BIOGRAPHY OF COMRADE
PRINCE AYODELE ADEBOWALE
CHRISTOPHER CHARLES
ADEWALE.
Comrade Ayodele Adebowale Charles Christopher ADEWALE was born on February 19, 1975 to the Adewale family. His father was born into the Adewale Olomiyete family of Ipele in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo state. His father is the grand son of a great warrior, hunter and big time cocoa farmer who owned a very big farmland but his father died while he was still in his mother’s womb and his mother died while he was 10 years of age. He was practically raised by his immediate elder sister who was married to Moses Olaiya, better known by his stage name “Baba Sala”, was a Nigerian comedian, dramatist, actor, music teacher and mentor to King Sunny Ade.
Comrade Prince Ayodele Adewale’s mother was born into the Festus Akinwumi Clarke family of Wellington Villa in Lafiaji Area of Lagos Island and Oba Ajayi Oloto, the 10th Oloto of Oto and Ido, a direct descendant of King Olofin Ogunfunminire the founder of Lagos.
By historical account comrade Prince Ayodele Adebowale Adewale is one of the 15th descendants of King Olofin Ogunfunminire who migrated from Ile Ife and settled in Lagos with his people.
Prince Ayodele’s maternal great great great-grand father was captured at a young age by the British and taken to Sierra Leone from Owu in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He married a Serialonian woman after he was freed by the British in Freetown Serialone. The marriage produced a daughter who got married to a Serialonian man named Mr. Clarke and they gave birth to Festus Akinwunmi Clarke and his elder sister.
Festus Akinwumi and his elder sister came to Lagos in the late 18th century. On arrival he got married to a very beautiful and successful business woman named Matilda Ukegbuli OkoroBoyo, daughter of the legendary chief OkoroBoyo Daire of Itsekiri Kingdom.
Festus Akinwomi Clarke with Matilda were blessed with four lovely children; Mariam Ajoke Doherty nee Clarke, Janet Modupe Ebureme nee Clarke, Christopher Ayodele Clarke (the only son), Hellen Abosede Jagha nee Clarke.
Festus Akinwumi also married another woman who gave birth to Peter Kehinde Clarke.
Festus Akinwumi Clark first worked in the postal service in Warri seaport as a postmaster general on his return from Serialone and relocated to Lagos after retirement to start his private business of importation of Panama hats and fabrics from Great Britain.
Festus Akinwunmi owned two houses on 13/15 Macarthy street Race course by Ghana high Commission. The house on number 13 is on leasehold to Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Wada, parliamentarian and minister of Works and Survey in the Federal Republic of Nigeria during the 1st republic under Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa’s administration while he and his family lived in number 15 McCarthy street, Lafiaji Lagos.
Festus Akinwumi had cousins who came and settled at Olowogbowo in Lagos. For example, the Macaulay Goddens who got married to one of the Kosoko’s, Dr. Jimi Jinadu’s mother ( Dr. of Marine science) and Macaulay to Simo
Ayodele Clarke was married to Princess Damiana Oloto popularly called Sisimi, first grand child (daughter) of Oba Ajayi Oloto, the Oloto of Oto and Ido Kingdom in Lagos and daughter to Prince Moses Ajayi Oloto popularly called Baba oni wire because he was a staff of P&T. They are from the Olupejobi ruling house one of the three ruling houses (Olupejobi, Balo and Eru-Ifa) of the Oloto dynasty. He went to Ilesha grammar school and he was class mate and bunk mate with Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, former executive Governor of Lagos State.
Prince Moses Ajayi Oloto’s wife, Madam Christianna Kwashi’s mother was from Togo while her father was from Keita in Ghana same place with late President Jery Rollins’s.
Comrade Prince Ayodele Adewale started his education at St. Christopher Nursery and Primary School, Isolo, Lagos, in 1977. In 1979, he attended Universal Primary School 1 (UPE) FESTAC Town which was a test free education program of the first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Latif Kayode Jakande. Ayodele completed his primary education in 1985.
