Sunday Awoniyi
Encyclopedia
Sunday Bolorunduro Awoniyi, CON
(April 30, 1932 – November 28, 2007) was a Nigeria
n Yoruba
politician and tribal aristocrat as the Aro of Mopa
in Kogi State
. A founder of the People's Democratic Party
from which he was expelled and then reinstated, Awoniyi was also chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum
(ACF).
Local Government Area of Kogi State
to Pa Solomon Iwalaye and Dorcas Omoboja. A Baptist, he attended the First Baptist Church in Ileteju, Mopa. He began his education at Baptist Day School in Mopa from 1938 to 1944, moving on to Holy Trinity School in Lokoja
from 1945 to 1946, and Provincial Middle School in Okene
from 1947 to 1949. He attended the Nigeria College of Arts, Science and Technology (now Ahmadu Bello University
) from 1951 until 1956, University College (now the University of Ibadan
) from 1956 to 1959, and the Imperial Defence College (now the Royal College of Defence Studies
) from 1970 to 1971.
Awoniyi had two wives, Florence Ebun Awoniyi and Benedicta Omowunmi Awoniyi, and eleven children; among his children is Abayomi, an architect and politician.
, Premier of Northern Nigeria. Awoniyi often held up the assassinated premier as an example of good governance, and was known as "Sardauna Keremi", or "little Sardauna".
, Awoniyi was a member of the National Republican Convention
(NRC), and was elected to the Senate of Nigeria
for the Kogi West
district.
. He attempted to become chairman in 1999, but was unsuccessful. The party under Chairman Barnabas Gemade expelled him and six others in 2001 for "anti party activities", but reinstated them later that year.
He later became Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum
(ACF), a northern political organization commonly viewed as exclusively Hausa-Fulani by some from southern Nigeria; questioned about his acceptance of this position, he said he was "brought up in my own part of the world to act well our part wherever we may find ourselves." He held the chairmanship until his death.
Awoniyi opposed the Third Term Agenda
proposed by supporters of outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo in favor of his re-election, and was attacked at his Abuja
house on March 12, 2006 during the debate. In April 2006, he wrote an open letter to Obasanjo, saying "I beg of you, for your own good and for our country's good, make a simple announcement to say that you are not interested in a Third Term and that you plan to go back to Otta in 2007."
to Kaduna
, Awoniyi's car flipped over. He was taken to the National Hospital in Abuja and then flown to London, where he died on November 28.
On December 11, 2007, a one-minute silence honoring him was observed in the Senate
. His funeral was held at Mopa on December 15, 2007, and was attended by former Presidents Yakubu Gowon
, Ibrahim Babangida
, and Abdulsalami Abubakar
, and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan
, who represented President Umaru Yar'Adua.
Orders, decorations, and medals of Nigeria
Nigerian National Honours are a set of orders and decorations conferred upon Nigerians and friends of Nigeria every year. They were instituted by the National Honors Act No...
(April 30, 1932 – November 28, 2007) was a Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
politician and tribal aristocrat as the Aro of Mopa
Mopa, Nigeria
Mopa is a town in Nigeria. It is the headquarters of the Mopa-Muro Local Government Area in Kogi State.Local industries include Mopa Breweries and two marble quarries.Mopa has a state-run Government Technical College....
in Kogi State
Kogi State
Kogi state is found in the central region of Nigeria. It is popularly called the Confluence State because the confluence of River Niger and River Benue is at its capital, Lokoja, which is the first administrative capital of modern-day Nigeria....
. A founder of the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
from which he was expelled and then reinstated, Awoniyi was also chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum
Arewa Consultative Forum
The Arewa Consultative Forum is a political and cultural association of leaders in Northern Nigeria formed in 2000 which has considerable influence in the political scene...
(ACF).
Family and education
Awoniyi was born in what is now the Mopa-MuroMopa-Muro
Mopa-Muro is a Local Government Area in Kogi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Mopa on the A123 highway.It has an area of 901 km² and a population of 44,037 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 261....
Local Government Area of Kogi State
Kogi State
Kogi state is found in the central region of Nigeria. It is popularly called the Confluence State because the confluence of River Niger and River Benue is at its capital, Lokoja, which is the first administrative capital of modern-day Nigeria....
to Pa Solomon Iwalaye and Dorcas Omoboja. A Baptist, he attended the First Baptist Church in Ileteju, Mopa. He began his education at Baptist Day School in Mopa from 1938 to 1944, moving on to Holy Trinity School in Lokoja
Lokoja
Lokoja is the capital city of Kogi State, in central Nigeria, and is a port on Niger River.-History:Founded by William Balfour Baikie according to European historical records, although there have been indigenous people living in the area for thousands of years...
from 1945 to 1946, and Provincial Middle School in Okene
Okene
Okene is a Local Government Area and city in Kogi State, Nigeria based at the town of Okene on the A2 highway.The LGA has an area of 328 km² and a population of 320,260 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 264....
from 1947 to 1949. He attended the Nigeria College of Arts, Science and Technology (now Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University is the largest university in Nigeria and second largest in Africa, second only to Cairo University, Egypt. It is situated in Zaria. It was founded on October 4, 1962 as the University of Northern Nigeria....
