Ladi Adebutu: Early Life And Education (Series 3) by Adedeji Babington-Ashaye

Igbobi College had admission preference for students with sound academic background. Ladi had no issues fulfilling that criterion as he excelled well in his primary school final examination.

It didn’t take long for Ladi to get integrated into the school system. He became the darling of his classmates due to his friendliness, brilliance and generousity. Despite coming from a wealthy background, Ladi didn’t see such a privilege as a yardstick for choosing friends. Unlike other kids from rich homes who distanced themselves from kids of poor parental background, to Ladi, that attitude was not acceptable. As far as he was concerned, everybody was born equal; everybody was his friend. He played and associated with all including lowly paid workers in the school.

He was very generous. He was popularly called loafy for his love for bread. Ladi would return from home after each vacation with loads of provisions and placed them inside his locker. But one thing that was certain to his mates was that he would not eat them alone. Truly, he would beckon on them to be partakers whenever he wanted to eat. And joyfully, they would consume the food and beverages together. He was such a jolly good fellow.

Ladi’s generousity started from childhood. He would pay for goods bought by mates in the school and friends in the Onike Yaba neighborhood. He would readily give to the needy whenever he had money. While in the college, Ladi was a very popular student amongst the teachers for his brilliance and smartness even though could be naughty atimes. His childhood pranks made him to always have issues to settle with his form two class teacher. Not that he got involved in anything untoward but his pranks attracted some canes from Mrs Dawodu.

Some of his classmates are Akin Ariyo, Bolanle Akinyemi, Ladele Coker, Segun Agbede, Fola Ajanlekoko, Seyi Akinwunmi, Tunde Oshodi, Tunji Oluyemi, David Odiachi, Bimbo Awe, Gbenga Olatunbosun, Akin Caulcrick, Yemi Oluwole, Akinremi Fabunmi, Femi Agboola and Ayo Ibuoye. Others include Biodun Kola-Daisi, Pekun Ozolua, Pekun Osibodu, Goke Fawole, Daniel Ekeh, Peter Ibru, Fidelis Michael, Emmanuel Ibru, Olumide Fawole, Yemisi Odubayo, Tunbosun Oke, Sumbo Ikuomola, Dapo Odunlami and Dapo Babalola.

But by the time Ladi rounded up his College studies with a West African Examination Certificate in 1978, Nigeria, which had hitherto been under military rule since 1966, was preparing ahead of the general elections in 1979 which would culminate into the much desired handover of power to a democratically elected government.

Prior to the exchange of leadership baton between the military regime and the elected civilian government, Nigeria witnessed military coups and counter coups from January 15, 1966 to February 13, 1976. The coup of 1976 led to the entrusting of the responsibility of piloting the affairs of the country on the laps of General Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR as the 4th Head of State of Nigeria from February 13, 1976 to October 1, 1979. It was General Obasanjo, who voluntarily handed over the reins of government to the first democratically elected Executive President of Nigeria , His Excellency, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, on October 1, 1979.

Unknown to Gen Obasanjo, that singular act of voluntary handover of power to the civilian government in 1979 as promised endeared him to the hearts of all Nigerians and people of the International Community. He was regarded as a man of moral uprightness and reputation of no small means. A man that could be trusted and his words considered a golden bond. One of the people who admired his courage and integrity was Oladipupo Adebutu.

Seeing the agitation and interest of Nigerians to see to the quick end to military rule and the funfare that greeted the handover of power to a democratic government in 1979 informed and triggered the interest of Ladi in politics at a young age. The political interest came to reality 14 years after (1992) when he contested for and won a seat at the Federal House of Representatives at the age of 30 years on the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP). Since then till today, there has been no looking back in his political endeavour. It is a step that has brought him admiration, recognition and honour.

But since Ladi was just 17 years when Alhaji Shehu Shagari assumed office as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1979, he had little or no contribution to the polity then than to further his studies which his father wanted anyway. Armed with the WAEC certificate he obtained in 1978 and with the determination to combine local education with international experience saw him proceeding to overseas for further studies.

He enrolled at St Columbus College, Rath Farnham, Dublin and obtained Irish Leaving Certificate in 1980. The possession of the certificate facilitated his admission for tertiary education at the National Institute of Higher Education, Limerick, Republic of Ireland, where he bagged Irish National Certificate in 1983.

A brilliant young fellow with a desire to increase his knowledge base in the sciences made him to seek admission into the Regional Technical College, Athlane and Carlow in the Republic of Ireland. With a display of uncommon brilliance, Ladi graduated with Irish National Diploma (BSc) in Analytical Chemistry in 1984. He returned to Nigeria to participate in the one year mandatory National Youth Service Scheme, NYSC, for Nigerian graduates.

The NYSC was a programme established after the Nigerian civil war, 1967-1970, by General Yakubu Gowon’s regime on May 22, 1973, with the major objective to encourage and develop common ties among the youths of Nigeria and promote national unity.

Prior to Ladi’s participation in the mandatory scheme in 1987/1988, two major events occurred. First, was the military coup d’etat of December 31, 1983 which led to the ouster of democratically elected government of President Shehu Shagari and the installation of Gen Muhammed Buhari as the 5th Head of State of Nigeria.

Secondly, barely one year into the administration of Gen Buhari, a smooth change of guard took place. The palace coup was staged by the Chief of Army Staff, Gen Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida on August 27, 1985. He was eventually made the 6th military Head of State of Nigeria (1985-1994).

So, when freshly graduated Ladi participated in the youth service scheme, the military juntas were in power. As nature willed it, Ladi’s primary place of assignment was in a secondary school in Biu in the then peaceful Borno State. He served in the school as a Chemistry teacher. Major Gen Abdul One Muhammed was the Military Governor of Borno State then.

But Borno State was not a lively place for the ‘ Lagos boy’ Ladi. The city vibes was conspicuously absent. He applied for redeployment to Lagos State and his request was granted. It was in Lagos that he completed his service at Apapa Local Government under the military government of Brigadier General Raji Rasaki.

The democratic experience which Ladi witnessed as a teenager in 1979/1980 during Shagari era and his experience in 1987/1988 when he served during the military rule provided the impetus for his eventual involvement in politics. He had the opportunity to study and gain a good knowledge of governance, public administration and politics. It was indeed an experience God planned for him which prepared Ladi for the greater responsibilities ahead of him in life.

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…

Adedeji Babington-Ashaye writes from Ogere Remo and was the former Special Adviser on Water & Environment, Ikenne Local Government.