IBADAN – The 1979 electioneering campaigns remain one of the most electric periods in Nigerian political history. It was a titanic struggle for the soul of the nation, primarily between the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

For those of us growing up in the Ibarapa axis of Oyo State, the atmosphere was not just political—it was spiritual. My father, a grassroots mobilizer and a fiercely loyal follower of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, served as the UPN chairman in Ibarapa. In our household, the “Sage” was not just a politician; he was a phenomenon.

Our compound in Igboora was a sight to behold. Every available inch of wall space was plastered with the iconic UPN palm tree logo and the faces of Papa Awo and Chief Bola Ige.

The house became a “Mecca” of sorts. From dawn till dusk, party faithful trooped in for strategy meetings, their voices rising in debates about the four cardinal programs of the UPN: free education, free health services, integrated rural development, and full employment.

One particular night, however, stands out in the archives of my memory. The quiet of Igboora was suddenly shattered by frantic shouts of “Up Awooooooo!” A massive crowd surged toward our house, breathless with excitement. They weren’t there for a meeting; they were there for a miracle. They claimed they had seen Awolowo’s portrait etched into the clouds.

“They insisted they had glimpsed his image up there and believed my father, as a staunch Awoist, would confirm it,” I recall.

The news spread like a bushfire. Soon, the entire neighborhood was gazing skyward, convinced that the “Sage” had deployed a mystical strategy to cement his name in the minds of voters before the polls.

I remember squinting at the night sky, searching for any outline of those famous round-rimmed glasses or the cap. To be honest, I saw nothing but stars and darkness.

However, in my father’s house, you were only in his good books if your loyalty to the UPN was absolute. Not wanting to be the lone dissenter in a sea of believers, I raised my voice with the rest of them: “Up Awooooooo!”

Chief Obafemi Awolowo was loved with a passion that bordered on the divine. Why? Because he genuinely had the people’s interests at heart. That is why my father remained a committed Awoist until the day he drew his last breath.

As we celebrate the posthumous birthday of the late Jeremiah Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo today, our current crop of politicians must take a cue from his legacy. If you put the people first, they will support you—even to the point of seeing your face in the stars.

May the soul of the Ọmọ Ẹfúnyẹlá continue to rest in peace.

Tunji Ajibade, a broadcast journalist and social/literary analyst, writes from Ibadan. He can be reached via talogaju22@gmail.com or 08038562076.