ODUTOLA

The biography of T. ADEOLA ODUTOLA

By:

Reuben Abati

&

Sesan Ajayi

ALF Publications

© Africa Leadership Forum 1995

ISBN 978-32319-1-X

Published by ALF Publications

P.O. Box 2286, Abeokuta

Ogun State, Nigeria

Typesetting By Ojo Ahraham Tai

Contents

From the General Editor ……………………………………………………v

Preface………………………………………………………………………vii

Chapter One: The Beginning ……………………………………. 1

Chapter Two: The Business Years………………………………. 11

Chapter Three: Statesman and Politician ………………………… 37

Chapter Four: The Schools that Odutola Built …………………. 45

Chapter Five: Attitude to Religion ……………………………... 79

Chapter Six: Homecall………………………………………… 87

Chapter Seven: What the Press Said ……………………………… 99

Appendices:

Appendix A ……………………………………………………… 135

Appendix B ……………………………………………………… 145

Appendix C ……………………………………………………… 151

Appendix D ……………………………………………………… 155

Appendix E ……………………………………………………… 161

From the General Editor

Since the inception, in 1991, of the present biographical series, under

the auspices of the Africa Leadership Forum (ALF), its General Editor

has consciously sought to ensure that clear goals envisaged and

enunciated then are attained and maintained, volume by volume.

Indeed, the first volume in the ALF series gave readers an opportunity

of ascertaining these goals. In his Forward to Abebe: Portriat of a

Nigerian Leader (1991), General Olusegun Obasanjo, Chairman of

ALF, set out these goals. In May 1991, he said:

ALF Publications have embarked on publishing books on leaders and leadership

in Africa. This book is the first, in the biography series of contemporary leaders

in all walks of life.

Leadership abounds in all sectors of human activity and ALF Publications takes

on the challenge of extolling positive leadership and leadership qualities

whenever and wherever they are found in Africa. We are going to search and

comb every nook and corner to provide role models for the youths and the up and

coming leaders. If a vacuum is created in the development of the future leaders,

the void will be filled by negative tendencies.

In our humble view, what Africa needs, indeed, what our world still

seeks, in these times that threaten, to the utmost, the patience and

peace of humankind, is leadership of manifest credibility and lasting

radiance. It is also the type of leadership that demonstrates

indisputable excellence in thought, word and deed. Each of the

volumes in the present series shall, therefore, be tested against these

universal and timeless standards.

Separate guidelines, subject to the direction of ALF, influence the

selection of persons covered in the series. It is hoped that, volume by

volume, the coverage will spread to include more eminent men and

women who have made inspiring contributions to leadership at the

national, regional, continental and global levels.

The other element of attaining and maintaining quality acceptable to

readers at home and abroad does raise sensitive issues for biographers

on one hand and any General Editor on the other. However, every

effort necessary to balance the preservation of relevant essential

freedoms (of thought and expression) with meeting high editorial

standards will always be made, volume by volume. The other germane

issues of libel and defamation shall also receive due attention as the

relevant laws of the land demand.

Furthermore, the distinctive character of each volume in the ALF

series will reflect the unique roles of the personalities involved as well

as the research capabilities and writing skills of the biographers.

Correspondingly, the level of readers’ interest will differ: depending

on several other variables.

These inevitable variations apart, adequate steps shall also be taken by

this General Editor to secure such other desirable elements as novelty

and significance, volume by volume. Thus, as much as possible, each

volume shall seek to make sufficiently weighty impacts on readers at

home and abroad.

In conclusion, useful comments by readers shall always be welcome.

Through these channels, the utilitarian value of subsequent volumes in

the ALF series will be considerably enhanced. Cooperation of this

kind, in our considered opinion, will also help the world of learning

get better and better, and more and more efficient as well as

competent, in the dissemination of knowledge of sustainable quality

and value.

Tekena N. Tamuno, FHSN,

D.Lit. (London)

General Editor

Preface

The writing of this book has a story of its own that is worth narrating.

In the early months of 1994, I had received a phone call from Ayodele

Aderinwale, Project Manager of the Africa Leadership Forum (ALF).

He said he needed to see me urgently. Would I mind coming over to

the Obasanjo Farms at Ota straightaway? Would it be alright if he sent

a vehicle to pick me up? To both requests, I obliged. The proposed

meeting, however, turned out to be a meeting with General Olusegun

Obasanjo himself!

ALF had wanted to do a biography of Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola,

the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode, Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians, OBE,

OFR, CON, former President of the Manufacturers Association of

Nigeria (MAN), frontline industrialist, businessman and educationist

who at 90 plus remained a leading light in industry and commerce. It

was Dr. Olatunji Dare, my boss at The Guardian (not yet proscribed at

the time), who had recommended that myself and Sesan Ajayi, who

was teaching English at Ogun State University, should be contacted.

General Obasanjo wanted to speak with us and further stress the

importance of the project to ALF which, as I gathered, had initiated a

series of publications on leadership in Africa. Sesan Ajayi was later

contacted. And work on the project began.

We agreed on a time-frame of eight months with the grace of

additional two months. We visited the Odutola home at Ijebu-Ode,

sought audience and interview with Chief Odutola. We also had

access to other sources. We combed libraries for existing literature.

We mapped out the chapters. We gathered date. But, fate soon

conspired against us to delay the project.

Sesan Ajayi who had been ill, off and on, became more seriously ill as

the project progressed. He had a long and valiant battle with illness.

He was particularly strong. Even, in those harrowing moments, when

he toyed with the idea of doing one essay on “The Reality of Pain”

and another: “I was ill too”, the writing of this book remained close to

his heart. Still, fate chose to remain villainous.

In September 1994, I traveled out of the country to attend a

conference in Cairo, Egypt. I returned to meet the shocking news of

Sessan’s death. His illness had suddenly become more serious; to

everyone’s dismay, death came just when we all thought the worst

was over. He was 35 and one of the most remarkable friends that I

have ever had. With his death, the completion of this book became a

test of our friendship; I was anxious not to disappoint him.

I conducted additional interviews and gathered more date. I remapped

the chapters and paid extra visits to Papa Odutola’s house and visited

important sites denoting his life and times. One night, I gathered all

the research findings together, and began to write. This book is

therefore as much a biography as it is a tribute.

As the writing progressed, officials of ALF visited my house more

frequently, asking me to hurry up. They wanted us to meet a fresh,

June 1995, deadline to coincide with the 50th Founder’s Day

Anniversary of Adeola Odutola College and the 93rd birthday of our

subject. One morning, news came that Chief Odutola had passed on.

The need to complete the book became even more urgent. My

publishers became more impatient. And work progressed.

In retrospect, it was all understandable. Great men always end up

providing a canopy under which the rest of us, less endowed beings

can hide. In writing about them, we find that we build a story of our

own and therefore realise a part of our own lives. Chief Odutola was a

fantastic man; a rare breed. His passage could not have gone without

such a substantial notice as this. At 93, he was one of the very few

members of his generation still alive. He was not only alive, the vast

empire which he had built remained intact and his spirit was

unbroken. He continued to wake up very early as he had done for over

50 years and remained awake till late. Between 4 p.m and 6 p.m.,

everyday, he attended to visitors from all walks of life. He did all that

in spite of the stroke which he had had to live with since he was 80.

As his story would show, it was this sense of duty and personal

industry that had always kept him going. The first time I encountered

him, I was shocked by his youthfulness. At other times, I was struck

by his sense of culture.

He has, in fact, lived for so long that many of us were beginning to

take his longevity for granted. Many had even resolved that he would

live till the next century. Although he was a ripe old man, still he

advertised the gift of eternal youthfulness. This was why when he

died, the news was received with surprise and, later, with

understanding. At 93, he was patriarch of a vast empire, statesman and

for seven decades, a public figure and a famous man.

What this book does is to offer his story as we found it. What we

confronted, as this work progressed, was how Odutola’s lifestyle

marked an unintended indictment of the way we currently run our

own lives. His was a life of service and industry. He was the generous

employer, strict parent and man of the people. Till his death, he could

still point out, among his staff, men who had worked for him all their

lives and who still stayed with him because they could not imagine a

more humane employer.

When he celebrated his 90th birthday, in 1992, even his own children,

whom he had brought up without any excess of emotions, were quick

to acknowledge his uniqueness. His daughter, Mrs. Adesola Adeyemi,

was reported as saying” Our father’s shoe, business-wise, is too big

for any of his children to wear” (The Guardian, June 27, 1992).

Another child, Femi Odutola, a Lagos lawyer, intimated that “his

business empire will probably go public so that there won’t be need

for any member of the family to really oversee things personally”.

Yet, his popularity was not restricted to his household. In 1980, a

drama which was largely typical had occurred at the National

Assembly in Lagos. Chief Odutola, accompanied by Chief Jerome

Udoji, had gone there in his capacity as President of the

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN). He had been invited by

the Senate Committee. Senator Ladega, representing the United Party

of Nigeria (UPN), came across him in the lobby. As a mark of respect,

the Senator prostrated full length before the eminent Chief. Senators

who witnessed this unedited show of deference were alarmed and not

a few considered it a breach of protocol. When Ledega proceeded to

inform everyone that he owed his membership of the Senate to Chief

Odutola, even the initial critics were converted.

Such an occurrence, by the way, would not have been considered

unusual had it taken place in the midst of an all-Yoruba gathering. It

was nevertheless an indication of how deeply Odutola touched other

people’s lives. He was an affectionate man who took an abiding

interest in his fellow human beings. Whatever he made, he re-invested

by ensuring that it went round. He gave as much as he took and,

always, he was likely to stress that everything was possible by the

sheer Grace of the Almighty. He was a politician, industrialist,

educationist and devout Cheitstian. He was one businessman who

never needed the services of a Public Relations consultant. Yet, his

was a life of compelling praise. Former President Ibrahim Babangida,

in 1992, described him as the “Grandfather of Nigerian business”. In

1968, Bayo Kuku, an old student of Adeola Odutola College, wrote:

When the history of this great national comes to be written and read

by ages yet unborn, the name of Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola

would be given a conspicuous place. And if he is named

philanthropist, educationist, industrialist, statesman and benefactor,

they would only have told a small part of the story, because Chief

Odutola is all these things and indeed, a great many more (Daily

Times, May 25, 1968).

Truly, twenty-four years later, Odutola was still the subject of

affectionate praise. MCK Ajuluchukwu, writing in the Sunday Times

of June 28, 1992, expressed the following view:

Chief Odutola has proved conclusively that a man of immense wealth

is capable of easy, undisturbed sleep and need not use his money for

intimidating others less well placed than himself. He has shown the

value of self-contentment, the beauty of wise philanthropy as opposed

to clap-trap self-adulating money spraying.

It is, however, to be regretted that the same society and the same

future generations for which Odutola toiled and provided

opportunities have failed to learn from his example. It is precisely in

the same areas and manner in which Odutola was so distinguished that

Nigeria is today facing its most depressing problems since 1914. Our

politics has become the politics of hate, and avarice. Manufacturing

has become an entrepreneur’s nightmare: investors have learnt to go

elsewhere; short-term investments and quick gains have become

fashionable; honest work has lost its attraction. Ours has become the

era of “419”, horse-trading and the importation of second-hand goods;

our schools are crumbling; school calendars are disrupted at will;

teachers salaries are left unpaid; the teachers themselves have taken to

trading during school honours; their students have taken to crime and

cults. Religion has also become less than secure. With Moslems and

Christians engaged in violent competition, with the small god of

commerce competing for space in the pulpit, the would-be faithful are

finding it costly to look up to the sky, in this harsh season when the

ground is shifting under our feet.

We are preceded in this effort by Foluso Longe, author of, until now,

the only biography of Chief Odutola titled A Rare Breed: The Story of

Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola (1981). Longe, now dead, was

privileged to have served as the Executive Secretary of MAN at a time

when Chief Odutola was its President. Longe worked closely with

him and was able to observe him at close quarters. The result is that

his book has the flavour of an insider’s report. It is a useful text.

Longe himself benefited greatly from the unpublished manuscript of

Late Rev. Canon E.O. Odusanwo who was the first person to have

attempted to write Odutola’s biography. We have, in the same

measure, found his own work, useful. Our objective has been to

produce a more detailed and up to date biography, covering the period

1902-1995. We hope to write a book which would qualify as a

biography and as a torchlight on a different time in the history of the

Nigerian nation. Part of our discovery is how Odutola lived in that

other time and excelled through honest means. It was a more lucid

phase of history where individual excellence was matched by the

flow, in the environment, of a poetry of higher virtues. But, now,

times have changed.

Businessmen have become part-time assassins, honesty has become

an item in the museum, to be admired not to be possessed. Odutola

was moved by this collapse in his last days. In an interview with The

News, he summed up his shock in a few rods: “This is not the Nigeria

of our dream. Everything that is happening now is very strange. Very,

very strange” (Dec. 12, 1994). He was right. Ours is a strange world

indeed. The virtues of justice, balance and fairness, by which he had

lived, have become terribly endangered.

We tell his story, therefore, with a share of the guilt of an age that has

gone crazy. In doing this, we were assisted by many notably, Mr. A.S.

Odutola, Mr. Olufunmilayo Odutola, Ms. Olayide Odutola, Rev.

Canon T. Oba Ogunfuye, Rev. A.K. Fasanmoye, Mr. Biodun

Sangosanya, Mrs. Florence Smart, Mr. E.N. Obaseki, Mr. Adebiyi

Sangosanya, Mr. Ignatius Ogbakani, Sina Kawonise and Wale

Olaitan. Ayodele Aderinwale, ALF Project Manager, and Edwin

Baiye (Deputy Manager, Programmes and Publications) who joined

ALF as this book was being written, together with their staff at the

ALF Secretariat, were helpful. Without their insistence that the

manuscript should be submitted, it would probably still be lying on

my desk. Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi and Engr. Fatai Oyelaja gave

me much encouragement. My wife, Iyabode Ajike, was both my

editor and critic. Chief Adeola Odutola and his staff and family were

also extremely kind. While supporting this project and assisting with

data, little did they realise how many more livesx have been, and

would be, touched.

Reuben ABATI

Lagos, March 1995

Chapter One

The Beginning

One day, like any other day, in the firmament of days, in the rising of the

second and the minute, and the falling of the hour in the town of Ijebu-Ode,

among the Ijebus, in a land without electricity, without tarred roads, a land

trapped in culture and modernist transition … a child was born. The

piercing natal cry had brought the family together. The exultant parents

having their first child, significantly a son, had looked up to the sky in

appreciation. A son, as always, time without end, was viewed among the

tribes, as a blessing from above. On the eight day, the child received a

name, amidst dance and song and gesture. This birth had not been

prophesied but from the configuration of stars, and from what the spirits

said, this was a special child, one of those with the lack of the palm kernel

in Orunmila’s bag of munificence. It is called Apesin, men who will live on

this side, worshipped by their fellow beings. It is in the star, not in the man.

The palm nut, leaving the beyond, had picked a head that will be bigger

than all heads. Men will bow before that head, they will be happy whenever

they find favour with the palm nut. Yeeepaaa!!! The knowing exclaimed,

awed by nature’s miracle. From the baby’s first cry, it was history that

poured forth in syllables and cadences … And a story began.

The Ijebu-Ode into which Timothy Adeola Odutola was born on June

16, 1902, was, by all standards, a society in transition, trapped

between traditional systems of authority and the emerging influence

of the colonialists. It was, however, a different time altogether. There

was no electricity, no pipe borne water, many of the roads today did

not exist. What existed was a closely-knit Yoruba community whose

indigenes were proud and who for years had proved a terror to their

kinsmen in the North and the South. Colonialism helped to open up

the community but it did not rob the Ijebus of their pride and of their

devotion to their birthplace.

It was also a slightly different type of Ijebu-Ode from what it had

originally been. Before 1892, the Ijebu kingdom was an exceptionally

vast empire, stretching as far as Lagos in the South-West, bordered in

the West by the Egbas, in the North by the Oyos, in the East by the

Ondos, and in the North-West by the people of Ile-Ife. This strategic

location made Ijebu-Ode the gateway, for several Yoruba

communities, to the seaport of Lagos. The Ijebus used this to great

advantage. They made it clear, to colonialists and traders, that Ijebu-

Ode was the heart of the Ijebu kingdom; at no time did they fail to

demonstrate their superiority which was interpreted by others as

arrogance. After the Anglo-Ijebu war of 1892, the Ijebu kingdom lost

this sovereignty and became part of a Protectorate of Southern

Nigeria. What was worse, it was reduced to a fraction of its former

self, and designated a province. Its boundaries were also shrunk and

re-drawn. This was the British way of clipping the wings of the Ijebus

who had treated colonial officers with spite.