) from 1951 until 1956, University College (now the University of Ibadan
University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan is the oldest Nigerian university, and is located five miles from the centre of the major city of Ibadan in Western Nigeria...
) from 1956 to 1959, and the Imperial Defence College (now the Royal College of Defence Studies
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
) from 1970 to 1971.
Awoniyi had two wives, Florence Ebun Awoniyi and Benedicta Omowunmi Awoniyi, and eleven children; among his children is Abayomi, an architect and politician.
First Republic
Awoniyi's first political appointment was as a District Officer for the British colonial administration (he was one of few Nigerians to hold the post, most being reserved to Britons). After independence in 1960, he held several posts in the Northern Regional Government, including that of Secretary to the Executive Council, where he worked with Sardauna Ahmadu BelloAhmadu Bello
Sir Ahmadu Bello was a Nigerian politician, and was the first premier of the Northern Nigeria region from 1954-1966. He was one of the prominent leaders in Northern Nigeria alongside Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, both of whom were prominent in negotiations about the region's place in an independent...
, Premier of Northern Nigeria. Awoniyi often held up the assassinated premier as an example of good governance, and was known as "Sardauna Keremi", or "little Sardauna".
Third Republic
During the Third RepublicNigerian Third Republic
The Third Republic was the planned republican government of Nigeria in 1993 which was to be governed by the Third Republican constitution.- Founding :...
, Awoniyi was a member of the National Republican Convention
National Republican Convention
The National Republican Convention was a Nigerian political party established by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida and ultimately disbanded by the incoming military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1993.-Alignment:...
(NRC), and was elected to the Senate of Nigeria
Senate of Nigeria
The Senate is the upper house of the National Assembly of Nigeria. It consists of 109 senators: the 36 states are divided in 3 senatorial districts each electing one senator; the Federal Capital Territory elects only one senator....
for the Kogi West
Nigerian National Assembly delegation from Kogi
The Nigerian National Assembly delegation from Kogi comprises three Senators representing Kogi Central, Kogi East, and Kogi West, and nine Representatives representing Adaui/Okehi, Ijunu/Kabba-Bunu, Idah/Ofu/Ibaji/Igala-Lamela-Odolu, Bassa/Dekina, Ankpa Olamaboro Omala, Lokoja/Kogi/KK, Yauba...
district.
Fourth Republic
Awoniyi was one of the founding members of the People's Democratic PartyPeople's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
. He attempted to become chairman in 1999, but was unsuccessful. The party under Chairman Barnabas Gemade expelled him and six others in 2001 for "anti party activities", but reinstated them later that year.
He later became Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum
Arewa Consultative Forum
The Arewa Consultative Forum is a political and cultural association of leaders in Northern Nigeria formed in 2000 which has considerable influence in the political scene...
(ACF), a northern political organization commonly viewed as exclusively Hausa-Fulani by some from southern Nigeria; questioned about his acceptance of this position, he said he was "brought up in my own part of the world to act well our part wherever we may find ourselves." He held the chairmanship until his death.
Awoniyi opposed the Third Term Agenda
Third Term Agenda
Third Term Agenda is a term which was used to describe alleged, controversial attempts by supporters of Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to change the constitution to allow for a third term in office...
proposed by supporters of outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo in favor of his re-election, and was attacked at his Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
house on March 12, 2006 during the debate. In April 2006, he wrote an open letter to Obasanjo, saying "I beg of you, for your own good and for our country's good, make a simple announcement to say that you are not interested in a Third Term and that you plan to go back to Otta in 2007."
Death
On November 18, 2007, while being driven from AbujaAbuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
to Kaduna
Kaduna
Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...
, Awoniyi's car flipped over. He was taken to the National Hospital in Abuja and then flown to London, where he died on November 28.
On December 11, 2007, a one-minute silence honoring him was observed in the Senate
Senate of Nigeria
The Senate is the upper house of the National Assembly of Nigeria. It consists of 109 senators: the 36 states are divided in 3 senatorial districts each electing one senator; the Federal Capital Territory elects only one senator....
. His funeral was held at Mopa on December 15, 2007, and was attended by former Presidents Yakubu Gowon
Yakubu Gowon
General Yakubu "Jack" Dan-Yumma Gowon was the head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took power after one military coup d'etat and was overthrown in another...
, Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
, and Abdulsalami Abubakar
Abdulsalami Abubakar
General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar is a Nigerian general who was President of Nigeria from June 9, 1998 until May 29, 1999. He succeeded Sani Abacha upon Abacha's death. It was during Abubakar's leadership that Nigeria adopted its new constitution on May 5, 1999, which provided for multiparty...
, and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the...
, who represented President Umaru Yar'Adua.