In 1985, he proceeded to Amuwo Odofin Boys High School, Mile 2, Lagos, where he attended and completed his Junior Secondary School, and afterwards moved to the prestigious St. Gregory’s College, South-West Ikoyi, for the concluding part of his secondary school education and obtained his Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in 1992.
He later gained admission into Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos where he bagged his BSc.(Hon) in Chemistry.
Given his disposition for an ideal and egalitarian society, Ayodele Adewale ventured into students unionism whilst at the university and quickly became a frontline Students’s union activist and a two-term member of the Lagos State university students union parliament before rising to become the President, Lagos State University Students Union Government as a 200 level student and later, contested and won the NANS election in Bauchi state to become the Public Relations Officer, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and also contested for NANS President thereafter.
After graduation, he proceeded for his NYSC orientation program at the Bureau of Science and Technology, office of the Executive Governor, Akwa Ibom State. While in service, he contested for the position of President, NYSC Youth and Tourism Club and won unopposed after his intimidating credentials was read out; other aspirants simply stepped down.
After his NYSC youth service program, he proceeded to work in Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinunbu led government in the office of the SSA on youths and students Comrade Olusegun Mayegun who was a former President of the National Association of Nigerian Students’s (NANS).
Comrade Ayodele became actively involved in several civil society activities during his stay in the Governor’s office. He worked with the late Dr Beko Ransome Kuti and late Chief Anthony Enahoro, led Pro-National Conference Organisation (PRONACO) as a mobilization and liaison officer; he also worked with Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi as his senior special assistant on programs, youths and students all at the same time.
At present, he is the Managing Director, Hausbock Links and Development LTD.
Comrade Ayodele Adewale’s relationships and early experiences defined and honed his passion and conviction to create a better social and economic environment. He is a believer of Dr. Martin Luther King (Jnr.) active and non-violence civil actions, as well as, Mahatma Gandhi’s principle of non-violence civil resistance. He has read and imbibed the doctrines of many socio-political icons including Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Thomas Sankara, Patris Lumumba, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Prof. Jadesola Akande, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinunbu and many other non-violent advocators.
He has political mentors such as, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Nelson Mandela, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Latif Kayode Jakande, Ambrose Ali, Chief Anthony Enahoro, Alhaji Aminu Kano, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Babaoniwide Omojola, Chief Henry Ajomale et al.
He is committed to bringing social change through advocacy works, capacity building, networking and mass campaign for re-orientation of the Nigerian masses for national positive development and is focussed on working with youth and women associations.
His guidance and mentorship in this areas was acknowledged by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) who honoured him with an award as an Icon of Humanity/Societal Development 2018 after he left the organization as its National Public Relations Officer 18years ago in year 2000.
Comrade Ayodele Adewale became the youngest Local Government Chairman in 2008 at the age of 33years. He served two 3year terms from October 2008 – October 2014 as the Executive Chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government. During his tenure he upgraded social infrastructure, amenities and transformed the Local Government into a thriving economic hub for business activities making it a peaceful and secure environment for business and its residents.
Comrade Ayodele Adewale administration regularly engaged with the community and stakeholders via town hall meetings which facilitated the smooth implementation of the Local Government development agenda.
Under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model he was able to partner with the private sector to push through its development in health care and other social strata. His administration rehabilitated the health centres, bought medical equipments, and created welfare packages to attract experienced retired doctors, NYSC doctors and medical health workers to support the medical centres.
The Local Government collaborated with the private sector laboratory centres, pharmacies and plugged their services into the public health service. With these initiatives, the local government was able to offer free basic primary health services to all, gave special attention to the aged and children especially with provision of free drugs. It is on record that the administration paid N100,000 and N70,000 monthly salary to NYSC Corps doctors at the riverine and Up land area respectively and also provided them with accommodation. Other disbursements included – NYSC nurses N50,000, NYSC teachers N50,000 at the riverine and N35,000 at the up land, NYSC Engineers were N50,000 and the least NYSC Corper was paid N20,000. His administration took the highest number of Corps members in Nigeria. At a point his administration was paying in total over 5,000,000 naira as salary.
