Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, popularly known as HID, wife of late Yoruba political leader, Chief a Obafemi Awolowo is dead. She is aged 99.
She was born on November 25, 1915 to a modest family in the small Ikenne community of Ogun State in Nigeria. Awolowo famously referred to her as his “jewel of inestimable value”. A successful businesswoman and astute politician, she was the First Lady of the old Western Region. She played an active role in the politics of Western Nigeria. She stood in for her husband in the alliance formed between the NCNC and the AG, called the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA), while he was tried and in jailed.
The plans were that she would contest the elections, and if she won, would step down for her husband in a by-election. To fulfil his dream of becoming president in the Second Republic, she toured the length and breadth of the country with her husband campaigning. She also coordinated the women’s wing of the party and was always present at all party caucuses. A successful businesswoman, she became the first Nigerian distributor for the Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC) in 1957. She was the first to import lace materials and other textiles into Nigeria.