Egbe Omo Oduduwa

This article includes a list of general references, but it remains largely unverified because it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources:  –  ·  ·  · scholar · JSTOR (December 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà (Yoruba National Movement) is a Nigerian political organisation established in 1945 by Yoruba leaders in London. Its initial purpose was to unite the Yorùbá people in a manner similar to the tenets of the Ibibio State Union and the Ibo Federal Union. The organisation grew in popularity from 1948 to 1951. In 1951, Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà supported the formation of the Nigerian Political Party Action Group.

History[]

Foundation[]

Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà was established in 1945 by Obafemi Awolowo, Akinola Maja, Oni Akerele, Akintola Williams, Saburi Biobaku, Abiodun Akinrele, D.O.A. Oguntoye, Ayo Rosiji and others in London, England.^[1] Their stated aim in setting up the organisation was to unite the Yorùbá people in a manner similar to the tenets of the Ibibio State Union and the Ibo Federal Union; which were political action committees of the Ibibio people and the Igbo people respectively.

Expansion[]

The Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà grew in importance in 1948 when it was launched in Lagos with great fanfare by prominent Yorùbá politicians associated with the Nigerian Youth Movement. These politicians included Chief Bode Thomas, Sir Adeyemo Alakija, Chief H. O. Davies, Sir Kofo Abayomi, Chief Akintola Williams, Dr. Akinola Maja and others. The revival of the Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà in 1948 was not accidental, because that was the year heated debates were being held to decide Nigeria's political orientation; nationalism or parochialism. During this period of the struggle for independence from the British, radical nationalism had been in the ascendancy since 1938, but it became very pronounced between 1945 and 1948. This period was marked by the General Strike of 1945 and the 1946 Nigeria-wide NCNC campaign against the imposition of the Richards Constitution.

Yorùbá politicians in Lagos led by Chief Bode Thomas formed the group in response to the afore-mentioned ethnically specific organisations, and also to chart a specific course for the development of Nigeria's Western Region, populated overwhelmingly by the Yorùbás. On March 21, 1951, the Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà set up a political party called the Action Group.^[2] The party was to serve as the vehicle for realizing its primary objective of mobilizing the Yorùbá under one political umbrella. The Action Group was therefore formed to implement the ideals and objectives of the Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà; and was led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Relaunch[]

The Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà was relaunched a number of years after the first Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà metamorphosed into a group known as Afenifere. This second Egbe is led by Adesegun Musiwa and served as a political forum to support all of the Yorùbá people.

Other organisations within Egbe Omo Oduduwa are the Oduduwa Economic Agency (OEA), the Oduduwa Education Foundation (OEF), and the Oduduwa Development Agency (ODA).

References[]

• Some facts and dates were drawn from the book, by Yusufu Bala Usman and Alkasum Abba, entitled The Misrepresentation of Nigeria: The Facts and the Figures, CEDDERT, Zaria, 2005 reprint.