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Why The Awujale Likes Him A Lot
Popular Ijebu businessman, Otunba Gboyega Tunde Adesoye, has been made the Osi Balogun of Ijebu, a seat which has been vacant for years. He was made the Osi Balogun of Ijebu by the Awujale of Ijebuland, Alaiyeluwa, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona.
He is the handsome husband of popular Lagos Jewellery merchant, Otunba Afolashade Adesoye, the Otunba Yeye Gbaderogun of Ijebuland. Courtesy of Awujale, her husband has broken the record of no one becoming an Otunba & a Chief at the same time. In Ijebuland, hardly do you find a son of the soil holding the two titles. Otunba Gboyega Tunde Adesoye has broken that record. He is Otunba Gbaderogun of Ijebuland & Balogun Egbe Bobagunte Okunrin Akile Ijebu. He has just been made a Chief. That makes him a member of the Ijebu Council of Awujale’s Chiefs & Awujale’s Council of Otunbas at the same time.
That is a rare privilege. He is also one of the popular Muslim leaders in the town. On Sunday, 12th February 2023, he was made the Aare Musulumi of Ijebu Ode Central Mosque.
He is a successful businessman who sits atop a chain of businesses that are doing well. His surname is big in Ijebu-Ode. This is because his late dad was a very popular man in Ijebu-Ode in his lifetime. He was the Balogun of Ijebu-Ode. That is why they called him Balogun Soye.
Otunba Gboyega Adesoye too has taken after his dad in so many ways, whether it is in the field of religion, culture and philanthropy. But he does not make noise about his accomplishments. By nature, he is a quiet and easy going businessman. He is stylish too. He dresses well. You can be rest assured that any outfit he wears sits well on him. He has an eye for details and he is always prim and proper in whatever he wears. He is a very handsome man with lovely eye balls that captivated his wife Sade the first day they set eyes on each other. Both complement each other.
On Saturday November 19, 2016, all roads led to Ijebu-Ode where this popular Ijebu businessman, Alhaji David Adegboyega Babatunde Adeshoye, was honoured by the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, with the brand new Otunba title.
On that day, Alhaji Adegboyega Adesoye became the new Otunba Gbaderogun of Ijebuland, while his wife, Alhaja Folasade, was also honoured with the Yeye Gbaderogun title. He is not only a successful businessman, he is a grassroot Ijebuman and community leader. He is also respected man among Ijebu Muslims.
Adegboyega Soye is also the Balogun Egbe Bobagunte (Okunrin) Akile Ijebu.
He was born on March 28, 1961 to the late much-celebrated, vivacious, Alhaji Fasansi Adesoye Onasanya, the (Balogun of Ijebu Land (1951 – 1961) aka Balogun Soye and Alhaja A.T Adesoye. Those who knew Balogun Soye or have heard or read about his much-celebrated life would attest that his last child, who was born 12 days after his death, is not only a scion of the Balogun Adesoye’s dynasty but a chip off the old block. If you believe in reincarnation, Balogun Fasansi Adesoye reincarnated in Balogun Adegboyega Adesoye.
He had his early years in Lagos. He attended Methodist Primary School, Obele, Surulere, Lagos. On leaving primary school, he went to Ijebuland for his secondary education and attended Isonyin Grammar School, Isonyin, Ogun State and left after sitting for his West African School Certificate Examination. At Isonyin Grammar School, Balogun Adesoye was one of the trailblazers and was liked by both his fellow students and teachers for his gentle disposition and forward-looking traits. He also had a one-year spell at the famous Abeokuta continuing Education Centre, Abeokuta established by the Oyewole Brothers. He went on to study at Durham Technical Community College, North Carolina, USA, Lagos Business School (Pan Atlantic University), Lagos and followed this with various trainings on Personal skills and General Management.
For a child, who was born after the death of his father, it was no surprise that Balogun Adegboyega Babatunde Adesoye was very close to his mother. Whilst on holidays during his schooling in Isonyin, he was always helping his mother in her Textile business in the then Ita Osu Market, Ijebu Ode. The knack for business, apart from being an inherited trait from his father was also nurtured at his formative age by his stint with his mother at Ita Osu Market.In 1981 he joined Aluminium Manufacturing Company Limited (ALUMACO). He worked there for just three months and owing to his hardwork and good work ethics, he was invited by his then Production Manager to join him when the latter left to form Moodframes Aluminium Company Limited.
