.
“It is apparent that Obasanjo in his characteristic manner will always believe that whatever he says or writes must always be true and to project him as a hero.
“He claimed that Papa Awolowo’s followers were the people that referred to the Sage as the Leader of Yoruba at a meeting held in Ibadan, during the civil war, this is not correct.
“The meeting, which was called by General Adeyinka Adebayo, was not called for the followers of Papa Awo to proclaim him as the leader of the Yoruba race, it is false for Obasanjo or anybody to say that Papa was called Leader of Yoruba at that meeting by those Obasanjo called Baba Awo’s supporters.
“The truth of the matter was that when Papa was unanimously named the leader of Yoruba in that meeting, there was no dissenting voice by those who attended the meeting.
“The former President claimed that the late Chief Adisa Akinloye did not support Papa Awo, being named the leader of the Yoruba race is also far from the truth. The late Akinloye was with Awo, together in the defunct Action Group (AG), since 1952 till 1966 and there was never a time Chief Akinloye disowned Papa as the leader of Yoruba.
“Chief Obasanjo should go and educate himself with what Papa used to say when he was alive. Papa was fond of saying, “before you can be a good Nigerian citizen, you must first be a good citizen from your tribe.” This does not make Awo a tribalist and the Yoruba people have a saying that, it is only a bastard who will use his left hand to point at his or her father’s house,” he declared.
Chief Babatope assured that a comprehensive reply on Obasanjo’s false claims of the Sage’s leadership of the Yoruba race would be made public in due course.