The people’s tradition and culture, however, remained. Like many

Yoruba communities, birth, death and such other events were

celebrated; loss of life was a thing to be mourned. Children were

valued as prized possessions, and as a blessing from God. Procreation

was then largely determined by the need for support in old age, and as

a demonstration of virility, rather than the rhetoric of survival that has

become the refrain of current times. The people were traders and

farmers who were well known for their nationalism. It was a time

when men defined themselves in relation to their ethnic group. The

Nigerian nation and the idea of Nigerianness, and of regional ethnic

consciousness, were ideas yet to develop. This, then, was the Ijebu-

Ode into which Timothy Adeola Odutola was born.

On the day he was born, there were no comets seen. He was the first,

and the eldest son of his parents. His birth had nothing of the fairy-tale

content of predictions. His parents were humble and modest people,

with ties to the aristocracy of the community. His father, Sanni

Odutola Seyindemi, was a devot muslim. He was a trader, dealing in

export produce especially rubber, palm kernel and palm oil. His

mother was Sabina Otubanjo Odutola-Seyindemi, a trader in textiles

and general goods. Like her husband, she was a devoted Moslem but

later became a Christian. In the Odutola home, Christmas and Ileya

(the Moslem festival) afforded the children and the long clan of

relations in the neighobourhood an opportunity for celebration.

Odutola’s mother had her first son christened Timothy Adeola in the

church. The mere thought of a man, an Ijebu man for that matter,

allowing his wife to determine the religion of the child was considered

sheer taboo. Within the Ijebu home, as in many homes, decision-

making was treated as a prerogative of men. Women had their own

place, as mothers of the community, and as its spiritual nerve-centres,

but serious decisions were left to men. But fate, probably, had a hand

in the affairs of the Odutola home.

Odutola’s parents had great hopes for him. He was one son they

wanted so much to educate. At the time, education was becoming

increasingly important in the agenda of the Ijebus. Schools were few,

and those who attended schools were ever fewer, but with the colonial

resident, and his officers, under the “indirect rule” of the British, it

was becoming clear that the educated man had become the man of the

new age. Those who could afford to spare a son, from trading, or the

farm, therefore chose the option of education. The dream was to have

a child who would stand out in the age-group associations known as

Regberegbe. Educated members of these associations were revered,

and popular, next only to the King, the Awujale of Ijebu-Ode.

It was, therefore, not surprising that when Odutola was old enough for

his right hand placed across the skull to touch his left ear, in fact,

when he was seven years old, his parents registered him at St.

Saviour’s School, Italupe, a missionary school which offered a

mixture of education and religious upbringing. By the standards of the

time, Odutola started school rather early; this was a thing envied in

the neighbourhood. His father’s support which would have made

much difference was, however, lost rather early.

Odutola was thirteen years old, in 1915, when his father died. This

brought tremendous pressure on his mother and the family. ‘The

responsibility of maintaining the home became solely his mother’s.

Odutola managed to complete his primary education; shortly after, he

was sent to Ile-Ife to live with a relation. He, however, returned soon.

In December 1970, he is joined by many Nigerians including Sir Adetokunbo Ademola,

to mark the first anniversary of the death of his mother, Mrs. Sabinah Otubajo

Odutola. Pictured outside St. Saviour’s Anglican Church. Ijebu-Ode where the

memorial was held are the Ogbeni-Oja and Sir Adetokunbo.

The pressure on the family was such that his uncle Pa Abraham

Adesina Seyindemi suggested he learn some trade, and fend for

himself. The choice was the job of a tailor which, at the time, was

considered prestigious and lucrative. Tailor which, at the time, was

considered prestigious and lucrative. Tailors were something of local

superstars. The usual process was that the prospective tailor and

draper would be placed on apprenticeship with a master. After a

number of years, depending on ability and the whim of the master, the

apprentice would gain his freedom and then set up his own shop. The

method was much the same for other trades as well. For Odutola’s

apprenticeship, Mr. D. O. Otubusin who in 1933, became Awujale of

Ijebuland, was approached. But Otubusin refused. He insisted that

Odutola should go back to school and study. Otunbusin, rather than

taked on yet another willing hand, chose to give a lecture on the value

of education. This was quite in agreement with the thinking of many

Ijebus at the time.

So, arrangements had to be made for Odutola to return to St. Saviour’s

School to complete his primary education. He did. Subsequently, he

gained admission to Ijebu-Ode Grammar School for his secondary

education. Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, founded in 1913, was literally

the only secondary school in the Ijebu-Division at the time. It would

later turn out to be the training ground for several generations of

famous Nigerians. There, Odutola had the privilege of being taught by

the inimitable Rev. I.O. Ransome-Kuti, then a young pastor and

school Principal who devoted his lifetime to teaching and service.

This teacher later became the most outstanding educationist of his

time. At Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Odutola also met Rev. Seth

Kale who later became a bishop and remained Odutola’s long-time

friend. Yet, for Odutola, fate still chose to be stubborn.

He could not, again, complete his secondary education. At 18, after

four years at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Odutola left school and

travelled to Lagos in search of employment. He did not return to

formal education, except in another context and form.

For Odutola, the struggle for survival had begun. That he set sail, like

an expeditionist, at 18 was sheer coincidence. The good thing, though,

was that he was prepared. As events would later show, it seemed,

there was a divine design in his affairs. He, too, was ready.

The education which he had received, by today’s standards, was more

than adequate. Six years of primary education, and another four of

secondary education between 1909 and 1921 was, by far, better than

the university degrees of today. Education in those halcyon days was

taken as serious business by the teachers, their students and the

community.

The missionaries who ran most of the schools, and the colonial

authorities who articulated policies, saw education as an important

tool of liberating people, as learners, from an inherited background of

illiteracy and, in their view, from backwardness also. The colonial

investment was therefore huge; the teachers were thorough. Sound

education was considered a function of good citizenship. The teachers

worked hard; the community treated them as semi-gods. Students saw

the opportunity to wear school uniforms as a grace from Heaven; and

they took their studies seriously. Unlike events now, teachers’ strikes

were non-existent, students’ riots and sudden and continued disruption

of the school calendar were also unknown. Odutola was, thus, a

product of the school system in its early glorious days. Much of the

content was European, but there was much in the curriculum which

stressed character and learning. Odutola, for all his vicissitudes, was a

good student.

He was also being prepared for the future by the circumstances of his

birth. At a time when many still hid under the protective wings of

their parents, Odutola was like an orphan. The fact that he had to

leave school prematurely also meant that he faced the equal challenge

of succeeding against odds.

Lagos, which Odutola chose for his subsequent exploits was the major

metropolis for many of the Yourbas. This seaport, and thriving

commercial centre, many Ijebus even long before the birth of Odutola,

had seen as a land of opportunities. Lagos had a pulse of its own that

was unique. It was exciting and modern. The culture of civilization,

encouraged by the colonial residents, and the Sierra Leoneans, was

evident in its boisterous life-style. Naturally, it was considered an

achievement for anyone to go to Lagos. People went to Lagos, and

returned to Ijebu-Ode, with tales of how the streets of Lagos were

littered with cash. To be called an Omo Eko (a Lagosian) was the

equivalent of a high-grade chieftaincy title.

So, one morning in 1921, Adeola Odutola packed his few odds and

ends, and headed for Lagos, in search of fortune. One of the main

attractions was the availability of white collar jobs in Lagos. It was

one of such jobs that Odutola got on arrival. He was employed as a

clerk in the Treasury Department, under A. Ladega who later became

the Ayangbunrin of Ikorodu. Odutola’s work posed little challenges;

he had much time to himself. But it was precisely this that got him

into trouble eventually and led to his premature exit from the

Treasury. One day, the funeral procession of Adolphus Pratt, who

retired as Police Superintendent in 1914, passed by the Secretariat on

the way to Ikoyi cemetery. Pratt, then, was one of the earliest batch of

Nigerian superior police officers. Because of the stature of the

deceased, the procession was joined by several important public

figures. There was a brass band on hand supplying music, colour and

entertainment. It was a most colourful procession and a major

discovery for Odutola who together with his colleagues watched the

display in the street below, through their office windows.

Odutola was impressed. He had never seen anything like it. By the

time the procession left the frontage of the Secretariat and went into

the distance in the direction of Ikoyi cemetery, Odutola was nowhere

to be found. A frantic search for him within the premises yielded no

results. Odutola had sneaked away from the office and joined the

funeral procession. He enjoyed himself thoroughly, dancing and

swaying, and getting swallowed up by the festivity. Time passed. But

Odutola remained with the procession. He followed the mourners to

Ikoyi cemetery. It hardly occurred to him that he was supposed to be

on duty in the Treasury Department. His indiscretion was

understandable. He was new to Lagos, and he was only 19. All the

same, when he got to the office the following morning, his desk had

been re-assigned and another man had taken his place. His offence

was wandering during office hours and missing the afternoon session.

That such a thing could happen showed how different the civil service

of the time was from what exists today. Those were the days of

discipline in public service. These days, civil servants, at all levels,

hardly bother to show up in their offices. When they do at all, the day

begins with two hours of chatter, the civil servant then wanders

around the premises doing nothing; about an hour later, he would

leave to pick his children from school. In the case of a woman, she

would go to the market. Government offices have also been

transformed into shops where workers sell all kinds of things ranging

from jewellery to bags of cement.

In Odutola’s time, it was different. It was also easier to get jobs.

Shortly after his dismissal from the Treaty, Odutola secured another

appointment in the Audit Department. His stay there was also brief. It

was as if a group of conspiratorial forces decided to push him out of

Lagos. He had hardly settled down to the job when it was decided that

he would be transferred to Minna. Odutola found this difficult to

believe. His sense of adventure did not include a trip to such a distant

land. Minna, in the 1920s, was like the gateway to hel. Odutola had no

option but to begin the search for another job. The plea that Minna

was not as far as he thought did not impress him. The young Ijebu-

Ode man would rather not be that ambitious. Besides, his mother

never wanted him so far away. She had kept up the pressure that he

should return home.

Again, he was lucky. Just when he was torn between the prospect of

another employment and yet another dismissal, if he did not get

another job early enough, he got a telegram from Ade Fowokan, a

friend of his, based in Ijebu-Ode. Fowokan wanted him to return to

Ijebu-Ode to take up the position of a Tax Collector which had

become vacant in the Ijebu Native Administration. The offer was

timely. It was also attractive. A tax collector was a celebrity in the

community, and a terror too. He had both power and influence.

Odutola therefore left Lagos. It turned out, however, to be yet another

risky appointment.

Inter-departmental politics in the Native Administration put Odutola’s

appointment in jeopardy. Once again, he was lucky. Fowokan who

had invited him felt obliged to help him secure another appointment.

Soon, Odutola was appointed a Court Clerk in another section of the

Ijebu Native Administration. A useful period of stability and

consolidation followed. As a court clerk, Odutola visited and worked

in different parts of Ijebuland – particularly, Sagamu, Ijebu-Igbo,

Ijebu-Ife and Owu-Ikija. When he was not in the courts, working for

the British Crown, Odutola paid attention to and cultivated his private

life. He had always wanted to be independent. In his private time, he

tried to build up a business of his own which would serve as an

additional source of income. The import and export of commodities

was easy then. The colonial government encouraged trade between its

territories and Europe. The tyranny of corrupt practices which makes

trade with Nigeria so hazardous, nowadays, was then unknown. There

was honesty, and the legitimate investment of labour and time could

be expected to yield results. Odutola was attracted to the importation

of damask, silk, cloth, gas lamps and fishing nets. This gave him the

opportunity to know many people, and to build up a network of

customers and acquaintances. There were not many people as

enterprising as himself. What was needed was sheer industry, and

Odutola was willing to work. Gas lamps, in particular, brought him

much popularity. His clients were the churches in the Ijebu division

and, in no time, he had almost virtually monopolised the sale of gas

lamps.

It was also about this time, in 1922, that Odutola took a wife. For

almost two years, the relationship had no issues. Even till today,

among Yorubas, this is treated as a crime. The extended family,

friends and the neighbourhood were all up in protest. Odutola was

therefore forced to marry another wife. On Sunday, June 15, 1924, his

first child, Olayide Odutola, was born. However, his first wife later

also had issues.

Odutola’s foray into buying and selling soon became more profitable.

There were also fresh opportunities for expanding into the exportation

of cocoa and palm produce. In 1925, he teamed up with his younger

brother, Jimoh Akintola Odutola. The two of them established

Odutola Brothers – a multi-purpose company which, apart from

general commerce, also mined god in Ilesha. Odutola Brothers

became known far and wide. The two brothers grew in stature and

prospered.

In 1932, Adeola Odutola resigned his appointment and left the civil

service. The challenges of his position as Managing Director of

Odutola Brothers were already becoming enormous. This turned out

to be a wise decision. Within a few years, Adeola Odutola’s star was

in the ascendant. He soon became known at home and abroad, as a

businessman, with the gift of genius.

Chapter Two

The Business Years

A boardroom. Mornings. Dawn is still in the sky. At the head of the

board, so early in the day is our subject, asking for files on the

capacity of an engine, the voltage of an equipment and the amount of

space which yet another factory would occupy. Another day, at the

arrival of morning, Chairman is bustling with energy, criss-crossing

the world, capturing dreams and conquering territories, making

friends and enemies at once. Now, it is another time, another place. It

is evening: Not so much energy, anymore, but the chair remains as

active as he’s never been. “Ignatius, get me that file!” And Ignatius

going back and forth these past 35 years, gets the file. Soon, it was

dusk. The chair could barely be heard. But he kept asking for the files

on MAN, the Stock Exchange, the Ijebu Town Council, the Lagos

Chamber of Commerce … as if it all happened, the other day…

“I dealt in fishing nets for the middle and lower classes in the riverine

areas and sold gas lamps to churches, and I imported and sold damask

materials to the upper class of those days.” This was how Odutola

himself described his early beginnings as a businessman. It was a

modest beginning but nevertheless a significant one. From the sale of

fishing nets, gas lamps and damask materials, he was able to build a

network of contacts across the various social classes. The result was

that he became exceptionally popular, especially among the church

leaders to whom he sold gas lamps. The rest of the community also

began to look up to him as one trader upon whom the community

could depend. He owed his success, in part, to his earlier career as a

Court Clerk in the Ijebu division. This had exposed him to the needs

of the people. What remained was for someone who had something to

sell to match the goods with social needs. In this area, Odutola was a

genius.

He soon expanded his trade by getting involved in the local sale and

exportation of produce goods: palm kernel, palm oil, kolanuts and

cocoas. His local clients included UAC, John Holt, and A.K. Zard. He

also exported produce to Germany, the United Kingdom and the

United States. One of the companies with which he had a meaningful

and lasting relationship at the time was Busi and Stephenson company

of Liverpool. To this company, until he withdrew from produce

business, Odutola sold cocoa.

The demands on him by this enterprise soon became enormous. He

slept little and toiled hard. It was also around this time that his almost

weekly trips to Lagos began. He had a compelling urge to want to

supervise his business all by himself. It was not that he trusted no one,

but he just preferred to do things by himself, particularly as he had

discovered that personal attention to details yielded greater dividends.

He was very shrewd and firm. With his foreign partners he maintained

a very cordial relationship. He had the ability to follow-up on

contacts, his human relations were deep and unaffected. His

purposefulness paid off, as he was able to establish the infrastructure

to aid his business.

As far back as the late thirties, Odutola had built two gigantic cocoa

stores, off Degun Street in Ijebu-Ode. The stores served him as a

storage facility not only for cocoa but for all other produce goods. The

stores would later provide the base for the realisation of Odutola’s

dream as an educationist, the story of which is told in this book. At

that time, the cocoa store was like his home. The labourers and porters

who assisted him were inspired in their task by the involvement of

their employer. He knew the grades of cocoa, he could smell a good

pod of kolanut from a distance, he was what is called a “one-man riot

squad”.

With the establishment of marketing boards in 1946, however, the

produce business became unattractive to private entrepreneurs. What

the marketing boards were meant to do was to regulate Nigeria'’

agricultural exports. They turned out to be restrictive agencies whose

regulations were bound to change the rules of the game and endanger

the business. Odutola saw the handwriting on the wall. He had done

very well, particularly in the cocoa trade which, till the early 1950s

enjoyed the kind of significance which crude oil would later enjoy in

the Nigerian economy. As a produce merchant, he was outstanding.

Through sheer hardwork, he had been able to do well, and hold his

own in an area where foreign multi-nationals, like UAC and John

Holt, enjoyed a near monopoly. By this time, he was already wealthy;

and well-known. He was one of the very few Nigerians, apart from

foreign residents, who could boast of owning a car.

