Adebutu: Early Life And Education (Series 2) by Adedeji Babington-Ashaye

When Oladipupo was born on that very beautiful and glorious day of Sunday, February 25, 1962, little did anybody know that the baby was a child destined to be great in life.

One who would later become a force to reckon with in the political landscape of Ogun State and business world. One who would become a blessing to humanity and a source of joy to the people.

Because they are mortals, the father, Sir Adebukunola Kesington Adebutu and mother, Lady Caroline Oladunni Adebutu, couldn’t envisage perfectly what the future held for their son. They were not gifted in clairvoyance to know what providence portended for him. It’s only God that is omniscience, omnipresent, omnipotent. Nevertheless, Pa Adebutu with his natural ability and wisdom looked into his son’s eyes and concluded in his mind that this God’s gift to him must have been earmarked for greatness; hence, he named him OLADIPUPO .

In Yorubaland, there is a general belief that name given to a child comes around to have impact on such a child as he gets to adulthood – “Oruko maa n ro eeyan”. Records abound of so many examples of such personalities who have become great in life.

Ladi’s father, Sir Kesington, a devout Christian, a man of simplicity, moderation and honesty was born on October 24, 1935. A descendant of renowned enterpreneurs, his father, Alhaji Abudul Karim Folarin Adebutu “Owo Iya” (1910-2007), a wealthy merchant and the Balogun Adinni of Surulere Central Mosque, Iperu Remo, was from Eti Obale in the ancient town of Iperu Remo and his mother, Alhaja Seliat Olasimbo Adebutu ” Iya Alaso” nee Arigbabowo (1911-2005), the Iyalode of the Alasalatus, Iperu Remo, came from Apondele Royal family in Ode Remo and Iregun Quarters, Iperu Remo, Ogun State. Kesington’s first wife and mother of Ladi whom he married on August 18, 1960, Yeyeoba Caroline Oladunni Adebutu, is from the popular Jaiyesimi Okuwa family in Odogbolu-Ijebu. She is a kindhearted, very hardworking, loving and caring of her husband, children, family members, in laws and friends.

Sir Kesington attended Wesley Primary School, Iperu Remo, from 1942 to 1948 but completed his primary education in 1950 at Ijebu Baptist Primary School, Ebute Metta, Lagos. He was admitted into Baptist Academy, Lagos for his post primary education in 1951 which he eventually completed at the famous Remo Secondary School (RSS), Sagamu Remo, Ogun State.

Sir Kesington thereafter ventured into the labour market where he eventually worked for few companies in different capacities. To mention, Sir Kesington was the Operations Clerk for Cable and Wireless Limited (defunct NITEL) in 1956. He left the company for a brief stint with Claffin Chemicals Limited as a Salesman. He rose to the post of Regional Sales Manager for Lagos and Midwest Region. Owing to his inability to cope with the overbearing attitude of the foreigners who owned the company, Sir Kesington made up his mind to weather the storm of life by establishing his own company Face to Face Million Dollar Pools Limited in 1969.

Yeye Oladunni Adebutu had her elementary education at St Dominic Catholic School, Yaba, Lagos and St Paul Primary School, Odogbolu, Ogun State. She attended Methodist Girls High School, Yaba, from 1952-1957 and started work at the Board of Customs and Excise in Lagos briefly before proceeding on a vocational training at the Federal Training Center, Broad Street, Lagos. After completing this programme, she returned to the Customs again and worked for a little while until January 1963 when she travelled to the United Kingdom to study at the Pitmas College for a one year programme in Secretarial Administration.

On her return to the Nigeria shores, Oladunni was posted to the Ministry of Health from where she was seconded to the Board of Customs in 1967. She eventually left the service in 1971 on the request of her husband who wanted her to be a full-time housewife in order to be able to cater for the welfare to the children.

But it was while Sir Kesington was working with Claffin Chemicals Limited and resident at Onike, Yaba, Lagos State, that the young Oladipupo started his elementary education. Lagos was then the seat of power, capital of Nigeria and a bubbling cosmopolitan city. It was a destination of choice for foreigners and Nigerians from different ethnic affiliations.

Ladi’s educational journey started when he was enrolled at Our Women’s Day Nursery School, Yaba, in 1964. From there, he proceeded to St Saviour’s Primary School, Oke Ira, Ebute Metta, Lagos, in 1968. Successfully completing the acquisition of primary education in 1973, he was, thereafter, admitted into one of the oldest and formidable secondary schools in Nigeria, Igbobi College in 1973. Established by the joint efforts of Methodist and Anglican Churches in 1932, Igbobi College, situated in the Yaba suburb of Lagos, was noted for the highest standard of academics and moral excellence. That attribute must have informed the choice of Sir Kesington Adebutu who desired an experience of a holistic education for his son.

Igbobi College has a reputation of producing giants in different fields of endeavour, some of whom were and are captains of industries and exemplary public administrators. Notable Nigerians that benefited from the moral and academic philosophy of the school include : Justice Teslim Elias, former Attorney General and Chief Justice of Nigeria and President of the International Court of Justice, Chief Olu Falae, former Secretary to the Federal Military Government and Minister of Finance, Chief Ernest Shonekan, former Interim President of Nigeria and Chief Executive of United African Company of Nigeria PLC, Barrister Raji Fashola, former Governor of Lagos State and Minister of Works and Housing.

Others are Chief Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe, statesman and former Minister of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osibajo SAN, Professor of Law and current Vice President of Nigeria, Prince Lanre Tejuoso, former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr Babatunde Fowler, former Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service ( FIRS), Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Honourable Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives and Olorgun Michael Ibru, foremost Industrialist and Head, Ibru Organisation among others.

Read Series 1, 2 & 3 below:

• Adebutu: Coming To Macedonia (Series 1) – Adedeji Babington-Ashaye.
• Adebutu: Early Life And Education (Series 2) by Adedeji Babington-Ashaye.
• Ladi Adebutu: Early Life And Education (Series 3) by Adedeji Babington-Ashaye.

To be continued…

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Adedeji Babington-Ashaye was the former Special Adviser on Water and Environment, Ikenne Local Government and currently the Media and Publicity Director, Asiwaju Bolarinwa Oluwole Campaign Organisation.