Western House of Assembly Members Struggle to Escape a Riot in the Government House

When the Chamber met on Friday 25 May 1962 to discuss a motion of confidence in the new government, clashes immediately broke out between members.

Chief Odebiyi – Finance Minister and Speaker of the House of Representatives – was about to table the first business motion of the day when Mr EO Oke, Member of Parliament for Ogbomosho Southwest, jumped up, raised an alarm and threw a chair on the floor of the chamber.

Mr F. Ebubedike, a member of Badagry East, grabbed the mace and smashed it on the speaker’s table.

Mr. S.A. Adeniya, a member of Oyo East II, then grabbed a chair and slapped Mr. KSY Momoha, Minister of Trade and Industry. He was taken to hospital for treatment. The Nigerian police were then called and fired tear gas onto the floor of the parliament building to disperse the parliamentarians.

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