Ola Oni

{{short description|Nigerian marxist political economist and activist}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Ola Oni

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| birth_name = 1933

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| birth_place = present day Ekiti State, Nigeria

| death_date = December 22, {{death year and age|1999|1933}}

| death_place = Ibadan

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| nationality = Nigerian

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| occupation = Political economist, socialist and human right activist, Lecturing

| spouse = Kehinde Ola

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Ola Oni (1933–1999) was a Nigerian marxist political economist, socialist and human right activist.{{cite web|url=http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/day-oshogbo-stood-still-for-ola-oni/117771/|title=Day Oshogbo Stood Still for Ola Oni, Articles - THISDAY LIVE|work=thisdaylive.com|accessdate=23 February 2015}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L_qS-p8THwsC&q=Comrade+Ola+Oni+date+of+birth&pg=PA42|title=Marxism and African Literature|work=google.nl|isbn=9780865430310|accessdate=23 February 2015|last1=Gugelberger|first1=Georg M.|year=1986|publisher=Africa World Press }} He served as a lecturer at the University of Ibadan. He was the subject of a biographical book by Ebenezer Babatope, titled Student Power in Nigeria (1991).{{cite journal|title=Naija Marxisms: revolutionary thought in Nigeria|first=Adam|last=Mayer|journal=Journal of the African Literature Association|volume=12|number=1|page=93–100|doi=10.1080/21674736.2018.1430673|date=2016}}

Early life

The anti-military and pro-democracy, Ola Oni hails from Ekiti State southwestern Nigeria where he was born but based in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, Nigeria.{{Cite news|url=http://saharareporters.com/2013/08/26/oil-theft-ola-oni%E2%80%99s-valley-ibadan-2-patrick-naagbanton|title=From Oil Theft to Ola Oni's Valley in Ibadan (2) by Patrick Naagbanton {{!}} Sahara Reporters|date=2013-08-26|work=Sahara Reporters|access-date=2017-10-20}}

He was a lecturer at the University of Ibadan but was sacked due to his radicalism.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eJwPAQAAMAAJ|title=Ola Oni's Struggle for Liberation|work=google.co.za|accessdate=23 February 2015|last1=Sanda|first1=Laoye|year=2000}}

Ebenezer Babatope's book, "Student Power in Nigeria" (1956-198), tells the life of Ola Oni.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I2qFqFobkeUC&q=Students+Power+in+Nigeria+by+Babatope&pg=PA122|title=Intellectuals and African Development|work=google.nl|isbn=9781842777657|accessdate=23 February 2015|last1=Adeoti|first1=Gbemisola|date=October 2006|publisher=Zed Books }}

He died on December 22, 1999, at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.{{cite web|url=http://m.thenigerianvoice.com/news/73976/1/my-life-without-comrade-ola-oni-blind-widow.html|title=MY LIFE WITHOUT COMRADE OLA ONI -BLIND WIDOW|work=thenigerianvoice.com|accessdate=23 February 2015}}

After his demise, he was immortalized and a social research center, Comrade Ola Oni Centre For Social Research was named after him.{{cite web|url=http://dailyindependentnig.com/2012/06/towards-immortalising-ola-oni/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623030108/http://dailyindependentnig.com/2012/06/towards-immortalising-ola-oni/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 23, 2012|title=Towards immortalising Ola Oni|work=Daily Independent, Nigerian Newspaper|accessdate=23 February 2015}}

Personal life

He was married to Kehinde Ola Oni, a retired civil servant who is now blind.{{cite web|url=http://www.latestnigeriannews.com/news/612522/twins-of-a-kind.html|title=Twins of a kind|author=Latestnigeriannews|work=Latest Nigerian News|accessdate=23 February 2015}}

See also

References