Shocking Things You Don’t Know About Him
Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola is the Osun APC candidate for the forthcoming governorship race in Osun State. He is the Chief of Staff to Gov. Aregbesola and a loyal party member.
But not many people know a lot about him. He was born in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of the State of Osun on 29th September 1954 into the family of Alhaji Hammed Oyetola, the current Chief Imam of Egbeda, Iragbiji and late Alhaja Wulemot Oyetola (Iyalaje Adini of Iragbiji).
He attended He Oluwa Grammar School, Osogbo from 1968 to 1972 where he completed his secondary education with West African School Certificate in Grade II.
He then proceeded to the University of Lagos where he bagged B. Sc. Honours Degree in Insurance in 1978.
The young Gboyega did his compulsory one year NYSC programme at the Management Staff Training Centre Potiskun in the present day Borno State where he lectured between 1978 and 1979.
He began his real professional career in 1980 when he joined the services of Leadway Assurance Company Limited as Assistant Manager in the Head Office at Kaduna. He had a successful career at Leadway where he held various management positions and rose to become Area Manager until 1986 when he left to take up higher responsibility in the Insurance industry.
Thus, from 1986-1989, he became the Underwriting Manager at Crusader Insurance Company Limited. He also had a brief stint with the Alliance and General Insurance Nigeria Limited as Controller (Technical) from 1989-1990.
Thereafter he left in 1990 and set up his own Insurance Broking Firm, the Silvertrust Insurance Brokers Limited where he was the Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer until 2010.
Through diligence and sound professional management, he was able to nurture the company to
become one of the leading registered insurance broking firms in Nigeria today.
In the course of his brilliant career, he became an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute (ACII), London in 1988 and got his MBA ( Finance) at the University of Lagos in 1990.
He is also a professional member of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria and Nigerian Institute of Management.
In 2005 he became the Executive Vice Chairman, Paragon Group of Companies, with interest in Oil and Gas, Real Estate, Stock Broking, Chairman Ebony Properties, Director of Pyramid Securities Limited and Director of Crip Pension Fund Administrator Limited, to mention but a few.
A widely travelled business executive, he has attended a number of training programmes and courses both within and outside Nigeria.
Following the change of baton in the administration of the State of Osun on November 26, 2010, providence opened another chapter in his life when he was appointed by the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the Chief of Staff in January 2011.
An administrator per excellence, he has transited from the private sector to become an astute public servant within the shortest time imaginable.
Since he took up the mantle of political leadership, he has been a strong supportive pillar and a silent driving force in keeping the engine of development of the state running under the able leadership of his principal.
In the last four years of his active political leadership, he has remained a silent and energetic mobilizer and a rallying point for both the young and old.
A member of the prestigious Ikoyi Club, Adegboyega Oyetola is happily married to Kafayat Olaitan Oyetola and the marriage is blessed with wonderful children and grand children who are successful professionals in their chosen field of studies.
His wife, once also revealed a lot about him. She explained that when they first met she never took him seriously though, “because all I wanted was to further my education”, she explained in her tribute to him @ 60, “He later left Kaduna (where we met) for Lagos on transfer. Ironically, the distance between Kaduna and Lagos brought us closer. He called me at least once a week.”
“I must acknowledge the role of his uncle’s wife: Mrs. Ruth Agboola in whose office I received those weekly calls, may God Almighty bless you and your household.”
“Gboyega supported me greatly while I completed my education. He helped with my course work, encouraged me immensely. He would often remind me of my mother’s words “Education first before anything” .
“Gboyega is a loving, brilliant, inspiring, caring, reliable and passionate husband, a loyal friend and a father to me. He is a devoted, dedicated and loving father to my children and a wonderful grandpa.
To the families, you are a rallying point, selfless and dependable. A giver, who is always willing to help others achieve their ambitions irrespective of age.
To your God, you are a true believer and a faithful being.
His daughter, Yemisi Alubankudi – Saliu wrote her earliest memories of her dad in his blue Mitsubishi Lancer, when he came to pick her up from Primary School. “I remember listening to Phil Collins and a lot of jazz. This was one of things that pushed me to learn how to play the saxophone. Everything I know now about music started in the back seat of that car.”
“One day, I will make my father proud and play like Kenny G.
And yes, my daddy did the school runs too. Up until I went to boarding house, he ALWAYS (yes, I emphasized the always) dropped us off every morning … every single morning for all the eight years I spent in nursery and primary school, and for a good number of years in secondary school when I was not in boarding house.
We always bought newspapers from the same guy at the turning by the bridge, and he always gave his change to the beggars … especially the neatly dressed guy with one leg and the impeccable afro.”
“After reading the paper, he’d hand it to us and say “cultivate the habit of reading newspapers”. And we did… We started with the middle pages for the cartoons and the short stories, then, skipped straight to the back to work on the puzzles there.”
