Samuel Ladoke Akintola

Samuel Ladoke Akintola was born on July 6, 1910 in Ogbomosho, a town in present-day Oyo State, Nigeria. He was a teacher, journalist, lawyer, and politician. He joined the Nigerian Youth Movement and the Action Group, a political party led by Obafemi Awolowo. He held various ministerial positions in the federal government and became the deputy leader of the Action Group. In 1959, he succeeded Awolowo as the premier of the Western Region of Nigeria. He was known for his oratory skills, his conservative views, and his support for the Northern-dominated federal government. He formed the Nigerian National Democratic Party after a rift with Awolowo and his supporters. He was accused of rigging the 1965 regional elections, which sparked violence and unrest in the Western Region. He was assassinated on January 15, 1966, during a military coup that overthrew the civilian government and ended the First Republic of Nigeria. He was buried in Ibadan, the capital of the Western Region. He is regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern Nigeria and a prominent leader of the Yoruba people. He was also the Oloye Aare Ona Kakanfo XIII of Yorubaland, a traditional title of the supreme generalissimo.