It is well-known that Mama, Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, who died on September 19th, was the wife of Nigerian legend, Obafemi Awolowo. But what many do not know is that theirs is a very interesting love story. Obafemi Awolowo was this close to not marrying HID. The first time he made an attempt at marriage, it was to marry a lady named Augusta Omoriola Onafowokan, the first Ikenne girl to attend a secondary school. But Augusta’s father objected.
As fate will have it, Awo was introduced to Mama HID by a cousin of Mama in Ikenne. After the introduction, things became firmed up. They got married on December 26, 1937 and she became, as he fondly called her, “his jewel of inestimable value”. Awo, probably desiring to adopt the western style, had not wanted Mama to work but the business traits in her could not allow that. After some time, Awo permitted her to engage in trading. And since then, she had carried on working and showed outstanding business acumen.
As 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. Even when Awo left the country for his law degree, she carried on taking care of the three children while pregnant for the third and still sending money to Awo. It is even said that Awo may never have bagged his law degree from the University of London without his wife. Hmmmm true love still exist, i believe. What about you?
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