“My father always had a big heart and a passion for education. He called it “the one true gift he could give us”. Growing up, our house was always filled; an uncle here, some aunties there, cousins, everyone loved being around him and he always loved seeing them too.”
“I remember once asking my father why he was so generous because I felt that a lot of people took the things he did for granted and so many of them were just taking advantage of him. He replied “God can only bless one person out of maybe 10 financially. It is now the responsibility of that one to look after the other 9 people. Whatever they do with it is their problem, but God sees everybody’s intentions”. Nobody ever left him empty handed.
For the number of people he educated, it might have even been economical for him to set up a school and hire full time teachers instead.
I could always take my homework to him and leave with the solution. Primary school, BODMAS …
Secondary school, Pythagoras theory, differentiation and integration, the law of relativity (Yes, Physics), the law of diminishing marginal utility, and even while I was in university, game theory … My sister said the same while she was in law school. He just seems to know something about everything!
My father taught us the value of money. We never lacked a thing … ever. We went to the best of schools, ate the best of foods and did everything our peers did, but not once did we ever feel entitled. He always used to tell us “don’t think there’s any inheritance waiting for you oh. I have spent all my money giving you the best education, so it is up to you to make something out of it”. He also taught us the importance of savings and delayed gratification.
I don’t ever remember a time where our father was not there, he was very involved in our upbringing. He hardly ever had to discipline us or yell at us and sometimes I wish he did, rather than say “I’m very disappointed in you”. And we did everything possible to make sure he didn’t have to say that to us.
Even when we doubted ourselves, our parents always believed in us and till date remain our number one supporter and encourager, always ready to push you as far as he believes you can go.
Bring him any problem, and best believe his solution is as water tight as it can get.
My father has always been a man of his word. Him and my mum taught me all I know about love, family and honour. He has always put his family first.
Everything I know about marriage and parenting, I learned from my parents and everything I am today is by the glory of God and the love and support of my parents, my number one supporters.
So, it is with great honour and a happy heart that I celebrate the life of this legendary man I call my father.
Another daughter of his Kemmy Oyetola wrote: I can say without hesitation that I have been deeply blessed by God and I am privileged to call the finest man I have ever known “Dad”. Everything I am today, or may yet become, I owe first and foremost to my parents, and to my dad first as the leader of our family. I could say a lot of things in tribute to my father; I lack the ability to do justice in a short piece to all that my father means to me, so I will do my best to summarise.
My father has always been a motivator to me. My earliest memories are those of my father, encouraging me through school, praising me even when I felt I could have done better in my exams. His encouragement and belief in me pushed me to strive to excel in everything I did, to make him proud and to reward his faith in me.
He is a man that any child would be proud to have as a father.
I want to use this as an opportunity to thank a great man, for being there always, making sure we never lacked, raising us with love, instilling morals and the fear of God and encouraging us to be the best that we can be. I love you Dad.
His Kabiyeesi described him as the pride of Iragbiji. He said Alhaji Ishaq Adegboyega Oyetola is an illustrious son of Iragbiji. His life has been full of indelible imprints in the life of Iragbiji and it’s people.
Oba Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi (JP), Odundun IV, the Aragbiji of Iragbijiland, descrobed him as a rare bread.
“Many who know him recently only see this silent revolutionist from the perspective of an ordinary public officer. The Oyetola that Iragbiji and it’s people know has unparalleled credentials which no doubt has made one to conclude that he is our pride. He is our own beloved son in whom we are well pleased.
Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola’s lovely mother (now deceased) and his father who is the current Chief Imam of Egbeda, Iragbiji are known to be community leaders whose positive influence in their immediate environment and Iragbiji as a whole is tremendous.
Aside from this, they were/are highly pious Muslims who exhibit the best ideals of Islam. They are gentle, intelligent, virtuous and possess great leadership attributes. His mother was a mother for all. Her sterling qualities made the entire Muslim community of Iragbiji confer the chieftaincy title of IYALAJE ADINI on her. His parents are change agents and one is not left in any doubt that he is equally a man whose life positively influences others.
He is free and relates well with his people. He sustains kinship relationships and plays great roles in the funding of community projects.
When his mother was installed as the Iyalaje Adini by the Muslim Ummah in Iragbiji, he pooled together all the monetary donations from his friends and associates for the renovation of the Iragbiji Central Mosque and the imprint is still there till today.
Oyetola is not boastful and does not believe in being loud in rendering assistance. He is a cheerful giver who often refrains from being thanked for all his acts of goodness to others. He has hundreds of students assisted financially in tertiary institutions and has helped many to overcome health challenges which might otherwise have claimed their lives.
Oba Olabomi described him as an epitome of VIRTUE and an OMOLUABI per excellence.
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