He was with Moodframes for about a year before he left to establish his own company. His inherent business trait propelled him to establish Techlum Nigeria Limited in March 1982, a company with sole interest in the production and installation of Aluminium Windows & Doors. The company soon introduced production of Glass Sheets and Alumium coils into its core business.
Otunba Soye, an astute and highly enterprising industrialist, has since from the modest beginning of Techlum Nigeria Limited expanded his business to include the manufacturing of Aluminium Cooking Wares, Aluminium Long Span Colour Coated Roofing Sheets, Step Tiles and PVC ceilings. Techlum Nigeria Limited is not only a household name in Nigeria, but also throughout West African sub-region with state- of-the-art factories in Ogba, Ikeja, Ayobo, Ipaja, Lagos State, Ibadan, Akure, Ilorin, and its operating headquarters in Odetoyinbo Estate, Mulero, Agege, Lagos State. Techlum Nigeria Limited has over a 100 staffers in its employment. One significant and noteworthy attribute of Balogun Adegboyega Babatunde Adesoye is his humble nature in spite of all it has pleased the Almighty God to bestow on him.
In his professional calling, Balogun Adesoye is a member of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), Financial Secretary, Aluminium Coaters Association of Nigeria, General Secretary, Hollow Wares Manufacturing Association of Nigeria and member Aluminium Professionals of Nigeria.
In social circles, Balogun Adegboyega Babatunde Adesoye, a lover of culture and tradition, was a founding member of Egbe Bobagunte (Okunrin) Akile Ijebu and holds the much revered title of Balogun Egbe. He is also a member of the Rotary Club of Gbagada, Lagos and Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, Lagos.
Not too long-ago City People asked him for his success story.
How does he feel coming from the popular Adesoye family of Ijebuland?“I feel good that I am from the Adesoye family. I feel highly honoured,” he explained.
He is also a very stylish person, what does Style mean to him? “I grew up with stylish people, From my parents, to my wife. My father used to be very stylish”.
Most Ijebu people have lots of good things to say about his father. Who was Balogun Adesoye’s father?
“It was quite unfortunate that I didn’t meet my father, neither did he know me. I was born 12 days after his death. I didn’t know how important he was in his lifetime until when I grew up. Sometimes when people meet me, they would be praising my father for his good deeds when he was alive. I asked my mother and she was the one who told me that If Ijebu-Ode had many people as my Dad, Ijebu-Ode would have produced many rich people back then. My mother said there was a popular saying that “Ti Ijebu bam eyan pupo toda bi Adeshoye, ko ni si mekunni ni Ijebu” My father was very rich and generous. People say that if you worked with Soye for 3 or 4 years and you didn’t build a house, Adesoye would send you away. He assisted people build houses. If you are working with him and you had no house, he would tell you to try and build one. He would also help you to put finishing touches to your house if it was uncompleted. He had made impact on many Ijebu.”
What has he enjoyed from his good name?
“A lot. Let me share this experience with you. I went to one “Onolo Motors” in Ibadan as I did a quotation for him on the garage he was building in Ibadan. The man asked for my name and I told him Adesoye. He asked if we are just related and I told him I am the last born. He said, were you the one they gave birth to 12 days after Adesoye’s death and I said Yes. He put on his dress and took me to his Mercedes car.He drove to his garage.
He took me to one big old bus. Though, it was old, but it was still very good. He said I should look at it. I did and he ordered we should get back to the car. He told me that it was the bus, which liberated him from poverty and made him whom he was then. He said my Dad gave him the bus after serving him for 10 years.
He said it was the gift that liberated him and made him rich. He smiled and gave me the contract. A lot of things like that happened. This is why I would always cherish my father in every area of my life”.
“I have learnt alot from him. His name has opened many doors for me. I hold his legacy in high esteem …
My father died at 61, but he was as popular as the currency in circulation back then.”
My father was the late Balogun of Ijebuland. My father was from a Royal family of Ijebu-Ife. My father was preparing to become the king of Ife, when he was bestowed with the title of Balogun of Ijebuland.
He used to combine his royal heritage with his Balogun title. So, all his children were named Oyebade. That was what brought the title of Gbaderogun that I was given by our paramount King of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona. So, that is the history of my title “Gbaderogun”. This is the combination of my royal and warrior titles”.
