CHIEF ADEBAYO ADELABU “PENKELEMESI” FOR GOVERNOR, OYO STATE IN 2019

Surviving the odds and the challenges of life yet emerging victorious with the crown of success, becoming a role model and an inspiration to many, and youth in particular, Adebayo Adelabu is one in a million, who deserves to be giving the rightful place in the society. It is a right to honour, to be explicitly clear here, a right to the position of honour. What honour is more deserving than the leadership of Oyo State where Adebayo Adelabu can serve the people in his capacity as the Governor of Oyo State in 2019.

Popularly known as “Penkelemesi”, a tittle he inherited from his grandfather, Alhaji Adegoke Adelabu, a nationalist politician, Chief Adebayo Adelabu was born in 1969 in Ibadan. His paternal family house is Adelabu Compound at Kudeti in Oke Oluokun area of Ibadan South East Local Government. His internal family house is at Ile Olode compound at Opomulero/Ita Agbaakin behind Esu Awele in Oranyan area of the same council area. He grew up with his grandma at Oluyoro Oke Adu area of Ibadan North East Local Government, attending Lagelu Grammar School, Agugu Oremeji. He also grew up at Aworolo’s compound at Oke Are in Ibadan North West Local Government with his Dad as well as well as in Odeon Cinema area of Ado in Ibadan South West Local Government with his Mum. Growing up was tough as he himself and his siblings grew up with his grandma, who had remarried Pa Salawu of Motala area in Oke Adu after Adelabu’s death in 1958, under very difficult circumstances. They all moved in with her to console her on the death of her only child (Adebayo Adekola Adelabu’s immediate father) who had died in 1973 at 33, leaving two wives and seven children behind. His father was his grandmother’s only son. His own mother and stepmother had to remarry since they were still in their twenties. The grand-mother took full responsibilities on young Adebayo and his siblings. He actually cut his teeth under crude but intellectual tutelage. She was everything to him as he stayed the longest with her. All his old friends till date are from the area with whom he still keeps in close touch. This also exposed him to strait for survival, hawking all kinds of stuffs like pepper, onions, raw food stuffs, bread, soft drinks etc, without losing focus of his life ambition. It toughened him and taught him street wisdom and this really prepared him for the tough challenges in the future. Today looking back, he gives thanks to God that he passed through this before getting to his present status in life. Bayo schooled at Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, and had a first class degree in Accounting. He is a fellow of the Institute of charted Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), a fellow of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (FCIB) and an Associate Member of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria and the UK (AIOD). He had his professional training with price water horse (now Pricewaterhorse Copers), an international firm of charted Accountants and Management Consultants where he worked for seven years. While with the firm, he led and managed various audit and consultancy engagements for large banks and non-bank financial institutions within and outside Nigeria. He was also on secondment to the CBN for one year (in 1999) when he led the finance team on the CBN re-engineering and corporate renewal project tagged project Eaugles. He left the firm in year 2000 as an Audit Manager and Senior Consultant to join First Atlantic Bank as the Financial Controller and Group Head of First Management and Controls. He also held various other positions while in First Atlantic Bank including the Chief Inspector of the Bank (2002) and Group Head of National Public Sector of Business (2003). Bayo had attended various local and international trainings, seminars and conferences including the University of London School of Management Development, the Euromoney Executive Education, UK, the United State Institute of Internal Auditors in Orlando, Florida, Harvard Business School, Boston, USA Wharton Business School, Pensylvannia, USA, Stanford Business School, Carlifonia, USA and Columbia University Business School, New York USA.

He is currently the Deputy Governor, Operations Directorate of the Central Bank of Nigeria since 2014. Before this time, he was the Executive Director / Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of First Bank of Nigeria PLC (FBN). Prior that, he held the positions of General Manager as the West African Regional Head of Finance and Strategy (Consumer Banking Business) for standard Chartered Bank from where he was head-hunted in 2009. Bayo presently serves, in addition, as the Chairman Board of Directors of the Financial Institution Training Center (FITC) and also sits on the board of the Assets Management, Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) the Nigerian security printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) and the NIRSAL. He is the pioneer chairman till date of the 1982/7 set of the school Alumni and once the treasurer of the Lagos Branch of the National Alumni Association. In year 2012, he led his set, while celebrating their 25th graduation anniversary, to renovate 2 blocks consisting of six classrooms, to donate 500 units of students chairs and tables, 10,000 pieces of big exercise books and 10 computer workstations to the school. This is in addition to other various supports his set alumni have been benefitting under his leadership, rending to the school.

Bayo Adelabu Foundation:

The foundation was established by him in order to give back to the society. In his personal capacity, Bayo uses the platform of his NGO, to executive his various philanthropic gestures to the society which include but not limited to scholarship and other education support to indigent students, health support to the less privileged, Artisans and Traders Finance support, Youth engagement and Rehabilitation, support for the Aged, wisdoms and the physically challenged and Basic Commercial infrastructure support. He also engages himself in public motivational speaking and youth mentoring activities. It is in recognition of all these that the central council of Ibadan indigenes (CCII) conferred on him in year 2010 the honour of Ibadan Distinguished Fellowship Award. In addition to this in 2012, the then Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Odulana Odugade counted him worthy of conferment of a Chieftaincy title of Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland. Beyond his official assignment as a Financial and Banking guru, Bayo is an urban renewal and development freak with special passion for hospitality, entertainment and real estate. He is the Group Chairman of Bayse One Hospital and Entertainment Ltd which his wife manages, as the owner of Bayse One Group Hostels, one of which carries a Best Western Plus in Iyaganku GRA in Ibadan. He is a member of Ikoyi Club 1938, Jericho Businessmen Club and Ibadan Golf Club. He is married with children.

2019 Gubernatorial Race:

Chief Adebayo Adelabu “Penkelemesi”. His indigenous affinity and connection with the people is a plus. One enduring significance of in-depth measures is Adebalu’s experience of Ibadancity as a bonafide Ibadan son. However what may further catalyse his acceptance among his people is his foundation. He was quick enough to understand the valve of empowerment as a prerequisite for public affection, although this was not the main purpose or target of his governorship race. The onerous truth is that, having setup Bayo Adebalu Foundation (BAF) for 12years, he has been actively interacting with the masses and has known where the shoe pinches. Adebayo Adelabu could not but finally arrive at the conviction for leadership. His conviction draws from the fountain of compassion and love for the people who he thinks are presently going through hard times with state government owing salaries, though due to no fault of theirs, businesses not doing so well and artisans practically jobless or under-employed. Alleviating people’s suffering, reducing social delinquencies and societal vices, are what have overwhelmed him over the years, hence the quest for leadership. He couldn’t but fully redirect the cause of the foundation to philanthropy, educational and health, finance supporting for the indigents, traders and artisans empowerment, youth empowerment and rehabilitation, caring for the aged, orphans, widows and the physically challenged as well as setting involved in commitment infrastructural support in form of boreholes, public toilets, viewing centers, street naming and construction of bus stops. Having inherited and demonstrated dynamic leadership qualities in his public service as a civil servant and philanthropic activities, it is obvious that “Penkelemesi” has really won the heart of the people and they now request his hand in the leadership of the State. Although he sight be so much occupied with his current service to the nation, yet without doubt Adebayo Adeabu’s inherit leadership qualities are evidence and currently is the song of Oyo people who willingly wants him to be their Governor in 2019.

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