Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo

Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo
First Lady of Western Region, Nigeria
In office
1 October 1954  1 October 1960
Succeeded by Faderera Aduke Akintola
Personal details
Born Hannah Idowu Dideolu Adelana
(1915-11-25)25 November 1915
Ikenne, British Nigeria
Died 19 September 2015(2015-09-19) (aged 99)
Nationality Nigerian
Political party Unity Party of Nigeria (1978–1983)
Action Group (1950–1966)
Spouse(s) Obafemi Awolowo (m. 1937; his death 1987)
Relations Yemi Osinbajo (grandson-in-law)
Dolapo Osinbajo (granddaughter)
Children Segun Awolowo
Tola Oyediran
Oluwole Awolowo
Ayodele Soyode
Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu
Residence Ogun State
Profession Businesswoman
Religion Christianity

Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo (née Adelana; November 25, 1915 – September 19, 2015), popularly known as HID,[1] was born to a modest family in the small Ikenne community of Ogun State in Nigeria. She was married to politician Obafemi Awolowo from December 26, 1937 to his death in 1987.[2] He famously referred to her as his "jewel of inestimable value". She was also a successful businesswoman and astute politician. She played an active role in the politics of Western Nigeria. She stood in for her husband in the alliance formed between the NCNC and the AG, called the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA), while he was tried and in jail.

The plans were that she would contest the elections, and if she won, would step down for her husband in a by-election. To fulfil his dream of becoming president in the Second Republic, she toured the length and breadth of the country with her husband campaigning. She also coordinated the women's wing of the party and was always present at all party caucuses. A successful businesswoman, she became the first Nigerian distributor for the Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC) in 1957. She was the first to import lace materials and other textiles into Nigeria. On September 19, 2015, she died at the age of 99 just over 2 months short of her 100th birthday.[3][4][5] She was laid to rest beside her husband in Ikenne on November 25, 2015.[6]

References

  1. Oyetimi, Kehinde. "Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo(HID) clocks 95 on Thursday". Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  2. Adeniyi, Tola (1993). The jewel: the biography of Chief (Mrs.) H.I.D. Awolowo. Gemini Press. ISBN 978-978-31953-0-1.
  3. "Late politician's wife dies at 99". Pulse Nigeria. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  4. Samuel Awoyinfa. "Mama died in my arms – Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu". Nigeria: The Punch. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  5. Earnest Nwokolo (September 20, 2015). "H. I. D. AWOLOWO 1915 – 2015 ‘Mama died singing, praying’". the Nation. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
  6. Daud Olatunji (November 27, 2015). "Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo: Buried in grand style". The Vanguard. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
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