The Comrade Ayodele Adewale administration also employed 840 non pensionable workers into all the departments and units. The salary cost was over N26, 000,000 naira monthly.
Amuwo Odofin Local Government won the award for Best Local Government in Health in the year 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Road Rehabilitation: At the start of his tenure the level of road degradation was horrific, with a high percentage of roads impassable and drainage blocked.
His administration created a Public Works Department manned by skilled personnel with the requisite technical knowledge to implement a road rehabilitation programme.
Within the first 18 months of his administration, 80% of road networks had been completed.
Comrade Ayodele Adewale was also able to deliver on a campaign promise to reconstruct the circular road in Mile 2 Low Cost Housing Estate which had been neglected for over 22 years.
Education: working with the road map on education, his administration renovated and rehabilitated schools, built 15 ultramodern toilets with boreholes and treatment plants, provided 14,000 uniforms, 420,000 note books, 7,000 mathematical sets, 3,000 life jackets and other education materials. He collaborated with the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to organise lectures to prepare students for JAMB and GCE exams and provided free 500 GCE and 600 JAMB forms yearly to students for 6 years making it 3,000 GCE forms and 3,600 JAMB forms.
The outcome of these interventions resulted in a higher pass rate of the students and a significant movement of students from private school into the public school.
The Local Government Vocational Institution was renovated and upgraded and access to a loan scheme single digit of 1.5% interest rate was made available.
Environment: Comrade Ayodele Adewale has always been passionate about environmental issues and created a Climate Change U nit during his time in office. At that time, Amuwo Odofin Local Government was the only local government in Nigeria that had a dedicated climate change u nit. The unit changed the landscape of the community by planting over 5,000 Kings-Palm trees; established the Amuwo Odofin Green Club made up of 30 youths who were taught the act of horticulture; initiated advocacy programmes to enlighten the constituents of actions that could reduce the effects of climate change . He projected the Local Government internationally and presented a paper on the Amuwo Odofin Local Government experience on mitigation and adaptation to climate change a t the United Nations Summit on Climate Change C OP 15 in Denmark, COP 16 in South Africa(he was amongst the 189 mayors of the world that signed the Durban city pact), COP 17 in Cancun Mexico ( he was amongst the 156 mayors of the world that signed the Mexico city pact), COP 18 in Doha Qatar, COP 19 in Warsaw, Poland.
Agriculture: His administration worked with FADAMA to provide incentives for local farmers. Finance was provided in partnership with Lagos State Micro-Finance Bank and Cowries Micro-Finance. N40,000,000 was jointly contributed and giving out as loans at 1.5% to help small scale businesses grow.
He significantly improved the Internally Generated Revenue of the Local Government by the introduction of e-governance and also working with the private sector under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to supplement limited public sector capacities to meet the growing demand for infrastructure development.
He established good diplomatic relations with the foreign embassies in Nigeria especially the USA, UK and Austria. He worked actively with their commercial units to support the developmental goals of the local government. Based on Amuwo Odofin Local Government’s strong reputation and track record, the British Deputy High Commission pledged its support and for filled its assurances of a mutual prosperity agenda through developmental projects.
The Consul General of the United States of America to Nigeria, Mr. Jeff Hawkins and late deputy British high commissioner to Nigeria Mr. Peter Carter paid several courtesy visits to the office of comrade Ayodele Adewale while maintaining robust friendship with the local government and comrade Adewale. We also hosted several interns from countries of the European Union like Estonia, Italy, UK and France. Some stayed for 6 months while others stayed for 3 months.