Cars were a rarity in Nigeria then. A car was not only a status symbol,

it was a mark of wealth. Chief Adeola Odutola was one of the first

few indigenous millionaires who also owned cars. The others were Sir

Odumegwu Ojukwu, father of the ex-Biafran warlord, Emeka

Ojukwu. Sir Odumegwu had an Austin with registration number L

7500; Alhaji Alhassan Dantata had a Morris car registered K3. The

Emir of Kano also owned a car. There was also Nnamdi Azikiwe who

went about in a small Austin. Rev. and Mrs. Ransome-Kuti of

Abeokuta Grammar School, Abeokuta, also later acquired a car, a

tireless Ford Prefect with registration number AB 640. The more

usual thing was that cars were owned by the District Officers and key

foreign residents.

Odutola’s car, he would later acquire many, had a story to it. It was a

spectacle in the Ijebu-division and a celebrated thing in Abeokuta. It

had a flag on it, a clear announcement of the status of its owner. At

that time, to get to Ijebu-Ode from Lagos, every vehicle had to pass

through Abeokuta. It meant that Odutola who was in Lagos, almost

twice every week, passed through Abeokuta often and he was as

popular in Abeokuta as he was in Ijebu-Ode. Public recognition,

however, did not make Odutola indolent. Instead, it became a more

compelling reason for him to succeed. Very early, Odutola had

realised that there was no such thing as instant success. He would for

many years tell interviewers, and his staff, that success is something

that comes over the years. He was also lucky in that, in spite of his

wealth, he lived a simple life. He was not an addict in anything but

work. He was prayerful, and he had an unusual gift of foresight. He

could smell out opportunities, ten years away, and he trusted his

instincts.

After the produce business, it was with relative ease, given his

experience and accustomed habits as a businessman, that Odutola

diversified into gold mining and timber business. He mined gold at

Iperindo in Ilesha, he established a timber industry in Ijebu-Ode, and

exported both gold and logs to Europe and sold part of the latter in

Lagos. To keep the timber business going, he founded Omo sawmills

of Nigeria which became so prosperous that the Ogun State

Government, several decades later, would acquire it, and then ruin the

business. He also set up a vast rubber plantation, covering more than

five miles and a cattle ranch, along the present Lagos-Benin

Expressway. This would eventually form the nucleus of the Adeola

Farm Estates Ltd., one of Odutola’s earliest companies. The farm

estate was, for him, part of a dream fulfilled. He had always loved

farming. In the early part of the century, farming, trading and

education were the main options available to most people.

In 1948, something happened which market yet another turning point

in Odutola’s life. He made his first visit to London: to attend the

African conference. This coincided with the emergence of the

manufacturing of vehicle tyres as a popular activity all over the world.

Following the Second World War, vehicle tyres had become scarce,

and governments and individuals were taking up its manufacture. The

Nigerian government had, in fact, also invited some people overseas

to come and help set up tyre-retreading with J.N. Zarpas and

Company. Odutola was curious. In London, he mentioned the idea of

tyre-retreading to a friend who arranged a visit to the Tyresole Factory

in England. It was during this visit that he succeeded in obtaining the

franchise of the Tyresole factory to set up the business in Nigeria.

The year was also important because it marked the parting of ways of

the Odutola Brothers. Till 1948, the business career of the two

brothers had followed almost the same pattern. Alhaji Jimoh Akintola

Odutola, 90 years old at the time of this writing, and who has also had

a distinguished life like his brother, was also a produce buyer and

exporter. He traded in cocoa palm kernel and palm oil; he later

invested in public transportation and established a transport network

which extended as far as Northern Nigeria. He also engaged in

mining. In 1948, when he visited Britain, he was described as the

pioneer of the tyre retreading business in Nigeria. He also engaged in

mining. In 1948, when he visited Britain, he was described as the

pioneer of the tyre retreading business in Nigeria. He agreed. In the

years ahead, the two brothers would grow in different and markedly

individual directions, drawing attention to the fierce independent-

mindedness that is a telling characteristic of the Odutola clan. For

example, whereas the elder Odutola was actively involved in the

activities of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Odutola

was indifferent to such associations. In one newspaper interview, he

was reported to have declared:

I am not a member of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria

(MAN). The head of such an association must be versed in

technology. Here it is for politics. The same goes for the Chambers of

Commerce. Novices often head them. Government is for protection

and security. Commerce is the power of any country.

This, however, is another story. What is relevant here is that the

parting of ways ended as a blessing for both brothers.

In Adeola’s case, he returned from London, determined to go into

manufacturing. In 1949, he registered a company known as Odutola

Tyresoles Company and set up a factory in Ibadan. The choice of

location was well-advised. Ibadan was, and still is, the most populous

and commercial nerve-centre in the West. In 1954, another factory

was opened in Kano, to serve the North. In 1956, Eastern Nigeria got

its own tyre retreading factory, established in Onitsha. The choice of

Ibadan, Kano and Onitsha is instructive. These were the three most

commercial cities in the whole of Nigeria. Their regional spread also

said something quite early about Adeola Odutola, namely, that

although he was emotionally attached to Ijebu-Ode, his home-town,

his business interests were first and foremost, an expression of

nationalism. This vision was clear from the outset. The three factories

were, well received. During Nigeria’s civil war, however, the factory

at Onitsha was destroyed. With the spread of hostilities and new

realities that followed the war, plans to re-build the factory never quite

got realised. With those three factories, however, Odutola had become

the first Nigerian to own a modern factory set-up.

He depended, at the time, on Firestone Company for the supply of

tread rubber for tyre retreading in his three companies. Later, he

established a company, also in Ibadan, the Odutola Tyre and Rubber

Company, to manufacture tread rubber for the tyre retreading

business. In 1967, Odutola became interested in the manufacturing of

bicycle tyres and tubes. To take care of this, he set up Odutola

Nigerian Industries Limited in Ijebu-Ode. The company manufactured

bicycle and motorcycle tyres and tubes.

Front view of the factory

Western State Military Governor, Brigadier R. Adeyinka Adebayo

Signs off at the Odutola Tyre Soles Factory, Ijebu-Ode

Just before the scheduled opening of this particular company, tragedy

befell the Odutolas. His son-in-law, 52-year old Oladipo Bateye,

husband of one of Odutola’s daughters, died in a motor accident. It

was a major loss, for Bateye was a successful son-in-law who had

risen in the civil service and had become Permanent Secretary in the

Western State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Before that accident, Odutola had been busy putting finishing touches

to the new factory opening which was scheduled for April 6, 1968.

Because of Bateye’s accident, and in honour of the dead, the opening

ceremony had to be postponed. The estimated cost of the factory was

#500,000 which was a lot of money then. Odutola’s objective, he said,

was to make a personal contribution and to encourage the private

sector. The motive, he explained:

Should be to leave the world a better place than we found it. We

ought to strive to put back something before we take the final bow …

During my several visits abroad, especially to Europe, I had the

opportunity of seeing developed countries. They were, in the main,

efforts of individuals. I am convinced that for this country to be

developed, individual Nigerians must be prepared to contribute their

quota. The country’s development must not be left with the

government alone.

With this conviction, Odutola continued to diversify. In 1979, he set

up a factory, again in Ijebu-Ode, known as Odutola Food Industries

Ltd. The company was advertised as “manufacturers of OFIN top

quality biscuits: digestive, short cakes, petit beurre, marie, nice, sugar

tops, crunchie cookies, sandwich filled with vanilla, strawberries,

cream, chocolates, banana, etc.” Odutola also decided to set up a

brewery, in association with A.G. Leventis of the Leventis Group.

This became know as the Continental Breweries Limited,

manufacturers of “33” lager beer. It provided corks for the brewery

industry. Crown Products Limited, another company, was established

in Ijebu-Ode. The collaboration with A.G. Leventis would turn out to

be of tremendous help. Chief Odutola and A.G. Leventis became good

friends, to the benefit of the various companies which each of them

owned. One other highpoint of their collaboration was the Odutola

Stores Limited which concentrated on the sale of provision and

general foods. This supermarket was also established in Ijebu-Ode.

It would be observed that many of these companies are based in Ijebu-

Ode. Ijebu-Ode had always held a special attraction for Chief Odutola.

At a time, he confessed that he did not think there was any place

better than Ijebu-Ode. But the greatest truth is in his declaration:

Ijebu-Ode has everything. There has been nothing that I wanted that I have

not got in Ijebu-Ode. I also get the people.

Outside Ijebu-Ode, Chief Odutola was also a part-owner, part-

founder, of three other companies – Bayer Pharmaceutical Nigeria

Ltd., Unichem Nigeria Ltd., and Alcatel Kabel Metal Nigeria Plc.

These companies constitute the Adeola Odutola Group of Companies,

a holding company whose story is one of industry and vision. The

power engine of it all was Odutola’s style as a person and

businessman. He once told a newspaper reporter who was determined

to find out his secret:

Over the years, I have known too many people who are not terribly

intelligent, but who somehow get things done slowly and perhaps not

imaginatively, but they get there. Yet too many able people who

understand much better and see much more clearly and talk much clearly

get nothing done. Hence, I have observed that effectiveness is neither a

talent nor an ability. It is a practice, a habit.

Chief Odutola lived out these words, and the native philosophy that

inspired them. For many years, he remained faithful to his own habits.

He woke up very early and slept late. When his business expanded a

lot, he travelled twice a week to Lagos. He would arrive in Lagos, and

settle down to work, long before Lagosians woke from sleep. His

home at No. 26, Ajasa Street, Lagos, also served him as an office.

Situated behind what is now the National Assembly buildings, Ajasa

Street was an upper class neighbourhood. The Odutola home was a

neat mixture of Victorian and Brazillian architecture, in keeping with

the character of the street. He shuttled between this house and

Onibudo House in Ijebu-Ode. When he was not at home, he was far

afield opening, closing or negotiating a business opportunity.

Not even once did he allow a musician to wax a record in his name,

which was something unusual in those days. Recognition by

musicians was thought by many to be an important public

achievement. Not Odutola. He kept away from vain publicity.

Whatever publicity he received was in the process of excelling in his

business. Which is why many of his contemporaries who at the time

seemed to hold some promise never could make it. They fell by the

wayside, victims of self-made hubris.

Odutola also had high standards. He wanted only the best in anything

he did. While his companies created job opportunities for Nigerians,

he was always in search of technical assistance and partnership. On

several occasions, he travelled abroad to recruit experts. For example,

his N5.6 million biscuit factory in Ijebu-Ode, opened on August 9,

1980 in Ijebu-Ode, manufactured biscuits with licence from the

Basisen Tet Group of Companies in West Germany. When the factory

became operation, it had about 652 staff. Two were expatriates:

Hartmut Bollinger, as Production Manager, and Mr. Boni who was

General Manager.

It had become obvious that, with diversification, he could not run all

his businesses by himself. The kind of one-man, lone-ranger,

entrepreneur that the produce business permitted had no place under

the Adeola Odutola Group of Companies. Still, Odutola was

determined to ensure excellence. He had a policy of searching far and

wide for good hands; wherever he found them, he lured them to his

companies. In 1973, he had even asked the Nigerian Institute of

Management to help him recruit manager of the Tyresole Company in

Kano. The other two, an economist and a lawyer, were snatched from

the Nigerian Tobacco Company and Flour Mills, Apapa. Although

many of his companies were in Ijebu-Ode, Odutola recruited only on

the basis of merit.

The supermarket at Ijebu-Ode, which in comparison to his

manufacturing outfits was a small business, probably gives a picture

of how Odutola’s mind worked. The supermarket was not small, at all,

in his estimation. It was one of those ventures he executed in

collaboration with the Leventis Group. Opened in 1975 at its 179

Folagbade Street location, this was the talk of the town. Ijebus in other

parts of the country used to boast with it. It was of the same standard

as the major supermarkets in Ibadan and Lagos and, until 1984, it was

operated closely with Leventis Stores. The first set of staff were

brought from Leventis and subsequent employees were trained by this

first set. Managers, till 1980, were also seconded from Leventis.

Chief Adeola Odutola was the Chairman. At various times, he was

assisted by other persons, notably, Matthew Eperokun who, at a time,

was named Chief Executive/M.D. and Mr. Ekhaguere. Two of Chief

Odutola’s sons were later involved in the running of the supermarket.

Between 1985 and 1986, Oladipo Odutola, Chief Odutola’s first son,

served the supermarket as Deputy Chairman, By the nineties,

Olufunmilayo Odutola came on board as General Manager.

The supermarket had nine sections: clothing, provision, hardware,

coldstore, stationery, travelling goods, electrical and a cafeteria and a

postal agency. Each of these sections was well stocked.

The supermarket flourished. But times had changed. At the time the

supermarket was opened, it was the only one of its kind. The 1980s

saw the opening of the Ita Osu market; the arrival of competition in

the form of other supermarkets began to affect sales. In the later part

of 1987, staff had to be retrenched; twenty-years later, Odutola Stores

has outlived out its glory, the postal agency is no longer operating, the

number of clients has dwindled, and the once vibrant cafeteria now

sells only beer.

Every indicator points to the absence of Chief Adeola Odutola in day-

to-day management. In the hey-days of the supermarket, he was

personally involved. He was in the store, everyday without fail. He

did the same for all his other business in Ijebu-Ode. He only had an

office at Odutola tyres. He would go round, take a look at the various

departments, discuss with the manager and leave. He was like any

other customer. The only difference was that he was well-known by

the staff. Otherwise, his presence would not be noticed.

He believed in what he called “backward integration” which meant

the recruitment of local labour, and the turning back into the

community what had been taken from it. He was particularly

committed to the welfare of his staff. He emphasised training and

excellence. He paid well too. He also went outside official ties to

compensate devoted staff. One of Chief Odutola’s staff, his Personal

Secretary, Ignatius Ogbakani, worked with him for over 30 years, and

always accompanied him on his several foreign trips. Chief Odutola

travelled a lot.

Dele Smart, another employee, was born inside the Odutola

compound. His father had served Chief Odutola as Chief Steward for

21 years. His wife, Florence Smart (nee Adedeji) also was a member

of staff at Odutola Stores since 1975. They both met in the line of

active duty. At Adeola Odutola College, the longest-serving teacher,

E.N. Obaseki, has been in the school since 1964! When Chief Odutola

turned 70, in 1972, Obaseki presented him with a bronze statue. What

kept the staff on for so long, was Odutola’s warmth. He made it a

point of duty to take genuine interest in the welfare of his staff and

their family. Bamidele Idowu, popularly called “Go Slow”, was Chief

Odutola’s Personal Driver for about 34 years. When he died, his

family who had lived with him in the Odutola compound, had no

house of their own to move into. Odutola promptly built a house for

the family, and handed over to them its keys and documents. The

children were also offered free education to whatever levels they

desired!

Odutola was, in a way, favoured by his pre-eminence. His Onibudo

house was the meeting place for the expatriate community and the

local elite. He had two law tennis courts and a lot of space. Anyone

who wanted to visit Ijebu-Ode necessarily had to visit Chief Odutola

and his factories. There was once an interesting incident. General

Yakubu Gowon, then Head of State, was to visit Ijebu-Ode as part of

his tour of the then Western region. When the programmes of his visit

to Ijebu-Ode was prepared, there was no indication that Gowon would

visit any industry. Odutola got to know of this in advance. He was

enraged. He put a phone call through to Colonel (later Major-General)

Adeyinka Adebayo, then Governor of Western State. He was full of

protest. “What would Gowon and his entourage say they saw in Ijebu-

Ode?”, he querried. The programme was quickly re-drawn!

The success of Odutola’s businesses was public knowledge; it was

this that made such moves possible. He was also known as a

statesman: he had a solid reputation behind him. Foreign investors

sought his advice. Those seeking to establish just about anything

wanted him in it. The result was that he ended up having shares in

virtually every major business that sprang up at any time. He also had

foresight. In 1933, when he built his house in Ijebu-Ode, Odutola

went to a remote and undeveloped part of Ijebu-Ode. The rest of the

community was not amused. For many years, Odutola’s housed was

pointed out from a distance, with its roof barely visible amidst trees,

as an illustration of the queerness of wealthy people. Today, Onibudo

House is in the heart of Ijebu-Ode!

It was with the same foresight that Odutola acquired lands and went

into real estate development. Long before the present Lagos-Benin

expressway was constructed, Odutola had along that route acquired

vast acress of land, particularly, at J4 where the Adeola Farm Estates

is situated. He also ended up with much land in Ibadan, Onitsha,

Kano, Ijebu-Ode and Lagos. He had established Omo sawmills in

Ogbere, which before the government take-over was almost 12 acres

of land. It was easy for him to acquire land. He had the resources. For

this reason, he was always invited by communities to come and

establish a factory in their area. He was, in such cases, either given

acres of land or required to pay a negotiated amount.

