The second anniversary of the Independence of Nigeria, of which he was an architect, met him under house arrest in the official residence of the Leader of the Opposition at 7 Bell Avenue, ikoyi in Lagos.
He had been restricted to within one mile radius of his home at Ikenne on 29th May, 1962, following the declaration of a state of emergency by the Nigerian Federal Government.
On 19th June, 1962, he was ordered to proceed to a remote, marshy, mosquito-ridden fishing village on the Lagos Lagoon of Lekki, where he remained untill he was ordered back to Ikenne in July.
On July 22, he was transferred to Lagos in order to be available for an exhaustive inquiry into his 8 year rule of Western Nigeria in all its ramifications.
While that was going on, he was under house arrest and later charged with treasonable felony and conspiracy.
He was jailed for 10 year’s by Mr. Justice G.S Sowemimo.
In Prison during his trial Chief Awolowo lost his first son Ṣẹgun, in a motor accident.
He was later released on 2nd of August 1966 by General Yakubu Gowon.
Culled from the Publisher’s Preface from “My Early Life” written by Chief Obafemi Awolowo. 214 Broad Street, Lagos. 20th of November 1967.
