•As Aare Mayegun Of Gbaguraland
•What He Told City People About His Life
At the recent 3rd Coronation Anniversary of His Royal Majesty, Oba Dr Saburee Babajide Bakare, the Agura of Gbagura, one of those honoured with chieftaincy awards was Lagos Medical Doctor, Dr Akeem Olanrewaju Ayinla Alawode. He was made the Aare Mayegun of Gbaguraland.
He and 3 other distinguished Nigerians became new Chiefs of Gbagura. The others are Engr. Chief Aderinwale Olusayo, Chief Rahman Ojukotola, and Chief Adeyemi Kayode Oketola.
How did he feel when Oba Dr Saburee Babajide Bakare installed him Aare Mayegun on 19th August 2022, we asked him, last week. How did he feel when he saw the huge turnout of celebrities who came from Lagos to support him? What is his review of the event?
“I was overwhelmed”, he said: “I was touched by the impressive turnout. Before now, I was not a chieftaincy title kind of person. I have always avoided having chieftaincy titles. In the past, I have been offered chieftaincy titles in the community where I stay, but I turned it down. When this one came up, I evaluated the whole process, and I decided to accept it. It is a honour and I realised that people appreciate my efforts in one way or the other, I accepted it. I feel very elated, especially with the way people responded to it, celebrating me.
I was very happy that Kabiyeesi, Oba Saburee Babajide Bakare decided to honour me. He appreciated me so much at the ceremony. He singled me out, for recognition.
He told everybody there that I have done so well. He mentioned all the good qualities that I have. That brought tears to my eyes. I never knew that Kabiyeesi was virtually watching me from after”.
What is his link with the Gbagura community? “I have my roots in Gbagura”, he explained. “The Alawodes have their roots in Gbagura. We also have very strong roots in Agege, Lagos. But we have very great links with Gbagura”.
He is a valued member of the Island Club and because of this, a lot of Island Club members stormed the Abeokuta event, in his honour. Many of them all have positive things to say about him. How does Dr Alawode see these positive commentaries about him?
“I am happy when people say good things about me. It is good. I try to watch the way I relate with people. I manage relationships very well. I try to carry out my responsibilities very well in the best way that they should be done. So, when people say good things about me, I am happy and I thank them for that.
Who is Dr. Akeem Olanrewaju Ayinla Alawode? We can tell you a lot more about this handsome doctor who is well loved by many people who have come his way.
Dr Akeem Olanrewaju Ayinla Alawode was born in the late 1970s to Alhaji (Chief) Fatai Olajide Alawode, Babaloja General of Alimoso: Chairman, Alimoso Federal Constituency Market Leaders’ Association and a Community Leader and Alhaja Nurat Alawode, a retired businesswoman and prominent Muslim women mobiliser in the Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos. He is the last of 8 children.
He is a prolific Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. He holds the Fellowship of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Administration and a Member of the Institute of Directors.
Dr Alawode has been involved in the free treatment of patients with Cleft lip and Palate since 2009. The programme is being sponsored by a United States-based NGO, Smile train. At the moment, he is one of the recognised Smile Train Partners in the world. He also spearheads the sponsorship of surgeries involving indigent patients through his network of friends.
As an entrepreneur, his business focus is on building, Health Facility Management, Supplies and Marketing of Pharmaceutical Products.
At the community level, Dr Alawode’s contributions to the growth and development of Ogombo, Ajah Lekki cannot be overemphasised.
He is the Chairman of Rovers Estate CDA. He is also a member of the Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholder’s Association (LERSA).
The following are some of the achievements of Dr Alawode as the Chairman of Rovers Estate: (1.) Construction of Olanrewaju Alawode Drive (2.) Construction of Biliaminu Agunbiade Road (3.) Regular Rehabilitation of TokunboAdenigba Road (4.) Regular Rehabilitation of Westsyde Road (5.) Construction of West syde road/Tokunbo Adenigba Bridge (6.) Construction of Meadows Estate Link Road (7.) Channelisation and improvement of System 46 (a major drainage canal) bordering estates such as Rovers Estate, Lekki Gardens Estate, Lekki Atlantic Estate, ROI Gardens, Meadowview Estate and others. This project was supervised by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment.
An avid Golf player, Dr Alawode plays Golf at the Abeokuta Golf Club, Ikeja Golf Club and Ikoyi Club.
He plays Lawn Tennis at the Island Club where he is providing selfless services to the Club as Secretary of the Electoral Committee, Scribe of the foremost group in Island Club, The Centre Table; Secretary, Ramadan Lecture Committee and Secretary, Sports Committee.
Dr Alawode who is a recipient of the Rotary Club Award has a passion for building, enjoys travelling, engaging in topical issues that border on politics and regional geography and networking.
His fellow chiefs include the new Ogboye of Gbaguraland, Engr. Oludayo Aderinwale was born on the 6th of June 1982, to the late Mr and Mrs Ojuwole Aderinwale Amusan. He is an indigene of Ogun State who hails from the Amusan family of Gbagura in Egbaland, while his mother Muibat Abimbola Aderinwale (nee Egbeyemi) is from Owu in Egbaland. He had a Bachelor’s Degree of Technology in Civil Engineering from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso, Oyo State and a Master of Science degree in Wood Production Engineering from the Premier University, the University of Ibadan in Oyo State.
Chief Engr. Aderinwale is a thoroughbred professional in the field of Engineering. He is a registered Engineer with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), a Corporate member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (Abeokuta branch), a Corporate member of the Nigeria Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE), Member of the America Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), International Association of Engineers and Scientists (IAEngs), Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) among others.
The Mayegun of Idere town in Gbagura kingdom, Chief Engr. Aderinwale Oludayo is a passionate Civil Engineer with vast experience in private and commercial construction projects as well as in real estate and property development works. He is currently the MD/CEO of Structmatics Engineering Company Ltd, located in Lekki Phase 1 in Lagos.
He is happily married to Mrs Omofolake Aderinwale, a well-disciplined and high-ranking officer of the Nigeria Customs Services and their union is blessed with kids.
Chief Oketola Adeyemi Kayode is the Aare Apagunpote Gbaguraland. Adeyemi Oketola attended the prestigious Comprehensive High School Ayetoro and holds a Masters of Business Administrations degree from the Lagos State University, Ojo and also a Diploma in Law from the same Lagos State University. He started his work life at Nationwide Merchant Bank, Ikoyi and then Citizens Bank Victoria Island, Lagos.
He decided to set up his consulting company in 1994 and later became the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Supreme Edge group which includes a Central Bank of Nigeria licensed Bureau de change, a Consulting and re-Engineering Firm etc to date. He is a forensic audit expert, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (Supernumerary), a philanthropist and holds the little of Sobaloju of Imasayiland in Ogun State.
He is also a social member of Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Island Club, Yoruba Tennis Club, Ikoyi Club, Federal Civil Service Club, University of Lagos Senior Staff Club, and Cooperative Villas Tennis Club.
There is also Chief Alhaji Rahamon Oluwole Ojukotola who is the Bobaselu Gbaguraland. He is 61 years old. He was born at Sacred Heart Hospital in Abeokuta on the 8th of January 1961. His father Alhaji Mustafa M. Ojukotola is from Oje-Ile in Gbagura and his mother Alhaja Afusat O. Ojukotola is from Isale-Igbein/ltori-Odo in Abeokuta.
He is a qualified Chartered Accountant, Chartered Banker and Barrister of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He is currently practising law in the UK.
He holds the chieftaincy title of BADA of OJE-ILE in Gbagura. He is married with children and grandchildren.
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