This soon turned out to be a major problem. In many places where he

had acquired land, his ownership was contested by persons who

insisted that they had been badly treated. Once, when he was publicly

accused of being a land grabber, he snapped back:

I have never grabbed anybody’s land. In fact, so many people have

asked me to buy their land. On this point, I challenge anybody who

says I have taken his land from him to come forward.

Odutola had himself known, long ago, that land-acquisition was a

serious matter. When others were not challenging him, he too was

challenging others whom he accused of poaching. The way he

resolved the matter, in some cases, was to take the photograph of the

man from whom he bought any piece of land and ensure that his

papers were in good order. Outside land, he invested in estates. He

built a full residential estate in Ikeja, Lagos; a company warehouse in

Anthony Village, and houses in Somolu, Yaba and Ikorodu Road. All

these were managed, until his death, by estate agents. These included

Fox and Company, and Adegbemile, Agangan, Akinlosotu and Co.

When the erection of buildings was involved, he personally

supervised the design and gave specifications and instructions.

He had taste not only in architecture but also in his personal

appearance. He was always neat. His usual attire was a three-piece

suit but, about 1956, he had opted for a full “agbada”, a complete

traditional wear, with no more jewellery than a gold chain and a pair

of goldrimmed spectacles. He hated ostentation and flamboyance and

as a businessman, he was always anxious to sustain his network of

contacts. He was, however, at all times, no nonsense man. He would

ordinarily not set out to confront anybody. But, whenever

confrontation became necessary, in business, local politics or any

other circumstance, Odutola could be counted upon to stand and give

a fight. In 1979, land, the usual source of problems, had led to a

confrontation between him and one Alhaji Adebisi Quadri, an Ijebu-

Ode based businessman. On March 10, 1979, Chief Adeola Odutola,

in an unusual display, led a team of 20 men, allegedly armed with

cutlasses and clubs to attack Alhaji’s premises at Yemule Road,

behind Adeola Odutola College, off Ondo-Benin Road, Ijebu-Ode.

Chief Odutola’s men allegedly destroyed the electrical in Quadri’s

factory. Alhaji Quadri himself later complained:

They removed into the waiting lorry my block moulding machine, big

generating plant, a full drum of diesel oil, files, bank tellers, bicycle

and later locked the doors leading to the offices in the block factory

and took the keys away.

Alhaji Quadri reported the incident to the Military Administrator. He

also called on the Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo, to

protect him and his workers from Chief Odutola.

The matter was eventually resolved, but not before the Commissioner

of Police intervened and instructed both men to maintain peace. He

did so in a letter dated 20th April 1979:

JB7050/OS/Vol.2/274

The Commissioner of Police

Ogun State

State Headquarters

P.M.B. 2012, Abeokuta

20th April 1979

Alhaji Adebisi Quadri

Yemule Road

Behind Adeola Odutola College

Off Ondo-Benin Road

Ijebu-Ode.

Dear Sir,

Threatening (sic) to Life and Property

By Chief T.A. Odutola

I am directed to refer to the above-mentioned petition addressed to his

Excellency, Military Administrator, Administrator’s Office, Ogun

State, Abeokuta copies this office and to inform you that investigation

has been conducted into your petition and the Divisional Police

Officer, Ijebu-Ode has been instructed to warn you and Chief T. A.

Odutola to maintain peace.

2. I am to add that you and Chief T.A. Odutola could seek redress

in civil court so as to determine the true owner of the land.

3. Please report to the Divisional Police Officer, Ijebu-Ode to

collect your items which were recovered from Chief T.A.

Odutola.

4. You can count on our cooperation at all times.

Yours faithfully,

(Sgd) P.E. Adegoke W/CSP

Chief Superintendent of Police (Admin)

For: Commissioner of Police, Ogun State.

Occurrences such as the one just described were, however, few. It

represents only part of the challenges that Odutola faced as a

businessman and investor. Because of the competitiveness that

business entails, virtually every businessman finds that, at one time or

the other, his own interests will clash so much with other people’s

interests that some measure of arm-twisting becomes inevitable.

However, it was not personal interest alone that mattered to Chief

Odutola. He spent the better part of his career protecting the interests

of business and of all businessmen. It was his conviction that business

and politics are inextricably linked. For business to succeed,

businessmen will have to attend to the politics of business, and let

both the public and the governing authorities be constantly reminded

of the importance of the business component in a society. To this task

he gave as much time as he did in other areas.

The earliest instance of his involvement was his membership, in the

later part of the 1930s, of the Produce Buyers Union. He was also a

member of the Nigerian Transporters Union of which Samuel

Akinsanya, later Odemo of Ishara, and Obafemi Awolowo, later a

frontline politician, were both Secretary and member respectively. In

1937, there had been plans by the expatriate merchants operating in

West Africa to form a cocoa cartel through which they hoped to buy

cocoa as a group and fix prices to be paid to the producers. Odutola

led the rebellion that led to the failure of this plan. He got all Ijebu-

produce buyers together; they sent a delegation to Lagos and Ghana.

If the expatriates had succeeded, indigenous cocoa traders would have

been at a disadvantage: the expatriates would have pushed them out of

the trade.

For Odutola, this was the beginning. He later became an active

member of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines.

He was, indeed, the first Nigerian member. Every other member was

either British or French or Greek. Later, two other Nigerians (P.J.C.

Thomas and H.S.A. Pearse) joined the chamber to bring the number of

local representation to three. In later years, the Chamber would

become fully Nigerian, with such distinguished persons on its

membership list as Chief Adeyemi Lawson, Chief S.L. Edu, Chief

Chris Ogunbanjo, Otunba Ade Tuyo, Alhaji Baba Danbappa, and S.

Okwesa.

But its influence was limited. The Chamber was mainly an association

of traders and businessmen. Because of its regional character, it could

not wield much influence with government. Bedises, government was

more interested in encouraging local manufacturing activities. By

1955, Chief Odutola had also become more interested in

manufacturing, but he remained a valuable member of the Chamber,

and had acquired the distinction of being its first life Vice-President.

As President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, he received Federal

Commissioner for Economic Development, Dr. Omoniyi Adewoye while A.J.

Jackson and E.E. Eribo look on.

Odutola was also an active member of the Lagos Stock Exchange,

which he joined in 1962, almost at the beginning. He was made an

honorary counsellor of the Exchange in 1965; in 1972, he became the

President. His tenure coincided with the preparation and release of the

Indigenisation Decree. Chief Odutola had been one of the vocal

businessmen who kept encouraging government to offer more support

to local initiatives. In December 1975, however, Odutola voluntarily

relinquished his position as President of the Stock Exchange. His

excuse had been that he wanted to create room for younger people to

serve. He was then 73. But, more than this, Odutola needed more time

to concentrate on his added and bigger responsibility as President of

the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, a position he attained in

December 1971.

His association with the M.A.N. particularly marked a special period

in his life. It was as President of M.A.N. that Chief Odutola realised

himself fully as a champion of economic rights. Yet, he became a

member and President of the Association almost without effort.

The Management Committee of the Manufacturers Association of

Nigeria had decided, at one of its meetings in 1971, that Chief Adeola

Odutola be approached to accept nomination as the first President of

the Association. The newly formed MAN had grown out of a merger

of the Ikeja and Apapa Manufacturers Association. The I.A.M.A.

policies were continually rebuffed by the Federal Government. Chief

Obafemi Awolowo, then Federal Commissioner for Finance, had had

to remind the I.A.M.A. that, because of its regional nature, it would be

difficult for it to influence the Federal Government. The I.A.M.A.

Council, among whom were staunch advocates of industrial union

such as Ross Gilham, the Vice-Chairman of the I.A.M.A. and Peter

Lidell, the Managing Director of Dunlop Nigeria Industries Limited,

concluded that the time had come for the formation of a national

body.

Representatives of the Council were sent to all over the country, and

they returned to report a unanimous wish for a national association,

which would be representative enough to influence national industrial

and economic policies. The first General Meeting of the Association

was scheduled for November 1971, to elect officers and adopt a draft

Memorandum and Articles of Association.

The issue of leadership naturally cropped up, and the Management

Council of the proposed M.A.N. had no problem in identifying Chief

Adeola Odutola, as the man to lead. By then, he had been in

manufacturing, trade and industry for about four decades and he had

become popular as a union man, through his activities in the Lagos

Chamber of Commerce, and the Lagos Stock Exchange. More than

this, he had factories in the three major parts of Nigeria, and enough

influence to give the Association the credibility it would need. Ross

Gilham, and Foluso Longe, Executive Secretary of the proposed

M.A.N. were mandated to visit Chief Odutola and present the

proposal to him. They met Odutola, at his 26, Ajasa Street, Lagos

residence, and after a discussion of the objectives of the Association

and government’s trade-related policies, and after the reassurance that

other associations in other parts of the country will join the M.A.N.

during its formal inauguration, Odutola accepted to be nominated for

election at the November meeting of the M.A.N.

The first General Meeting of the M.A.N. and the election of officers

was held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos in

November 1971. There were about eighty manufacturers, both

expatriate and indigenous in attendance; membership soon after the

meeting would exceed 110 companies and in a number of years, under

Chief Odutola’s leadership, the Association would boast of well over

500 member-companies from across Nigeria. At the election, Foluso

Longe, the Executive Secretary acted as Returning Officer. In

attendance were the same Council members, Derek Reeves, Ross

Gilham and Mike Bloomer who had proposed Chief Odutola as first

President. The election was meant to be a mere formality. There

wasn’t supposed to be a contest. Odutola was such an intimidating

personage, that no one would have been expected to challenge him.

But events turned out differently.

Mike Bloomer of the U.A.C. had nominated Chief Odutola as

President, and all seemed set, until a young accountant and

industrialist rose and nominated himself for the office of the

President. His only credential was that he was ready to tell anyone,

that he was the owner of 23 companies, four of which he had

hurriedly registered for membership of the M.A.N. before the General

Meeting. There was shock all around the hall, and there were those

who felt affronted that such a young man, who had become rich by

accident, could be rude enough to challenge Chief Odutola. The

Management Committee was discomfited; it was not as if the young

accountant posed any threat, there was no way he could have received

enough votes, but his mere gesture was considered an embarrassment.

He was promptly dealt with, when his attention was drawn to the fact

that none of his four registered companies, had paid the membership

fee or the annual subscription. It was such a relief when the Returning

Officer, on this account, declared his nomination null and void.

Despite this outcome, Odutola’s young challenger made a gallant

(though unsuccessful) effort to assert his fundamental right to seek an

office of his choice in a free society. In this regard, MAN

disappointed his democratic ideals.

Chief Odutola was therefore elected President of the M.A.N.

unopposed, Other members of his Executive Committee were E.Eribo

(Vice-President), Derek Reeves (Vice-President), Ross, Grilham

(Treasurer), Mike Bloomer (UAC), G. Oviasu (Benin Industrialist),

Pat Barrett, (Metal Box), A. Adedayo (Lafia Canning Factory), Frank

Shekleton (Nigerpak) and Alhaji Hassan Adamu (Nigerian Leather

Works, Kano). In later years, the newly formed M.A.N., would also

benefit from the contributions of Stanley Calvert (Liptons Nigeria),

Mr. Abidogun (U.A.C.), Richard Cheney (West African Portland

Cement), and Chief Jerome Oputa Udoji (Vice-President, M.A.N.).

Under Odutola, the initial tasks were obvious: to build the then

fledgling M.A.N. into an effective organ for articulating the interests

of the manufacturing sector, to ensure meaningful collaboration with

government in designing and implementing industrial and fiscal

policies, and at all times, to protect the interests of the manufacturing

industry, and to ensure a closer integration of industry and the society.

To these tasks, Odutola applied himself vigorously for over 10 years

that he was President of the M.A.N. He became a very well-known

commentator on business and economy. His contributions were

always documented, and well thought out, and he had an exceptional

knack for keeping records. The M.A.N. under him, became an

association that government had to consult whether it was designing

an annual budget, a rolling development plan, or a fiscal policy. It was

in this context that Odutola was appointed a Director of the Central

Bank, and the M.A.N. also found itself actively engaged in the

promotion of the Nigerian Standards Organisation.

As President, Chief Odutola supported the idea of Made in Nigeria

goods. He argued for the support of local manufacturers by

government, and canvassed for policies which would make

manufacturing attractive. He was not at any time, caught in the

euphoria of the worship of oil which became the fashion in the

seventies and eighties, instead he thought the future was in the growth

of industry. His position had been that “oil will finish while industry

will hot”. By and large, he brought respectability to the M.A.N. When

Mallam Adamu Ciroma became Honourable Minister for Industries,

the M.A.N. had a good time, collaborating with the Ministry. Ciroma

himself would at another time be a member of the Council of the

Association, and when Odutola Food Industries, was completed in

1980, he it was who formally opened the factory.

Alh. Adamu Ciroma, then Industries Minister unveils the plaque to declare

Open the Odutola Food Industries Factory in Ijebu-Ode.

As President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Chief Odutola

Shares a joke with the Permanent Sectary, Federal Ministry of Industries,

Alh. Ahmed Joda (in suit) and the Vice President, Mr. E.E. Eribo

Yet, Chief Odutola was firm. He mined no words whenever the

interests of the industry was at stake. Shortly after the civil war, the

tyre business became dull and unprofitable, and the industry was

becoming unattractive. Odutola made representations to government,

asking for a reduction in the excise duty payable on locally

manufactured tyres because of the high import duty placed on raw

materials for tyre manufacture. When it seemed no one was going to

pay any heed to him, Odutola closed down his Ijebu-Ode factory

rendering 1,500 people jobless. When this happened, government had

to take the proposal more seriously. Reason prevailed, and the Ijebu-

Ode factory was re-opened.

His concern, however, was not always tyre, but industry. The M.A.N.

which he led continuously pleaded for the collaboration of

government and the private sector, and was outspoken about industry

and the economy. The Annual General Meetings, fourteen of which

Odutola was privileged to preside over was his usual platform for

deep reflection and exposition on issues which concerned M.A.N.

Odutola’s M.A.N. was well known for its Made-in-Nigeria Campaign.

The purpose was to promote local entrepreneurship, and in 1974,

M.A.N. had instituted a N2,000.00 annual award for five years, to

encourage research aimed t improving local products. This was

announced at a Made-in-Nigeria Exhibition organised by M.A.N

However, a random review of some of Odutola’s annual address at

M.A.N.’s Annual General Meetings would give a clearer picture of

his concerns. In 1975, in an address instructively titled We’ve never

had it so bad, he lamented, “the seeming disregard of manufacturers

by some public officers who consider non-oil revenues as of no

consequence”, and presented government with strategies for

empowering local industry.

A year later, his concern was inflation, and he had predicted, that

inflection would continue for so long because of poor harvests in

Nigeria and other part of the world. He advised that a policy based on

the coercion of the private sector would not benefit the country, “it

can only succeed in killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

Although we have made the Association’s views known to the

government through our budget representations and through the anti-

inflation task force, a lot of misunderstanding still persists in

government circles with regard to the nature of inflation now raging in

Nigeria”.

In 1978, Odutola returned to the theme of “investment constraints in

Nigeria”. He lamented the collapse of public utilities and advised that

the private sector should be permitted to compete in the provision of

these utilities, he pleaded again, for the encouragement of

manufacturers, through a review of the mechanics of the foreign

exchange, assistance of manufacturers with infrastructural facilities,

the abandonment of factors which promote uncertainty and a request

for relief for manufacturers. His words:

Whilst we appreciate the difficulties facing the authorities in

control of our public utilities, we take this opportunity to reiterate

that National Electric Power Authority, Post and

Telecommunications Department and the Nigeria Airways should

not only be allowed to operate on a commercial basis, but should

also be divested of the monopoly of operation they enjoy. The

private sector in the interest of the economy of this country should

no longer be barred from competing in these fields. It is my view

and that of my Association that the most workable and constructive

system for our economy is the mixed one in which some services

in demand by the public are supplied by the private sector and

other services which cannot be efficiently supplied by the private

sector are given by the public sector.

He continued:

Now that the manufacturing capability in t he country is increasing

rapidly, it is our desire that the manufacturers should be

encouraged to take a more active interest in the distribution of his

products but under present regulations, it is not attractive for him

to do so, because his lorry is not permitted to ply back to its base

with return load. It is also desired that accelerated depreciation

allowances be granted on capital spent on manufacturers’ transport

costs. It is our view that the Price Control Board should take into

account, where applicable, unit transportation costs so that more

manufacturers would be prepared to move towards delivered price

concepts. This arrangement should bring closer co-operation

between manufacturers and Price Control Board and also

beneficial to curbing inflation in distribution costs. In conclusion,

we call on governments to look into the matter of industrial

decentralisation which government can readily encourage by

providing the necessary infrastructural support and granting some

measure of relief to new industries sited outside urban centres.