Comrade Ayodele Adewale has attended several capacity building programmes including the UK Trade & Investment/British Expertise-organized Master Class on Public Private Partnership (PPP) in London amongst severals.
Some notable outcomes from the relationship with the foreign embassies is the clinic that was built by the US Consulate for the Local Government on Tomaro Island to provide basic medical care to the Island’s 30,000 residents.
The US Consulate through the US marines also regularly conduct health outreach programmes on Tomaro/Onisowo Island.
Donation of ICT equipment by a UK based organization.
He visited Sheffield City Council and Brent Council in the United Kindom to share best practices, skills transfer and knowledge, vocational training and human capacity development training for local government staff in the UK.
Comrade Ayodele Adewale came from a civil society background with no public sector experience but he had the will and determination to serve the community. By the end of his administration, he had transformed Amuwo Odofin Local Government into a thriving community – free healthcare, good roads, cleaner environment, fuller citizen participation and adequate security which was is his Hallmark.
Some of the projects carried out during his administration includes:
1. Construction of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Legislative ultra-modern Building ( Freedom House )
2. Rehabilitation of 22 Road in FESTAC Town (9,369.00m).
3. Rehabilitation of 4th Avenue Road in FESTAC Town ( 6170.80 sqm)
4. Rehabilitation of 41/401 Road in FESTAC Town (3,934.40m)
5. Rehabilitation of 322 Road in FESTAC Town (4,388.48 Sqm)
6. Rehabilitation of 4th Avenue Service Lane in FESTAC Town (6170.80 Sqm)
7. Rehabilitation of 21 Road , I Close, FESTAC Town (1,985.21 Sqm)
8. Rehabilitation of 311 Road, FESTAC Town.
9. Construction of a block of 6 at Igbologun Community.
10. Construction of a block of 6 classrooms at Itu-Agan Community.
11. Construction of a block of 6 classrooms at Tomaro/Ilado Community.
12. Construction of a long block wall fencing at Sagbokoji Community.
13. Rehabilitation of 2nd Avenue Road in FESTAC Town.
14. Rehabilitation of 7th Avenue Road in FESTAC Town.
15. Construction of a block of 6 classrooms at RCM primary school Igbologun.
16. Construction of a block of 6 classrooms at UPE primary school, 3rd Avenue.
17. Construction of Town Hall at Igbologun.
18. Construction of Abule-Ado Health Centre Extension.
19. Construction of Doctors Lodge at Igbologun Primary Health Centre, amongst others.
20. Created a Twitter handle, Google plus and website for the local government, http://www.amuwoodofin.gov.ng
21. Created a 10,000 copies weekly newsletter called Amuwo Odofin Prism and a quarterly colorful 5,000 copies news magazine called Amuwo Herald.
22. Creation of the Amuwo Odofin Shuttle Bus system which was started with 4 buses by his administration.
23. Created Amuwo Odofin Green Club.
24. Created Amuwo Odofin Environmental Rangers.
25. Purchase of 38 brand new Toyota Corolla for political appointees and management staffs.
26. Purchase of 2 brand new Toyata Helux vans, 3 Tundra Jeeps, raincoats et al for police officers in the LG.
27. Renovation of the Divisional Police Officers Festac office.
28. Provision of sports materials I.e 20 modern bicycles, punching gloves and bags, footballs, basketballs et al.
29. Construction of Prof. Jadesola Akande’s community sport Centre.
30. Purchase of 30 seater covered modern boat for the health department.
31. Purchase of 14,000 school bags for primary school pupils.
32. Purchase of 17,000 school uniforms for primary school pupils.
33. Construction of 18,000 pieces of high quality mahogany desk and benches for primary schools.
34. Construction of a modern mosque in the local government secretariat for staffs.
35. Construction of a modern chapel for staffs.
36. Construction and furnishing of an air conditioned modern staff food canteen plus DSTV.
37. Construction of one story building office annex containing 16 offices.
38. Construction of a drug dispensary.
39. Desilting all the network of drainage system in Festac Town and Amuwo Odofin low cost housing estate.
40. Distribution of over 100,000 mosquito nets.
41. Purchase of 40 KIA vehicles for political office holders and management staffs.
42. Provision of Blackberry bold 10 and IPads to Political officeholders and management staffs for the administrations e-governance system.
