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| Balewa was not assasinated: The Truth you have never been told |
The controversy surrounding the 'mystery' of the death of Nigeria's Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, was settled by Late Mathew Tawo Mbu, a former cabinet minister under Balewa and one of his trusted subordinates. In an interview, with the Nation Newspaper, Mbu revealed that contrary to the widely circulated information that Balewa was shot by the revolutionary soldiers, Balewa died from asthmatic attack en route Calabar. Prior the revolutionary, political crisis in the Western Region culminated in the conviction (for treason) and jailing of Yoruba leader Obafemi Awolo in Calabar prison. The revolutionaries attuned to Awolowo's ideology had planned to make him Nigerian leader. Part of the plan was to take Balewa to Calabar to sign his resignation letter and relinquishing of power to Awolowo. This was not to be as Balewa suffered asthmatic attack on the way and died.