The following year, Odutola, a persistent spokesman, was once more

asking for incentives from government. He acknowledged that

progress had been made since the last meeting, noting that

infrastructure for economic growth had been strengthened, while

“plans for economic development are being implemented and efforts

are being made to stimulate and expand the economy”. His

Association, he stressed, was however, not too pleased with the state

of essential infrastructure such as telecommunication services and

electricity. Cautioning, he said:

There are other ancillary services and problem areas worth

stressing because they are vital to economic development, a few of

which I should life to mention – (a) inadequacy of industrial plots,

(b) water supply, (c) bad condition of roads in many industrial

estates, (d) inadequate sanitation and waste disposal services, (e)

more warehousing facilities where necessary. Then there is the

overall National Industry Policy which seems to be calling for

some overhauling. We have been told that it is government’s

avowed policy to promote self-sufficiency and to inculcate self-

reliance.

Odutola also had a few words for the consumer, whose lot he said

would be improved if there is enough trust between government and

M.A.N. As he put it:

Our Association expects an established policy or regular dialogue

with the government based on mutual trust, to continue to the

advantage of manufacturers and consumers, and more important

stills, to the benefit of our common people. Economic growth

would be really meaningful if it results in raising the standard of

living of the average man and not widen the gap between the have

and have-nots.

In 1980, Odutola dwelt further on the theme of cooperation and

collaboration between government and industrialists, especially in

planning and policy development. The product of such a free flow of

information would be clear and precise government policies. Having

stated this, he proceeded to call on the Federal Government to abolish

the Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) which he said

was forcing Chief Executives “to develop high blood pressure”. The

scheme, he noted, had adverse effect on industries due to the delay of

raw materials, machineries and spares, and in consequence, many

manufacturers were having to lay off their workers.

When Odutola was not thus providing direction, in his seminal

Annual General Meeting addresses, he could be found making

statements in the press, and at public functions, on developments in

the industry, offering guidance and praise as necessary. He was

invariably a highly subscribed speaker at public events, and his

concerns were wide-ranging. In a keynote address at a two-day

National Seminar on Industrialization Policy, organized by the

Nigerian Society of Engineers in July 1980, Odutola had called for a

study of the engineering implications of the Fourth National

Development Plan. He said this would help to determine whatever gap

existed between the country’s objectives and available technical

resources, and hence provide focus for future efforts. He called for an

interweaving of agricultural and industrial development. “This is

where industrialization”, he had said, “should begin and is precisely

what we have left undone in Nigeria”. A year later when the Nigerian

Stock Exchange organized a seminar in Port-Harcourt on public

Quotation for Indigenous Companies, Odutola sent a goodwill

message, expressing the support of M.A.N. and the hope that

“participants will put forward ideas and recommendations which will

be acted upon by those concerned and thus further secure greater

progress for indigenous companies in the eighties and subsequently”.

What all this represent is the extent of Odutola’s active involvement

in the growth of the manufacturing industry, and his stature as a

businessman who was as knowledgeable in the enterprises as he was

in the politics. His efforts were so broad that a paraphrase would not

do much justice: this is why an appendix containing select Odutola

speeches and correspondence as President of M.A.N. are provided at

the end of this book. The speeches and correspondence reveal Odutola

as a master tactician and advocate, these are traits of adept politicians,

but it was not in business that Odutola first encountered politics. Long

before he became the President of M.A.N., he had been an active

politician, the story of which is taken up in the next chapter.

Chapter Three

Statesman and Politician

This is the legislative council, the Western Region of Assembly, the

House of Representatives, the Constituent Assembly … Would Hon

T.A. Odutola, representing the Ijebu Division, make his

submission, please….?

Not many in the present generation would remember that Odutola was

at any time a politician. He spent his later years, practically avoiding

the politics of the day. Yet, he was active in politics between 1945 and

1966, later in 1978, he had the opportunity of participating in national

politics. A number of factors conspired to push him into politics. First

was the need to protect his business interest. The only way that could

be done was by not leaving political decisions to people who probably

knew little about the reality of business. But, perhaps, the more

important factor was the pre-eminence which the educated elite

enjoyed in Ijebu-Ode in the thirties and forties. The reason for this

was not far to seek.

The educated elite considered themselves a privileged and

knowledgeable group. They were also not too pleased with the

obviously disadvantaged position of the Awujale under “indirect

rule”. British colonial rule was structured in such a manner that,

whereas it gave what seemed like special powers to local rulers, the

rulers were no better than puppets. They fulfilled that role by also

acceding to the whilms and caprices of His Majesty’s representatives.

The educated elite who would later form the nucleus of the nationalist

struggle, felt that this arrangement would only further ensure the

exploitation of their people. Hence, they took more than an ordinary

interest in politics. The Awujale also had no option but to

acknowledge the growing influence of the Alakowes.

In 1934, soon after his resignation as a court clerk, Adeola Odutola

had been invited by Oba Daniel Adesanya Gbelegbuwa II, (Awujale,

1933 – 1959) to attend meetings of the Ijebu Native Administration in

an advisory capacity. He was also a member of Ijebu-Ode Town

Council. He was, also, around this time, an active member of both the

Produce Buyers Union and the Nigerian Transporters Union. It was in

the latter that he first met, and worked with, Chief Obafemi Awolowo

whose political career he would help to build and support in latter

years. He had a similar relationship with Samuel Akinsanya, later

Odemo of Isara, famous as a frontline politician. In 1938, Odutola had

become so well-known in local circles that he was made Chairman of

the Nigerian Youth Movement in Ijebu Division. It was in this

capacity that he championed the request, by Ijebu youths, for the

abolition of Sole Native Authority Rule. These youths wanted it

replaced by a Native Authority Council in which the Awujale would

be President. The Awujale, they said, should not wield the kind of

sole authority which he hitherto enjoyed. Odutola was well served by

his exposure as a court clerk and businessman in the Ijebu Division.

He knew all the relevant persons and had a first-hand knowledge of

the area.

It was, therefore, considered quite normal, in 1945, for Odutola to be

nominated as the man to succeed Dr. N.T. Olusoga as representative

for the Ijebu Province in the Legislative Council of Nigeria. This

marked his first entrance into national politics. It was a unique

opportunity which he used to the best advantage. He was a member of

the Council for the period 1945-47. During this period, he made Ijebu

Province the centre-piece of his contributions. He tried, in a manner of

speaking, to place the Ijebus on the map. He was eloquent and

persuasive. He brought to the attention of the Council the

development needs of the area. Given his intimate knowledge of the

province, it was easy for him to live up to the demands of his Pan-

Ijebu mandate.

In February 1946, he received an important letter from the Union of

Ijebu-Ode Societies, signed by representatives of the Goodwill

Society, the Ijebu-Ode Aborigines Society, the Paragon Improvement

Society, the Ijebu-Ode Muslim Improvement Union and the Ijebu-Ode

Muslim Friendly Society. The Union praised him for his commitment

to the affairs of Ijebu Division, and implored him to help plead their

cause with the government. Their letter read in part:

Since your nomination, we have learnt with great satisfaction your

laudable activities in visiting some important district towns of

Ijebu-Ode with a view to discussing with them their local problems

and needs which may be brought to the notice of the government

thought you as their representative on the Legislative Council. We

heartily commend this gesture which, we have no doubt, will tend

to mutual confidence and solidarity in Ijebuland.

In conclusion, dear compatriot, please permit us to bring to your

remembrance some of the immediate pressing needs of our country

of which you are aware. Ijebuland stands in dire need of many

social amenities such as water supply, electric light, construction

of Lagos-Ijebu-Ode Road, and more medical and educational

facilities throughout the country. We trust you will leave no stone

unturned in pleading our cause with government for these

amenities.

Odutola needed no such prompting but the letter from the Union

showed the support which his nomination to the Council enjoyed

among his fellow Ijebus. Their letter also represented a vote of

confidence. And Odutola was well and able. As a member of the

Legislative Council, he made over 75 speeches. In nearly all, he drew

attention to Ijebu Province. His maiden speech, for example,

responded to the question of Land Tenure, Colonial Development

Schemes and Controls. He was particularly emphatic about the need

to relax those controls which were beginning to threaten economic

development in Ijebu Province: As he put it.

During the world war years, Ijebus were more severely hit by road

transport restrictions than other people, especially in t he matter of

carrying produce between Ijebu-Ode, Ibadan and up-country. We

were then told, and we loyally accepted, that the emergence of war

made it necessary. But now the war is over, the Ijebu people will

like to see a complete relaxation, particularly in the direction of

movement of produce. As it is well known, the bulk of the Ijebu

people are traders, and the request for relaxation of restriction of

transport is a most reasonable in this case, in view of the fact that

the Province has not the advantage of rail or river transport. It is

observed that restrictions are no longer as vigorous as before in

some other places by rail and river transports.

Another aspect of the restriction which does not appear to be

necessary any longer is that which prohibits the movements of

lorries between 7p.m. And 6a.m. I can understand this is the time

of war for security and emergency reasons: and I would ask, Sir,

that it be removed in view of the fact that there is no potential

enemy to whom movement of lorries during the hours of darkness

may be of any help. With the cessation of hostilities, the Great

powers, notably Great Britain, are anxious to develop their export

trade. I appeal to you, Sir, that we should be allowed to improved

our trade without any undue restrictions; otherwise, we shall have

no money with which to buy export goods from the other country.

In other contributions, Odutola pleaded for the provision of basic

amenities in Ijebu Province. He also argued for improved relations

between the Provincial Council and the Central Government. He soon

became famous among his colleagues in the Council. This gave him

an opportunity to make friends with other representatives from

various parts of the country. He would find this useful later, as he

sought to build a business empire with factories all over Nigeria.

Odutola’s term in the Council ended in 1947. Almost immediately, he

was again nominated to represent Ijebu Division in the Western House

of Assembly. He also represented the Western House of Assembly in

the Legislative Council through the Electoral College System. Foluso

Longe, author of the first biography of Odutola made his most

important speech as a politician. “The speech was made on March 7,

1950. It was, in the main, a commentary on the Appropriation Bill,

which turned out as a critique of company tax, government

departments and agencies, infrastructural provision, and agriculture.

He had made a case for the reduction of company tax and Company

Profit Income tax. He had argued that this will encourage foreign and

local investments. In what was a remarkable display of forthrightness,

Odutola had even taken up the problems of transportation. Without

mincing words, he told the Assembly that the decision to ban the

importation of American trucks in preference for British trucks was

unwise because British trucks were not strong enough for Nigerian

roads, and businessmen who were being forced to use them were

recording huge losses. He further commented on complacency in

government circles, poor staffing of public departments, inadequacy

of basic public infrastructure and the maltreatment of qualified

engineers.

The speech, laden with genuine passion, gave clear indications of

Odutola’s public-spiritedness. He was interested in public welfare, the

need to provide an enabling environment for business and commerce

and the development of the country through prudent management of

resources. That he had a good case was well borne out, when in

subsequent years the major issues he had highlighted became the

targets of concern in both government and business circles.

Odutola was in the Western House of Assembly till 1959. Throughout

that period, he was called upon to serve in other capacities. During

1952-1956, for example, he was a member of the House of

Representatives. In 1956, however, the dual membership for the

legislature was abolished making it impossible for Odutola to serve in

both the House of Assembly and the House of Representatives. A

general election was called. Odutola contested on the platform of the

Action Group and recorded an overwhelming victory. This was not

surprising. He had fully become a man of the people. In 1955, he had

been elected Chairman of the Ijebu Provisional Council. In 1956, a

vote of confidence was passed on him, in recognition of his good

management of the Council. He was also re-elected Chairman of the

Council. In 1957, the same process was repeated. Odutola remained

Chairman till 1959.

His career as a politician was helped, in no small measure, by his

outspokenness. He was a very frank debater. This enabled him to

present his contributions, at political sessions, with great and

infectious conviction. He also had an abiding interest in people. He

cultivated friendships with ease. He built bridges of affection across

all barriers of religion, beliefs and geography. He was also very

generous. He was therefore not only famous but also affable. It all

paid off. He was the recipient of many honours, and the beneficiary of

his own selflessness.

In 1948, a year after he had served in the Legislative Council, he was

awarded O.B.E. by His Majesty, King George VI. It was also in this

year that Odutola was selected to represent Nigeria at the African

Conference in London. Others representing Nigeria included Alhaji

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa who would later become Nigeria’s Prime

Minister, Venerable Archdeacon T.A.J. Ogunbiyi, Chief Akinpelu

Obisesan, Dr. Akanu Ibiam, Alvan Ikoku, Charles Onyeama, Chief

Eyong Essien, E. Awani, Oba Aderemi I (the Ooni of Ife), Emir of

Katsina, Emir of Gwandu, and Yahaya of Ilorin. In 1949, Odutola was

a member of the delegation to the Telecommunication conference in

Dakar, Senegal. In 1951, he was on the Nigerian delegation to the

Festival of Britain. In 1966, he was honoured with the title of the

Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) and, in 1982, with

the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

But, perhaps, the most remarkable recognition of his contribution to

public good was the offer by the Awujale of a Chieftaincy title: the

Ogbeni-Oja (Prime Minister) of Ijebu-Ode. When the title was

offered, Odutola thought nothing of it. He paid the necessary

customary dues and performed the necessary rites but he did not

perform the Iwuye ceremony which would have meant a public

announcement and acceptance. All this was in 1948, shortly after he

had been awarded the O.B.E. The truth, really, was that the title had

been offered long before 1948, but Odutola had rejected the offer. His

thinking was that Chieftaincy titles were meant for successful sons

who had established themselves in other lands, a title was a way of

bringing them home so that they could contribute to the development

of the town.

But since, he, Odutola, was settled in Ijebu-Ode, and actively involved

in nearly everything, he felt a Chieftaincy title would amount to open

patronage. In 1956, however, an incident at the Ijebu-Ode Town

Council compelled him to change his mind. He was making a

contribution to a debate on the order of precedence in the arrangement

of names of traditional chiefs, when some radicals in the Council

reminded him that, since he was not a chief, he had no basis to speak

on the subject. This hurt him, and he resolved, there and then, to

accept the title of Ogbeni-Oja fully, and proceed with the Iwuye

ceremony. Those who had been privy to the hide and seek game

which Odutola had been playing with the Awujale over the title, and

who were present at the occasion, were excited and they exclaimed:

Oja ja gba. This expression also became a title of sorts. Everywhere,

Odutola was hailed O ja ja gba (he has at last accepted). Soon,

Odutola began to prepare for his Iwuye ceremony.

He had, by this time, made a number of enemies. These were people

who hated him for his prosperity, and for his support of Chief

Obademi Awolowo, leader of the Action Group. They resolved to

disrupt the Iwuye ceremony. At the end of the day, all went well. The

Resident had sent a contingent of policemen from Ibadan; if anyone

wanted to disrupt the ceremony, it would have amounted to a suicide

attempt. Thus, Odutola became the Ogbeni-Ode. When Oba

Gbelebuwa II died, in 1959, for example, Odutola was the regent in

charge of the town until January 1960 when Oba Sikiru Adetona, the

new Awujale and old student of Olu-Iwa college, was presented to the

Ijebu people at Itoro.

Odutola brought much respectability to the title of Ogbeni-Oja. Till he

died, many people referred to him as Kabiyesi (Long live the King).

He was consulted by the palace on any major decision affecting the

town. His position, as Ogbeni Oja, ensured a life-long commitment to

a town that had become not only the land of his birth but also the

headquarters of his many business. Odutola responded by giving more

of his time and resources. Apart from his businesses, he would later

give the town two schools and a church. He also single-handedly built

a market which he handed over to the Ijeb-Ode Local Government.

The market which stands till today is known as the Adeola Odutola

Olu-Iwa Better Life Market. It is situated at Aiyesan Street, Off

Folagbade Street. It is a major complex, comprising modern stalls and

shops, painted yellow and green, with a fence round it. The

establishment of the Ita Osu Market, and the popularity that the new

market enjoys, has robbed the Odutola market of its initial pre-

eminence but it stands, all the same, as yet another major testimony of

Odutola’s public-spiritedness.

It is worth nothing that, whereas Odutola’s involvement in local

politics was a life-long affair, he eventually had to withdraw from

national politics. In 1960, following the 1959 Federal Elections, he

was elected to the Senate (Nigeria’s Upper Huse), again, on the

platform of the Action Group. He remained a member of the Senate

till 1964. In 1965, troubled erupted. The Western Region faced the

major crisis that earned it the title of the Wild Wild West, and which

brought Dr. M.A. Majekodunmi to power as the Administrator of the

region. Many of Awolowo’s to power as the Administrator of the

region. Many of Awolowo’s supporters were hounded and victimised.

