OSUN: WHAT AWOISTS DID WHEN FACED WITH REPRESSION IN THE 60s

OSUN: WHAT AWOISTS DID WHEN FACED WITH REPRESSION IN THE 60s

The political history of Osun and the old Western Region cannot be told without recalling the difficult years of the 1960s, when many followers of Chief Obafemi Awolowo — popularly known as Awoists — faced intense political pressure, arrests, intimidation and repression.

After the political crisis that followed Nigeria’s independence, particularly the struggles between the ruling parties at the federal level and the opposition in the Western Region, many Awoists experienced persecution because of their loyalty to the Action Group and its ideals of good governance, education, free social programmes and regional development.

Rather than abandon their beliefs, many Awoists responded by organising quietly, preserving their networks and continuing to promote the principles they associated with Awolowo’s leadership. They relied on community meetings, political education, legal battles and grassroots mobilisation to keep their movement alive.

Some endured imprisonment and harassment, while others suffered loss of political positions and economic difficulties. Yet they maintained their commitment to the ideas of progressive governance and social welfare that had defined the old Western Region.

The experience of that era shaped the political identity of many communities in present-day Osun State. The resilience of Awoists during the 1960s became part of a larger story about political courage, loyalty and the struggle for democratic participation in Nigeria.

Their response to repression was not simply resistance against opponents; it was also an effort to preserve a political tradition built around development, accountability and service to the people.

Osun Accordists like Awoists must be ready to outlast repression. This is the time to become stronger and resolute. We must not succumb to repression

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