Chief Oluwole Awolowo, son of the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, is dead. The Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, which broke the news, said he died Wednesday evening at the Wellington hospital, St Johnswood, London following complications arising from injuries he sustained in a car crash that occurred on September 30, 2006 at the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Oluwole Awolowo was 70 years old.
Until his death, Chief Oluwole, popularly called Wole, was the publisher of African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Publishers of the Tribune titles. Sources close to the family said he had been had been receiving treatment at the London hospital for some time before the sad incident. His death has also been confirmed by his sister, Tokunbo Awolowo.
The Afenifere statement signed by the group’s spokesman, Yinka Odumakin, described Chief Wole’s death as a big pain and loss to followers of his father, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. “The entire Afenifere family mourns the passing away of the scion of our illustrious leader’s family, Chief Oluwole Awolowo.
‘His death is a big pain and loss to all of us who are followers of the sage. We pray that the Almighty will strengthen our Mama and the entire family in this difficult moment. May his amiable soul rest in perfect peace,” the statement read.
In another statement by Edward Dickson, Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director, African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, confirm the news, saying “Chief (Oluwole) Awolowo had been in and out of hospital, home and abroad, since he was involved in the ghastly accident seven years ago on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.”
Funeral arrangements are still awaited. Wole’s death follows that of famed Nigerian author, Chinua Achebe who passed on last Thursday, leaving Nigerians and the world in mourning.