Odutola was no exception. He was detained in Ilesha, along with

Mojidi Agbaje of Ibadan. In 1966, the military struck, beginning a

continued involvement of the military in politics. Odutola who had

been used to a different kind of political style lost interest in politics.

As member of the Legislative Council, the Western Region House of

Assembly, and the House of Representatives, he was used to the

politics of give and take, without bitterness. The new politicians were

different: they preached and practiced the politics of hate, division and

violence. The loss of human lives became an index of the seriousness

of politics. Odutola would have none of this. He withdrew, and

concentrated on his business and local politics.

He had significantly seen Nigeria through the constitutional struggles

for independence, up to the point it became established as a sovereign

nation and a federation. He had also had the distinction of sharing that

phase of history with equally remarkable Nigerians – Dr. Nnamdi

Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello and

Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. It became difficult, however,

with such a profile and network of influence to stay away completely

from politics.

In 1978, Odutola was again called to public service. He was

nominated a member of the Constituent Assembly by the Federal

Government to represent the Private Sector as the President of

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. In 1979, when political

activities resumed in earnest, many politicians trooped to Ijebu-Ode to

receive his blessing. He supported many an aspiring politician but he

kept out of the limelight. When, in an interview with The News in

December 1994, he was asked to comment on present-day politicians,

his response was a mixture of nostalgia and shock:

Forget about now. At that time, people were serious, they were

principled, they had respect for themselves. Now, it is the exact

opposite. Politicians now are unprincipled, unserious, undedicated.

They have no respect for themselves.

That was Odutola’s parting short for Nigerian politicians: an

affirmation of how, poorly, the times have changed.

Chapter Four

The Schools That Odutola Built

It was noon, or just about, on a day like any other. The compound

looked desolate, the roads leading to the premises were the colour

of brown, and patches, of black-vengeful relics of a once smooth

macadarnised road. The entrance gate through the western part of

the premises was shut - a reminder that the compound was again,

on holiday. The visitor entered through the northern gate, this was

open, leading directly to the main hall. In the distance was a

festering tree, with enthusiastic branches, sitting in a roundabout,

surrounded by patches of brown, dust and black. Just about this

perimeter, a Peugeot 504 was packed, painted light green, with an

ambulance lamp on top of it. Under the tree, six elderly looking

persons sat, with two young ones who from their mien resembled

students.... Welcome to Adeola Odutola College, in the harmattan.

There was an eerie silence in this vast stretch of land, space and

structures. Mat seemed like desolation was broken by the anger of

the teachers. Their anger swelled like the notes of the accordion,

attained the smooth articulation of a rehearsed concert, and the

anger poured forth. They had no time for any visitor, least of all a

researcher in a season of hunger and anger. They would rather

discuss their condition, shot through with existential anguish. And

the notes poured forth too: strident and angry, each verb was

pointed like an accusing finger at a lost glory, the converse was an

angry look back at history, and soon, it became clear: Teachers

salaries had not been paid, the teachers were on strike although

they had no students to teach. They bemoaned their fate, and, as

they did, the ground on which they sat, the very tree under whose

foliage they took shelter, and the aged roads on which their well-

used cars were packed provided a counterpoint saying it was not

always like this, around here. And the grounds, and the trees, and

the roads, conspired to tell a story. The story of the same college

which had served as their home since time appeared as an element

in the firmament…

For close to three decades, Ijebu-Ode Grammar school, founded in

1913, was the only secondary school in Ijebu-Ode Division. The

nature of those times saw to it that anyone growing up could either

trade or farm or go to school. Because of the increasing spread of

Christianity, and the rising popularity of the elite, the option of

education was particularly attractive. Those who wanted their children

to assist them in their trades or on the farm also wished that one or

two of their children should go to school. School children, with their

teachers, therefore constituted a major attraction. And so it was that

Ijebu-Ode Grammar School received students in large

numbers..Adeola Odutola was himself a pupil of this school. By the

1940s, however, Ijebu-Ode Grammar school, after about 32 years,

could no longer cater for the horde of students who were continuously

thrown at its doorsteps. Education then had virtually become an

industry among the Ijebus..The result was that many parents had to

arrange send their children to school, outside Ijebuland, particularly to

Lagos, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Ile-Ife, Ede or just about anywhere where

there was a school a that could guarantee admission and

accommodation. Many of these pupils, soon after their education,

chose to settle down outside Ijebuland.

This loss of critical manpower bothered Chief Odutola. He found it

difficult to stand by and watch generations of Ijebu children drift

away to other lands and becomes a loss to their homeland. His

response was simple. He decided to establish a school. In this, his

cocoa stores, along Degun Street, played a noble role. It was to these

stores (four of them, two on either side of the road) that he turned. At

the time, he had already abandoned the procurement business, and

was venturing into manufacturing. It was as if fate had a hand in it all.

The cocoa stores were large enough for his purpose. They were, in

fact, mighty halls, with a part already converted for use as a tennis

court.

In 1945, a school was eventually established. It was called The

Secondary Commercial College, Ijebu-Ode. J. Onyakwere was its first

Principal. On the staff were B.A.O. Sangosanya, Macjob, O.

Odunowo and D.F. Hogan. The school had a total of sixteen students,

all male, on its register.

Thus, an acorn had been planted. A revolution was born. The

monopoly that had been enjoyed by Ijebu-Ode Grammar School for

32 years had been broken. For the first time, the people of Ijebu-Ode

were offered another school to which they could send their children, a

product of the personal initiative of T.A. Odutola.

The initial reaction was, however, negative. The Ijebus, whom

Samuel Johnson, himself a biased critic, has described as "the most

exclusive and inhospitable of the whole of the tribes", found reason to

query Odutola's motives. His critics complained bitterly. Their

grouse was that Odutola had designed yet another money-making

venture. He was called names, behind his back, of course, ranging

from greedy to over-ambitious. The truth, however, was that,

although the students were required to pay a token fee, Odutola was

susidising the college to the tune of ₤700 to E800 annually. His

concern was far more humanitarian than commercial. He was worried

that his motives were misinterpreted. He was however not deterred.

He was encouraged to forge ahead, by the support and counsel, he

received from Rev. S.I. Kale, his long-time friend who had been his

classmate at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School. Encouragement also came

from Rev. I.G.A. Jadesimi (later Bishop and administrator of Ibadan

Diocese) who served the college, dutifully, in its early stages as

school manager. Hence, Chief Odutola carried on.

The college was, however, of a different character from IjebuOde

Grammar School. It offered only commercial subjects, a grammar

school was invariably considered more prestigious.

In 1948, Odutola again fulfilled the need for a grammar school by

establishing yet another school which he named Olu-lwa College. It

was easy for him to obtain the approval for the establishment of this

other school. Within three years of the existence of the commercial

college, it had become clear, and the point had been well made, that

Odutola was determined to offer service, more than anything else.

OluIwa college was formally opened on February 28, 1948. It was a

very colourful and impressive ceremony attended by Western state

Ministry of Education officials, among whom was M.T. Taiwo, whose

death, shortly after, was such a shock to both the teachers and the new

students. Odutola, at the occasion, was the proud proprietor. He had

attended the ceremony in a posh blue and light green car, with a flag

on it. This was at a time when there were just three cars in the whole

of Ijebu-Ode owned by: Odutola, the District Officer and the

Kabiyesi. There was no electricity, electricity would later come in

1959, and the roads were just a little wider than footpaths. The

students, about sixty of them, were, however, exultant. Admission

into a secondary school, at the time, was the fulfilment of a life-

ambition.

Olu-lwa college shared the same premises with the secondary

commercial college. Both schools were operated under the same

management, although with different curricula. They were together

till 1951, when the college had grown so rapidly that the cocoa stores

became inadequate. The credit for this growth belonged both to the

proprietor and his staff. The principal, G.E.A. Lardner, was a Sierra--

leonean. The other teachers included B.O. Olowofoyeku (who would

become principal in 1949), N.K. Onadipe (who would later earn the

distinction of being the longest serving principal, 1950-1959), A.

Hussey (Principal, 1961), A.J. Sampson, Rev. Ogunowo and F.C.

Okonrokwo.

The teachers stressed discipline. They considered it their duty to

ensure that their pupils turned out well and they did not spare the rod

when it became necessary. This was the time when corporal

punishment was appreciated even by the students who were expected

to receive corporal discipline with an expression of gratitude. Parents

even brought their children to the school to be disciplined as thought

appropriate by the teachers whose word was law in the community.

The students were taught English literature, Latin, English,

Elementary mathematics and such other subjects which made them

feel superior to their counterparts in the commercial college.

By 1952, the commercial college was moved out of the cocoa stores

to a site near the present Our Lady of Apostles site in Ijebu-Ode.

Meanwhile, Olu-lwa College remained at the cocoa stores. The

original plan was to develop both institutions, as separate schools

serving the differing purposes for which they were established. It had

occurred to Odutola however, that, with the growing strength of Olu-

lwa college, he would need to acquire and develop a permanent site

for the school. The school had virtually overgrown its temporary

premises. Odutola therefore began the search for land. He,

eventually, succeeded, through the kindness of the Porogun

community and his maternal family who made available to him 150

acres of land, on the South-Western outskirts of Ijebu-Ode, on the

foreshores of the Yemule river. He paid for the land, of course, but at

a very generous discount, even by the standards of the period. Work

on the new site began almost immediately. Odutola was disturbed

about the expensiveness of the venture, it was as if every penny he

made from his business was taken up by the school project, and he

had to complain loudly, in spite of himself, to his friends, who kept

encouraging him. These included (Rt.) Rev. S.I. Kale, S. Odulaja,

John Otuyelu and J. A. Fowokan.

By 1956, Chief Odutola had successfully put up two blocks of

building-the science block and a main block-containing sixteen class-

rooms, a library and an assembly hall. The buildings were completed

and Olu-lwa college was moved to this new site. The Secondary

Commercial College was then moved back to the cocoa stores. The

two schools stayed separately until 1963, when Odutola completed

Owojona hall. The plan was to move the Commercial College to

Owojona hall. But about this time, government began to toy with the

idea of encouraging a comprehensive high school system. The

Western State Government went ahead to establish the Aiyetoro

Comprehensive High School. Chief Odutola studied the idea. It

occurred to him that his schools already constituted the objectives of

the new system.

Hence, the two schools (The Secondary Commercial college and Olu-

lwa college) were merged to form the nucleus of the Adeola Odutola

Comprehensive College. The new school became operational in

February 1964. It was formally opened on December 8, 1965 by

Chief Obafemi Awolowo, then Premier of the Western region. It was

an extra-ordinary ceremony attended by persons from nearly the

whole of Ijebu-Ode, which had then become appreciative of Chief

Odutola's ventures. A marble plaque, in front of Adeola Hall, in the

school premises, records the event for posterity as follows:

To the Glory of God and in Ever Thankful Remembrance of his

Mercy and Grace vouchsafed this college, founded and erected by

Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola, the Ogbeni-Oja of ljebu-Ode, for

the spread of knowledge, is formally opened by Chief the

Honourable Obafemi Awolowo, first Prime Minister of the

Western region Government of Nigeria, this 8th Day of December,

1965.

A turning point, obviously, had been reached in the life of the school.

The future meant nothing but greater challenges as spelt out in a

Western Nigerian Government publication: Progress in Western

Nigeria Education. This publication sought to offer a definition of the

new method of secondary education.

A radical departure in secondary education from the Grammar

school type is seen in the introduction of a Comprehensive High

School System - a now phase in the system of education in

Western Nigeria.

The system is not only dynamic but also unique, in that unlike the

old Grammar school type, which offers purely academic work, this

system affords a total of seven years of post-primary education

suited to the needs, aptitudes, interests, and academic capability of

each student.

The exclusive value of the setup is the flexibility and possibilities

it offers of variations in the curriculum without detriment to the

academic quality of the fifth and sixth form products.

To translate this idea into reality, two such institutions have

recently been established in the region: one of them, known as

Aiyetoro Comprehensive High School, started to run on an

experimental basis two years ago as a joint venture between the

Western Nigerian Government and the U.S.A.I.D (Technical

Assistance) programme: the other Adoola Odutola Comprehensive

High School, ljebu-Ode was established in 1963 by Chief T.A.

Odutola, Ogbeni-Oja of IjebuOde.

The new school was also a personal breakthrough for the proprietor.

He who had already earned a reputation of being first in many things

had, with the merger of his two schools, established the first voluntary

agency - owned comprehensive High School in the Western region.

The foundation upon which the new school would be built had

however been provided by its precursors. Both the commercial

college and Olu-Iwa college had been run, with a deep sense of duty.

In both schools, the teachers and the students had begun to build a

future. N.K. Onadipe, Principal for nine years, became something of

a legend for his devotion to work, and thoroughness. Other members

of the staff included Olufemi Olutoye, Acting principal of Olu-Iwa

college April - December 1959, who later left to join the Nigerian

Army where he rose to the distinguished rank of a Major-General,

J.A. Awolalu (Acting Principal, Olu4wa college, August-December

1963), who later became a Professor of Religious Studies at the

University of Ibadan. The students equally fared well. It was the

policy from the onset to encourage brilliant students. They were

offered scholarships. Some of the bright ones were retained as tutors

in the school and layer sent on in-service training. This was what

happened to Timothy Ogunfuye who graduated from Olu-Iwa College

in 1953 as the best student in his class. Ogunfuye was retained as

number of staff and was later sent on in-service training, October

1954 – June 1956, at the Nigerian College of Arts and Science in

Lagos. During vacations, he returned to the school to teach.

In October 1956, Ogunfuye was sponsored for further studies at the

University of Ibadan under Regulation 19: a form of scholarship for

in-service training. Ogunfuye studied classics; upon graduation, he

returned to take up a full career in his alma mater. He was a teacher

from 1960 to December 1972. Between 1967 and 1969, he went

abroad for post-graduates studies. He returned to become Acting

Principal, April July 1967, and substantive Principal from September

1977 to December 1988. Ogunfuye, later a full time clergyman in the

Ijebu-Ode Anglican Diocese, showed how deeply the Odutola dream

has transformed many lives. And significantly, Ogunfuye was not the

only alumnus; whose life and that of his alma mater appeared closely

linked.

It was this same tradition that Odutola had set out to establish in the

new school. But there were, from the onset, very serious problems,

beginning with the choice of a Principal for the combined school. At

the time of the merger, there were two principals, one for the

commercial school, and another for Olu-Iwa College. The former was

headed by D. F. Hogan, an expatriate, and the latter by A. S. Odutola

(not a relation of the proprietor), appointed Principal of Ijebu-Ode

Muslim College. He had been recommended to Chief Odutola by the

Western State Ministry of Education, in 1963 when Odutola had been

hunting for a principal to take over from J. A. Awolalu. His arrival

was fortuitous, for it was the following month that Adeola Odutola

Comprehensive College was created; but it also created another

problem.

The choice of a Principal became such a political issue, with students

of both schools insisting that their Principal should be THE Principal.

The popular thinking, indeed, was that Odutola was a newcomer. Like

all newcomers, he was considered a spoiler not only in the

commercial college but also in Olu-Iwa College by those who felt his

presence had robbed them of expected opportunities. If the two

schools were to be compared, Olu-Iwa was the bigger one, with

eleven expatriates on its staff. The commercial college had only two

expatriates, but its principal, D. F. Hogan, was more experienced.

The Ministry of Education eventually resolved the matter. The

Ministry, which at the time set standards, chose A. S. Odutola. If

Hogan had been a Nigerian, he probably would have been the

Ministry’s choice. In due course, A. S. Odutola, despite the bad blood

that had attended his appointment, exceeded the expectations of his

worst critics.

The school, which he inherited, was a large one, with five arms in

each school. He remained Principal from 1964 to 1972, a period that

could easily be considered the school’s golden years. It was under his

leadership that Odutola College grew to become the most important

post-primary institution in the Western region. Parents particularly

wanted their children to attend Odutola College. The schools

maintained extremely high standards. In a short while, it had become

an international school, with students coming to Ijebu-Ode from far

and near. The children of the expatriates’ community in and outside

Ijebu-Ode also attended the school. The school had no ethnic or racial

policies, only merit counted. In 1955, the Head Boy was S. Iyatshere;

in 1966, Sunny Ejiogu; in 1970, Gard Mafo; in 1971, Jolly Meba – all

non-Ijebus, and non-Yorubas!

Teachers were also recruited from anywhere, as long as they were

distinguished in their respective areas.

At the time the college was opened, in 1964, student’s population was

a little above 400. Eight years later, there were about 1,300 students.

