Most times, when people first hear the first name of Mayor Akinpelu, the Publisher of Global Excellence Magazine they often wonder if it is his real name or a title he adopted. But we can tell you authoritatively that Mayor is his real name.
Recently, Mayor Akinpelu popularly called Lord Mayor, who turned 60, told City People that the name Mayor is his real name. “Many think so,” he explained. “But surprisingly, Mayor is actually my name. Yes. Let me tell you the story behind the name. I am from a polygamous home. My father has 10 wives living with him. Because I am from Ikorodu, in Lagos State and we are basically Ijebu. We are Remo people basically. Though we are in Lagos State, we are basically Sagamu people. So, the tradition is that the women of the house don’t call the children of the house by their name, as a mark of respect. So, the woman will come up with all these fanciful names, like Ibadi aran, Sisi ilewe. They usually coin all sorts of funny names to call you because they don’t want to call you by your name, as a mark of respect. In my own case, one of the wives decided that because there is one guy who happens to be the Mayor of my fathers club, who comes to our house regularly and who is quite known to them. So, they just said this little boy lets give him a name. They’ve given me my Muslim name, Isiaka. And because I was born during Easter time they called me Abiodun. They then named me Mayor, meaning this is our Mayor. So, at home, that is what they call me. That is what the women of the house call me. People in the house and including my parents, that is what they call me. Mayor is just like my middle name or one of the names I have. My official name then was Isiaka Abiodun Akinpelu. When I was going to Secondary school, you know then, Nigeria was still very good. When you were going to Secondary School, you will first go for Orientation. When you go then, it was usually a big thing. You will go with your provisions, go with your box, and things. On my own box then, I wrote Isiaka Abiodun Akinpelu alias Mayor. So, when people began to see that, they started calling me Mayor. In our Form 1 or Form 2, there was a popular Literature book, that was compulsory for students called The Mayor of Canterbridge. So, people started calling me Mayor. When I was in Secondary school, I was very rascally. So, then at Adeola Odutola College though I was rascally, I was also brilliant. When we want to vacate, the Principal will announce the 1st three (those in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd) and the last 3. Most times, when they mention my name in the first 3, all the bad boys and the Olodos, we feel even if they are not brilliant to make it, this is one bad boy with us who is brilliant. So once The Principal mentions Isiaka Akinpelu, everybody will shout Mayoor. So, I was quite notorious then. A lot of people used to call me Mayor Adeola because people in Ijebu Ode Grammar School, Muslim College, we know them. In our set, I used to follow our football team. So, everybody started calling me Mayor.
When I started working at Maximum Security Prisons at Kirikiri, I was writing for The Guardian. I wrote about the Orkar coup. I couldn’t use my name for my writings because I was a Civil Servant. My official name in the Civil Service was Isiaka Abiodun Akinpelu and most people call me Mayor, so, I decided to use Mayor Akinpelu. So, when I wrote stories then and I submit to The Guardian Express I used to use Mayor Akinpelu. People in the office didn’t know I was the guy that was writing. I used to write a lot about Prisons. By the time I resigned and I joined The Guardian I had already been using Mayor Akinpelu as my bye line. So, I couldn’t change it. So, I continued to use Mayor Akinpelu. That is how Mayor became one of my official names. So, my official name now is Mayor Abiodun Akinpelu.
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