43. Purchase of 1 brand new big TATA truck and 1 Volvo truck for environmental use.
44. Purchase of 2 brand new ambulances.
45. Purchase of 3 dumpers, 1 swap buggy, 1 bow hit and several environmental equipments like shovels, rakes, nose masks, gloves, diggers, wheelbarrows, grass cutting machines et al
46. Approved and jointly facilitated the creation of the Amuwo Odofin local government independent traditional council.
The above are just few of what his administration did while in office for 6 years
Comrade Ayodele Adewale’s efforts at repositioning the society has earned him several local and international recommendations and awards some of which include:
1. The African Grassroots Leadership Award at the 2nd GOD awards at the United Nations Headquarter in New York, United States of America.
2. Icon of Humanity/Societal Development 2018 by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
3. BEST ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN 2009, by the Federal Ministry of Environment.
4. BEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT ON HEALTH CARE DELIVERY FOR 2008/2009 by the Lagos State Ministry of Health.
5. JAM FEAST 2009 AWARD as the Foremost Local Government on Youth Educational Development by the Lagos state Ministry of Education
6. 2011 HEALTH MERIT AWARD as best local government on the delivery of health care service, by the Lagos state Health Service Commission.
7. BEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA On Health Management Information System Award 2011 by the Lagos State Ministry of Health.
8. GOLD AWARD 2011, by the Nigerian Bar Association, Badagry Division.
9. APPRECIATION AWARD 2012, by the Lagos state Community Development Advisory Council.
10. AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE 2012, by the Lagos state Governor’s Office Correspondents Press Corps as the best performing Lagos state local government chairman.
11. AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 2012, by the Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, Lagos state branch.
12. MERIT AWARD 2012, by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Lagos state branch.
13. CRAN AWARD FOR EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP 2012, by Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria.
14. AWARD OF EXCELLENCE 2012, by the National Council of Women’s Society, Lagos state.
15. Award as the emerging leader 2013 at the Oba Okunade Sijuade leadership lecture awards March 2014.
16. African Uncommon Legacy Award by uncommon legacy media international 2015.
The above are just few of the 187 awards that he has received.
Comrade Ayodele is a lover of sports and actively participates in basketball, billiards, swimming and athletics.
He also enjoys the fast paced, critical thinking aspects of playing games like chess and ludo.
In his downtime, he enjoys listening to all genres of music. He also loves watching movies and reading.
He derives great pleasure from listening to spoken words.
One of his favourite pastimes is cooking family meals, a skill he learned from his parents at the age of 10.
He contested in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for the House of Representatives ticket, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Federal Constituency in the 2019 APC primary election but was appealed to step down so that the only woman (late Hon. Risikat Ajoke Adegeye) can join the Lagos State team of 24 APC House of Representatives candidates at the general election but she lost the election to PDP.
Comrade Ayodele Adewale contested and won the office of the APC State Organising Secretary, Lagos State chapter at the 2021 APC State convention.
In less than 6months (November 2021 – April 2022) as APC State Organising secretary, he has contributed meaningfully to the development and creation of some structures in the party.
Comrade Prince Ayodele will be contesting again in the 2022 APC primary election and hopefully win and then contest in the 2023 general election.
Below are some of his past activities
1. https://youtu.be/FktGi0Ewrcw
2. https://youtu.be/Hi3dES6DHxE
3. https://youtu.be/0Lrv_F_ve2Y
4. https://youtu.be/A36-CIwJuIM
5. https://youtu.be/EIW5fdiDvjA