The Principal was, however, only a point man, representing the

Ministry and the Board of Governors. Although the school was fully

owned by Chief Adeola Odutola, the Western State Government was

also involved in the running of both Odutola College, and Aiyetoro

Comprehensive High School. These, in government regulations, were

regarded as grant-aided schools. The government set standards by

sending inspectors to the schools on an occasional basis. It also paid

teacher salaries, provided an occasional grant for the purchase of

science equipment and fixed school fees. It was also the Ministry that

appointed Principals, and approved the appointment of teachers.

Odutola College did not have to take any permission from government

to spend any money. What it did was to retain a fraction of the fees

that were collected, only a percentage was returned to the Ministry.

The Ministry’s intervention served the purpose of ensuring control,

and to protect colleges under its jurisdiction from certain

unscrupulous proprietors, many of whom existed at the time, who

used their schools as money-making ventures, without due regard for

the quality of instruction. The day-to-day running of Adeola Odutola

College was, however, the responsibility of the college Principal and

the Board of Governors.

The Board of Governors was selected by the Proprietor. It comprised

mostly his friends, representatives of the Ministry and the Principal.

Later, it was the practice that an old student should be a member. The

Proprietor was Chairman and he was very powerful. He and the

Principal were the two signatories to the account. The board could

recommend the removal of a teacher; but generally, teachers applied

for appointments through the Principal who would write to the

Ministry for assessment and approval; the board appointed Principal.

The school had its full complement of teachers, most of whom were

graduates. At a time, there were about 58 teachers.

Chief Odutola, at every turn, was the moving spirit behind the

enterprise. It was his personal industry and devotion that kept the

dream alive, and the standards high. The tendency, at the time was to

compensate with the government school in Aiyetoro. Odutola wanted

only the best. It was clear, even to the students that the Proprietor was

in love with the school. Every morning, as early as 7.30am, Odutola

came to the school premises. He would drive round; ask the Principal

questions, before going to his office at Odutola Tyres. The school

enjoyed no building grants from the government, all the buildings

were put with Chief Odutola’s own personal funds.

His commitment was electrifying. He was also always in the school in

the evenings, supervising labourers and artisans, and mapping out

areas for further work. The period 1968 – 72 saw the unending

construction of buildings and the provision of other facilities. As at

1972, the school already had 32 classrooms, 6 science laboratories,

one administration block, one ultra-modern boarding house for girls

and a Higher School Certificate library. Some of the projects had also

been completed by that time, including the installation of electricity

and pipe-borne water, the construction of six staff quarters, including

that of the Principal, construction of two dining Halls, one for

boarders and the other for Day Students; and the construction of a

science theatre. There were plans also to start a students’ union

building.

These efforts resulted in a very beautiful compound, which had

become known as the local university. It was also a source of pride

and happiness to the proprietor whose personal taste and love for

excellence had informed the design of the campus. Within a short

time, Odutola College had become popular among parents and the

community at large, and soon the school also enjoyed the goodwill of

persons and institutions, which felt obliged to assist Chief Odutola in

realizing his dream. For example, A. G. Leventis who had earlier

given a donation of #200 also donated modern furniture and helped to

equip the HSC library. The Awujale of Ijebu-Ode, Oba Sikiru

Adetona, also an old student of Olu-Iwa College, a scholarship worth

#200 and volunteered to build a tennis court.

The West Africa Steel and Wire Limited, Apapa, donated #1,500 to

assist the construction of the classrooms. The Western State Ministry

of Works and Transport helped to pave the school roads at a generous

discount. O. Holzmayer of Messrs Kari Zangal in West Germany

donated ball biros for students’ use. Alhaji Olatunji Omo-Owo

awarded a scholarship worth #360. Dyekes, an American Peace Corps

Volunteer, gave a scholarship worth #380. More contributions

continued to pour in over the years. Because all these came largely

from Chief Odutola’s associates and friends, he took it upon himself

to acknowledge every contribution. The HSC library, for example,

was named after A.G. Leventis who had helped to equip it. For him, it

was a dream fulfilled. Odutola college was no longer a personal

project but a communal one, with which everyone sought to identify.

Odutola was also very much concerned about staffing. He wanted

only the best; hence, he could not leave the staffing of the schools to

only the Principal and the Ministry. He made his inputs which, as

things stood, were quite crucial. Teaching, at the time was a

distinguished profession. The teachers were not bothered about

promotion. The thinking then was that a teacher’s reward was in

heaven; teachers tried to give their best to their students. While many

proprietors cashed in on this to exploit their staff, resulting in certain

privately owned schools in open confrontation with teachers, Chief

Odutola was generous towards his teachers.

He made sure they were given additional incentives, outside the

salaries they received from the Ministry. There was an inducement

allowance, for example, which Odutola gave to teachers. Salaries

were not only paid on time, teachers enjoyed loan facilities: car loan,

furniture loan and whatever assistance they required. Staff quarters,

occupied mainly by expatriate teachers, were also given out free. In

return, Odutola’s teachers gave of their best to the school.

The presence of the expatriate teachers was especially helpful. Many

of them were Peace Corps Volunteers, from America, Canada and

Australia, whose salaries were paid by their own governments. There

were also Indians. These expatriates, many of them very competent

and experienced hands, helped to design the school curriculum.

Whereas the idea of a comprehensive college was new to Nigerian

teachers, expatriates were familiar with the system. They helped to

give focus and depth to the curriculum. Chief Odutola, in dealing with

them, did not discriminate. His interest was quality; as he did for A.S.

Odutola, he would do anything to retain a good hand.

In 1969, five years after A.S. Odutola had become Principal, the

Western State Government began to grade schools and their

Principals. The objective was to match the Principals with appropriate

schools. Both Adeola Odutola College and Aiyetoro Comprehensive

High School were graded Special Grade I, the only two schools in that

category. Ibadan Grammar School, Abeokuta Grammar School and

Ijebu-Ode Grammar School were considered Grade I. Other schools

were in Grades II, III and IV. For Principals, time of graduation and

experience were considered. It turned out that A.S. Odutola was

placed in Grade III: the Ministry therefore resolved to post him to a

Grade III school.

Chief Odutola put his feet down. He could not accept that the same

Principal who had toiled to build Odutola college would, five years

later, be considered inferior to the same school. He took the case to

the meeting of Proprietors. A formal protest was lodged with the

Teaching Service Commission agreed and made an exception for

Odutola. He was appointed Acting Principal, Special Grade One; but,

he was to receive the salary of a Grade III Principal.

A. S. Odutola, naturally, was annoyed. He complained to Chief

Odutola and pleaded that the Proprietor should reconsider his case.

Chief Odutola was concerned. He summoned an extra-ordinary

meeting of the Board of Governors. At the meeting, he told the Board

that A.S. Odutola should be paid two salaries: the Grade III salary

approved by the Ministry and the outstanding difference for Special

Grade One should be paid, every month. He added that, if the

Ministry were to raise any queries, he Adeola Odutola would accept

responsibility and explain. That settled the matter.

Odutola was equally liberal with the students. He had, at all times,

stressed the need to maintain a liberal admission policy. Odutola

College therefore welcomed all intending students. This was the

saying soon made popular: Aitan ko ko ilekile, Odutola ko ko

omokomo (the garbage site does not discriminate, Odutola welcomes

all children, including the rascally) Aitan ko ko ilekile, was

incidentally, Chief Odutola’s personal motto extracted from the

Seyindemi family praise name (Oriki). This was the inscription on his

official coat of arms which contains the symbols: a palm tree, a lion, a

traditional horn, and divination marks of Ejiogbe. This coat of arms is

conspicuously displayed inside Adeola Hall in the college, and on the

entrance gate to Onibudo House. It is a telling commentary on

Odutola's philosophy and adventurous spirit. In its application to

Odutola college, it was not meant to represent indulgence. Rather, the

idea was that there was no child who was so rascally who would not

be reformed at Odutola college.

And this was true. There was so much emphasis on discipline. The

students who had come to study in the school from Lagos were

notorious; there were -cases of rascally conduct, but the school

authorities were up to the task. Every Friday afternoon, all students

were expected to gather in the Assembly hall, with their teachers and

the HSC students. It was called Home class at which the students were

expected to speak their minds. It was a democratic forum where the

students and teachers compared notes; a consensus was reached about

conduct and welfare. Thus, misdemeanour was rarely forgiven.

There used to be what the students called "detention": it entailed

punishment ranging from public caning to suspension, expulsion etc.

Any student whose name appeared on the "detention" list knew that he

was in for trouble.

All this had the support of Chief Odutola. He was a father to all the

kids. They all knew him; he was known around town as Olomoyoyo

(father of a thousand children). But he stressed discipline. He was

strict, even with his own children.

Odutola college was not a school for outsiders only. It was

considered good enough by Odutola for his own children and many of

them attended the school. They include Olufunmilayo Odutola, Joke

Odutola, Tokunbo Odutola, Femi Odutola and Sola Odutola. They

received no preferential treatment. Anything that applied to others,

also applied to them. They even had to pay their school fees! On one

occasion, one of the sons had offended his father at home. He was

brought to the school. An Assembly was called, Chief Odutola

reported his own son to the Principal, and, there, in the presence of

everyone, the boy was given 24 strokes of the cane. That was

Odutola. He never spared anyone, a character trait which earned him

yet another sobriquet, ,Eni mo o ko, eni koo mo, Ijebu okan, oun okan

(Those who know him do not understand him, those who understand

him do not know him, the enigmatic one who can stand up to the

whole of Ijebu).

This vigilance paid off. Odutola College students were exceptional.

The annual school certificate and HSC results compared favourably

with those of Ijebu-Ode Grammar School; many students excelled-

Two of such students, Abiala and Ogunnaike, remained distinguished

even in later life. The students were also never found wanting in

football and inter-school debates. Adeola Odutola College was first in

many things in the whole of the Western region. The proprietor had

made sporting facilities available. There was a drama society in the

school whose reputation for amateur theatricals was very high.

Students also got the opportunity to learn piano and vocational skills

such as painting and carpentry. There was in addition to these a

school farm, where practical agriculture was made compulsory for all

students.

Religion also occupied a high place in the school agenda. The

students were taught that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

Fortunately, there were, at all times, clergymen on the staff who

helped to preach religious tolerance and understanding. Every

morning, school work began with a devotional service observed with

songs of praise, reading of passages from the Bible, with commentary

and prayers. On Sundays, the students attended matins in town,

college Chapel services were organized in the evenings. On Fridays,

Muslim students attended Jumat service at Adeola Hall. Everything

was organized. The students were models unto other pupils; their

school was, indeed a model institution.

The school was the main attraction in Ijebu-Ode; it was visited by

educationists from across the world, and by important dignitaries.

When General Olusegun Obasanjo, then Head of State of the Federal

Republic of Nigeria, toured Ogun State in 1978, the Odutola sports

field served as the temporary aerodrome for his helicopters. Eight

years earlier, a group of Canadian educationists visited the school.

They were so impressed that the Principal, A.S. Odutola, was invited

to Canada. The invitation was honoured. Odutola spent a month in

Canada visiting 43 Comprehensive High Schools. In 1967, when the

Federal Government decided to send five Principals to Australia to

study the comprehensive school system, A.S. Odutola was again

selected to represent the Western region. In 1970, government

decided to scrap all HSC programmes in schools, and retain only one

in each province. The HSC at Odutola college was the only one

allowed in Ijebu province. The college was recognized to that extent..

A major item on the school calendar has always been the Founder's

Day Anniversary which is celebrated on June 16 of very year, the

birthday of the founder, Chief Timothy Odutola. Every year, a special

committee, comprising representatives of the Board of Governors,

members of staff, the Old Students Association, the staff Secretary of

the college, and the Head Prefects (Boy and Girl) is put together, to

draw up a schedule of programmes, and prepare for the ceremony. On

the day proper, the celebration follows a fairly regular pattern. Praise

worship, presided over by the Bishop of Ijebu-Ode Diocese is held as

early as 7 a. m at Chief Odtitola's Onibudo House. A congratulatory

message from the school is read, and the Chief proceeds to cut an

anniversary cake. This early morning ceremony is followed by a

thanksgiving service in the Church, attended by students, and invited

dignitaries from all walks of life. Thereafter, the Founder's Day

celebration train moves to Adeola Hall, in the school premises. Here,

an invited guest delivers a keynote address for the benefit of the

students, speeches are made by both guests and old students.

Generally, a tempo of joyousness is maintained.

The role that has been played annually by old students in this

celebration has been exceptional. Either as set associations or as a

national body, the old students, at all levels, have served as the link

across the many phases of the school's history. University students,

among them, had, for a long time, been organizing tutorial "summer.

classes for finalists. Adeola hall is littered with contributions from

these old students. The ceiling fans, for example, were donated by

students of the 1970/74 set. In 1978, the national association

contributed money towards the erection of a fence around the

premises. The old students association had practically become a

formidable support for the school. This is understandable. Many of

the old students are outstanding in their respective professions. Some

of the most distinguished among them include S.K. Adetona, Awujale

of Ijebuland, Oba Remi Adeoye, Awuren of Oke-Lamuren, Chief

Bayo Kuku, once an Executive Director of Mobil Oil, and National

President of the Old Students Association, Major-General Seidu

Ayodele Balogun, the first Military Governor of Ogun State, Chief

Olu Ayeni, proprietor of the Rational Bookshops, Ibadan, Professor

Olumade Adeuja, A.G. Sangosanya, a banker, and President of the

Old Students Association nationwide since 1978, Dr. Yomi Finnih,

once the secretary-general of the Nigerian Medical Association, Yemi

Kukoyi, an architect, Otunba Odutayo, a business magnate, Alhaji

Ayinde Mustapha, Dr. Remi Dawodu, Supo Adetona, Mrs. Tokunbo

Adesanya, a one-time financial secretary of the national association,

Folashade Oshiberu, Demola Dacosta, a former Director of Arts and

Culture in Ogun State, Simeon L. Bolaji, Etop James Usoroh, Duro

Akingbelu... The list is endless.

Generally, the old students have been the school's worthy

ambassadors, Every year, present students are witnesses to scores of

old students, returning to their alma mater to pay homage. It is also

not surprising that the current Principal, A.0. Sangosanya, is also an

old student of the school. He was invited by A.S. Odutola upon his

graduation from the university in 1970, to come and assist his alma

mater. He taught in the school from 1971 to 1975; got transferred;

and, in 1989, returned to become the school's 22nd principal. The

truth really is that the college has been in the hands of old students

since 1977. Sangosanya's predecessor was Timothy Ogunfuye

(Principal September 1977 - December 1988).

The old students put up a particularly impressive appearance at the

1970 Founder's Day celebration, which marked the silver jubilee of

the school's existence. It was a significant occasion. At 25, Adeola

Odutola college, as the signs were then beginning to indicate, was

poised for a major turning point in its history. But before this

happened, the silver jubilee offered the Proprietor an opportunity to

pay tribute to everyone who had been part of the making of Odutola

college, particularly his friends and helpers. These included the Rt.

Rev. S.O. Odutola, Bishop of lbadan and uncle of A.S. Odutola, the

Principal, the Rt. Rev. S.I. Kale, Bishop I.G.A. Jadesimi, and A. G.

Leventis. All these were personally invited to send goodwill

messages to the school.

A booklet which had been published to commemorate the occasion

was designed with a sense of history and political correctness. It

contained commentaries on the proprietor and the school, with

pictures attesting to the multi-faceted character of the school. There

were also messages. The tone and content of each of the messages,

including the proprietor's, helped to underscore the maturity of the

college. The point is perhaps worth stressing that, in 1970, the college

was at its apogee. Oba Sikiru Adetona, Ogbagba 11, Awujale of

Ijebuland, who obviously had been chosen to speak on behalf of old

students, was full of praise for Chief Odutola:

It does not happen very often that the greatness of a man is

acknowledged in his lifetime. It is not very often that a man's

greatness is sufficiently understood and appreciated until long after

his death. This explains why history is full of posthumous

accolades showered on the long-dead great. Every now and again,

however, there comes a man who, either by the sheer size of his

achievements, or the special nature of his contribution to the

history of progress, is acknowledged 'great' in his lifetime. Such a

man is Chief Adeola Odutola, whose name is immortalized in

many spheres of our Nation's life.

Speaking the minds of the alumni, he wrote:

The generation of students who have passed through Adeola

Odutola college in its twenty-five years of existence (in one form

or another) will never forget what a tremendous influence for good

the college has had on their lives.

The piece is signed off instructively: Long live the Alma Mater!

In their contributions, the trio of Rt. Rev. S.O. Odutola, Rt. Rev.

Kale and Bishop I.G.A. Jadesimi delved into the history of the school

and remarked upon how the fear of the Lord had been the bedrock of

instruction in the school, In this vein, Rt. Rev. Kale asserted:

God used the Proprietor to give Nigeria this school. The Proprietor

is ever conscious of this fact, and in as many ways as possible, he

tries to keep before the minds of the boys and girls this awareness

of the hand and the purpose of God in the planning and

establishing of the college.

My special duty here is to thank God with Chief T. Adeola

Odutola and to congratulate him, and the staff and pupils of the

school on the good fortune of being instruments of God in funding

and running the school so well for these 25 years. Our prayer is

that in the future, achievements of the school may by far be

greater, brighter and superior to what the past and present

achievements have been, even though these have been very

remarkable and good.

Bishop Jadesimi looked back and commented on the efforts of the

proprietor:

I was privileged to be connected with the early beginnings of its

life in 1945. 1 am witness to the fact that the college was a venture

of faith, and a humble addition by the Proprietor to educational

facilities then available to the children of this Province. There

were those who misconstrued the idea which motivated the

founding of Olu-lwa college as it was then known. These arm-

chair critics saw it as another avenue for making money on the part

of the Proprietor. On the contrary, however, I knew then, in my

capacity as the Manager of the college, that rather making (sic)

profit, the Proprietor was steadily subsidising the college to the

tune of E700 to E800 annually; and in the process of bringing the

college to its present stage, the Proprietor had sunk and is still

sinking thousands of pounds before the Ministry of Education

started to aid the college; to mention the latest, what about the

ultramodern Girls Hostel which I understand was erected at a

phenomenal cost of about E30,000.

A.G. Leventis, Chief Odutola's friend, also commented on Odutola:

He is a man whose friendship one can be proud of, and it is an

honour for me that the library of Adeola Odutola college bears my

name.

The then Military Governor of the Western State, Brigadier R.A.

Adebayo, I.D.S., P.S.C. also sent a most inspiring message, which is

here reproduced in full:

Message From His Excellency,

Military Governor of the Western State of Nigeria,

Brigadier R. A. Adebayo, I.D.C, P.S.C.,

On the Occasion of the Commemoration of the Silver,

Jubilee of Adeola Odutola College, Ijebti-Ode

It is with great delight that I send this short message to

congratulate the Proprietor, the staff and students past and present

of Adeola Odutola College on the occasion of the commemoration

of the Silver Jubilee of the School. A period of 25 years is a

significant landmark in the history of an educational institution. It

is a period marked by milestones of establishment, teething

problems, development, expansion and growth. The failure or

success of an institution depends entirely on the events marking

these various milestones.

Adeola Odutola College no doubt deserves to be congratulated on

this occasion. I have during my tenure of office as the Governor of

this State visited the institution and gone round all the various

classes and departments. I have nothing but praise for the

wonderful work which the Proprietor of the Institution, Chief

Adeola Odutola, has done since the founding of the College.

If for nothing else, the name of Chief Adeola Odutola will for ever

be remembered in the annals of this country for this great

educational monument which he has brought into being for the

benefit of generations of youths in this country. The founding of

an educational institution is not intended as a profit-inakiiig

enterprise. In Adeola Odutola College, we see an institution which

has served as a classic example of true self-sacrifice patriotism and

dedicated philanthropy on the part of the Proprietor. He has put

into the institution in money, time and energy far i-nuch more than

any material benefit he can ever gain from it. I would uiiliesitantly

hold up Chief Adeola Odutola as a shining example for other

Proprietors of educational institutions to emulate.

Within the last 25 years, the College has turned out men and

women, some of whom today are holding responsible positions in

various spheres of fife in this country. I am sure all these

generations of students will forever remember the Proprietor with

pride and with gratitude. Chief Adeola Odutola has set up a

wonderful institution for the benefit of our youths. It is my hope

that these youths will appreciate the deep sense of self-sacrifice

and patriotism which the establishment has involved and that they

will live up to the ideals and philosophy which have prompted the

Proprietor in founding the College. It is my hope that the students,

past, present and future, will show, by their words and deeds, by

their example and actions, both in their public and private lives,

that they are worthy of the philosophy of this great institution.

Education is the most powerful tool by which an individual as well

as a nation can rise to the heights. I have always believed vtry

firmly irr the development of education as an indispensable

weapon in our aspiration for progress and development. It is for

these reasons that I have given special attention to the demands of

education since my assumption of office as Governor of the

Western State. In this task, I have been fortunate to have great

men of the calibre of Chief Adeola Odutola who share with me

similar belief and philosophy about education.

I wish him and the College success and happiness during the years

that lie ahead.

As usual, Chief Odutola's response was full of courtesy and

moderation. He pledged to remain even more committed to the

college:

Silver Jubilee Message From Chief T. A. Odtitola

The Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode

Proprietor of the College, and Chairman, Board of Governors

It gives me great pleasure and happiness to write this message to

the Principal, staff and students of Adeola Odutola College on the

occasion of its Silver Jubilee.

When I took back on the past twenty-five years, my heart is filled

with thanksgiving to God for what He has done in inspiring the

birth of the school, which grew out of a commercial college - the

ljebu Ode Commercial College and a Grammar School, Olu-lwa

College, and which has acquired the distinction of being the first

voluntary agency comprehensive secondary school in the Western

State, after the pattern of the Government Comprehensive High

School, Aiyetoro.

It stands today, a living testimony to a venture of faith launched in

1945, to create added opportunities for secondary school

education, by establishing a similar school, although different in

character from the only secondary school then in the whole of

ljebu Province Ijebu-Ode. Grammar School, which had existed for

thirty-two years. Like in all new ventures, the path was not

entirely smooth sailing; there were obstacles which were overcome

by patience, grit and the special grace of God.

On an occasion like this, it is pertinent to ask how far the school

has fulfilled, and is fulfilling the purpose it aspires to in the years

ahead. With gratitude to God, for enabling us to found the school,

in acknowledgement of the assistance and encouragement of the

Government through its Ministry of Education, and in appreciation

of the cooperation of friends, parents, guardians and the general

public, Adeola Odutola College which started life with only 16

male students in 1945, has now a student population of about 1,300

(male and female), about 900 of whom are boarders.

It has, through courses and studies and facilities in the arts,

sciences, agriculture, commerce and home economics afforded its

students, education of high academic quality, sound moral and

physical training and versatile utility. It has a record of high

percentage passes in the West African School Certificate and the

Higher School Certificate Examinations from year to year, and has

won laurels in sports in local and state-wide competitions. By

these achievements it has been possible for the school to turn out

many students who today are graduates, business and professional

men, at present holding eminent positions in various walks of life.

Having reviewed the progress which the school has made in the 25

years of its existence, I wish to invite the attention of the past and

present students to their duties and responsibilities to themselves,

their school, their parents and the nation.

You, the old students have a heritage to guard, a cause to support

morally and financially, and a name to honour and respect. The

school is yours, and as true and great alumni of your alma mater,

you are welcome to assist the management - with your concrete

and constructive suggestions - in its work of achieving and

ensuring lasting progress for your school.

You, the present students too, have a great part to play in further

developing the school. You need to acquire as much knowledge as

could be afforded you in this -school, to equip yourselves for the

race of life. learn to work hard, emulate the good, eschew cheating,

lying and stealing. Be loyal, faithful and above all, be of service to

your schoolmates, your parents and your God. As many

opportunities lie in your way, so will many challenges show up,

which have to be met. You too can shine as others who have

passed through the portals of Adeola Odutola College.

At this point, it is necessary to place on record for posterity, the

names of some people whom we regard as joint builders of Adeola

Odutola College - right from its inception as Ijebu-Ode

Commercial School, and also Olu-Iwa College. They were our

partners in progress. They have worked for the spiritual, practical

and academic progress of Adeola Odutola College. They will ever

be remembered for the contributions they have made, and are

making towards the further development of the school.

In the Commercial College - Messrs. G. B. Oyakhire, B. A. 0.

Sangosanya, Macjob, 0. Odunowo and D. F. Hogan. In Olu-lwa

College - Messrs. G. E. A. Lardner, B. 0. Olowofoyeku, N. K.

Onadipe, A. Hussey, A. J. Sampson, N. T. Boulsover and A. S.

Odutola. In the merger school Adeola Odutola College - Mr. A. S.

Odutola. All these gentlemen, in their tenures of office have been

assisted by loyal and hardworking masters from various parts of

the world - America, Australia, England, the West Indies, India,

South Africa, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. These people and their

teams of workers deserve my thanks for the work they have done

to build the College. May they be amply rewarded by God for the

honest services that each one, in his own way, has given to the

College. Last but not the least, are those men and women who

have honoured the school in its various stages of growth and

development by their free services on the school's Board of

Governors. Special mention must be made in this connection of

the invaluable services of the Rt. Rev. I. G. A. Jadesimi, now

Administrator of lbadan Diocese, who was the school manager in

the very early stages. Theirs has been the joy of giving and of

serving. May the Lord repay their personal endeavours.

Finally, as we look ahead with hope to the coming years, it is my

prayer that men and materials may always be found to continue the

progress that has been made in the school's twenty-five years

history. For my part, I am taking this opportunity to rededicate my

life to continued patronage of ADEOLA ODUTOLA COLLEGE,

which, to me is a growing, living institution which would continue

to provide a way of life for thousands of young men and women,

and something that will surely outgrow myself and still continue to

grow. For this purpose, I will, God helping me, further devote my

personal attention and interest to see the school flourish, with the

hope that as years roll by, sources of its further maintenance,

additional to mine or those of my family, will be forthcoming from

philanthropic individuals, companies, corporations or governments

by way of donation, legacies, scholarships or grants.

I congratulate you all on this occasion of Adeola Odutola College

Silver Jubilee, and wish the school great success in the years to

come.

A common thread runs through all the messages above, reproduced

here for their historical value. It is the air of -happiness, of smug

satisfaction and achievement. At 25, everyone associated with

Odutola college felt the urge to look back on the past, and reflect on

the present, with joy. One source of regret is the fact that this

celebrative mood would soon disappear. In the two years that

followed, A.S. Odutola remained Principal. In 1972, there was a mass

transfer of teachers by the Ministry; A.S. Odutola was one of the

victims. The Ministry asked him to proceed to Awe High School,

Awe. A.S. Odutola naturally was reluctant but he had no option,

given the circumstances. It turned out that Chief Beyioku Adebowale

(Chairman of Adebowale Electricals) got to know of A.S. Odutola's

predicament. Adebowale's children, virtually all of them, had

attended Odutola college; their father had come to know A.S. Odutola

as a hardworking man. He persuaded Odutola to leave teaching and

come to Lagos to work for him. This was how A.S. Odutola got

appointed as General Manager, Adebowale Electricals. He would in

later life go into private business as Chairman of the Priman Group of

Companies.

His exit was however significant. It marked the end of an era, and

gave indications of the beginning of another. A. S. Odutola’s transfer

was possible only because the Ministry was already, by 1972, exerting

excessive control over all schools. The ideas was already afoot for

government to take over all schools and, thus, put an end to the

private establishment and running of educational institutions. A.S.

Odutola was succeeded by Chief S. O. Omitade (January 1973 –

August 1975), an elderly and fatherly figure, and later Rev. O.O.

Odunowo (September 1975 – December 1976).

The tenure of these two immediate successors was crucial: it

coincided with the period when government’s insistence on the total

control of education was most virulent. There was much controversy

over the issue between government and proprietors who felt that

government was being unfair. At the forefront however was the

National Union of Teachers which was prodding the government to

chase out the proprietors. The NUT’s grouse was that too many

proprietors were already abusing the privilege of running schools

where proprietors were victimishing teachers, under-cutting students,

using favouritism to determine standards, and wielding such absolute

powers which promoted mismanagement of schools, and the

misappropriation of funds. The NUT implored government to protect

the populace and teachers many of whom were aggrieved. The NUT

was so determined that it further expressed the view that schools

should never again be handed over to proprietors. The Federal

Government felt that the NUT had good reasons. Hence, all over the

country, privately owned schools were taken over, one by one.

After the take-over of Adeola Odutola College by the Western

State Government, a compensation panel visits the proprietor

It was an especially troublesome period. Many proprietors, despite the

fact that they were paid compensation by government, felt robbed.

They promptly showed their true character. There were cases of

proprietors who cordoned off large portions of school land, some

made away with school facilities – desks, windows and school buses

were not spared, mattresses and beds in the dormitories also

disappeared over night. Some went to court to challenge government

action. One particular proprietor, in Ile-Ife, recruited carpenters and

went to the school premises. In broad daylight, even while students

were still in the classrooms, he proceeded to pull off the roof of the

buildings. The students, piqued by this extra-ordinary form of

Proprietor reactions, trooped out en masse. They were ready to fight.

The Proprietor and his carpenter had to flee!

In 1975, it was the turn of Adetola Odutola college. Chief Odutola’s

reaction was a reference-point for other Proprietors. Every-where, he

was praised for his magnanimity and patriotism. What happened was

that Odutola put up no resistance. He willingly handed over the keys

of the school, together with the site plan, to the authorities. He

pledged continued support to the school, and urged that government

should maintain the high standard for which the college had come to

be known; should his assistance be required, at any time, he said,

government should not hesitate to contact him. Whereas government

was paying other proprietors compensation, Odutola refused to take a

penny. He gave out the school free. His only request was that the

name of the college should never be changed. At the time, the school

was valued at N16 million. The public was impressed. Daily Sketch,

the Ibadan based newspaper in its 17th December, 1975 edition, wrote

a memorable editorial:

Chief Odutola’s Magnanimity

The announcement by Chief T. A. Odutola that he had no intention

to claim any compensation whatsoever from the Western State

Government over the take-over of his school – the Adeola Odutola

College, Ijebu-Ode – is a classical manifestation of the sterling

qualities inherent in him.

It goes further to show that in a country where mundane

acquisitions tend to override the philantrophic passion of many a

businessman, Chief Odutola’s exemplary declaration is striking

enough to tilt the balance in a way that should make other

businessmen remove the mote in their own eyes and see more

clearly the true essence of man’s existence here on earth.

As the saying goes: “By their fruits, ye shall know them”. The

SKETCH congratulates the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode for this rare

magnanimity. The background of the school reveals that Chief

Odutola has devoted a considerable part of his life and money to

ensure its steady growth since he founded it in 1945.

With dedication and unrelenting scheming, the college was turned

to a comprehensive school in 1963 on its newly acquired 105 acres

with a student population of over 1,300 out of which 500 were

girls. This figure must have gone up tremendously within the past

12 years. The legacy which Chief Odutola is bequeathing to

Nigeria through the school is already immortalising his name while

he's still alive.

And as the Western State Government steps into the proprietorship

shoes transferred to it by Chief Odutola, our education authority

have much to do to maintain and improve upon the discipline,

orderliness and expansion programmes formulated in the school by

its founder.

The decision by the proprietor not to take compensation should

serve as an eye-opener to those proprietors, who on hearing of the

intention of the State Governments to take over their schools, went

on a rampage to destroy their school property.

The lesson discernible in Chief Odutola's action is that

industrialists and school proprietors should place more premium on

helping the less-fortunate people and young children in the country

rather than accumulate wealth and property indiscriminately

without regard for the suffering or the welfare of others.

The Sketch believes that the exemplary philantrophy of Chief

Odutola is worth emulating by school proprietors who believe

more in money than in name. There may be those who may be in a

position to surrender their schools free of charge to the State

Government, yet there would be areas where they can readily grant

concessions to make the work of the compensation panel lighter.

On our part, we would like to suggest that Chief Odutola deserves

the greatest honour which the state and Nigeria as a whole could

bestow on a worthy citizen. It is worth suggesting also that no

attempt should be made either now or in the future to change the

name of the school from that of its founder and first proprietor.

It is a measure of the kind of man Chief Odutola was and a

confirmation of his motives that, since 1975, he continued to support

the college. It was after the take-over, for example, that he helped to

install street lights throughout the compound and pave the major roads

in the school. The annual Founder's Day was celebrated until his

death with his support and active participation. Successive Principals

found in him a willing and helpful listener to the school’s problems.

The present Principal, A. O. Sangosanya, for example, visited Chief

Odutola regularly to brief him on the school’s progress. He himself

used to visit the school every Sunday. When Odutola later had a

stroke, he was still driven around the town until a year ago. During

such trips, he would ask questions. The effect was that the school

continued to benefit from his generosity. In 1990, it was easy for the

school to call upon him to assist in rehabilitating a collapsing roof in

the science laboratory. This he did to the tune of N7,000.

The government take-over created many problems, not least of which

was encroachment upon school land by all sorts of persons claiming

ownership to portions of the school premises. It was Chief Odutola

himself, in 1979, who noticed that land-grabbers were seizing parts of

the school land. He could not stand it. In Adeola hall, till today, he

had placed the photograph of the Kakanfo of the Porogun community

who had helped him acquire the land. He had a prepared site plan,

defining the boundaries of the school. He promptly wrote a letter to

the Ministry, and received assurance that the land would be fenced.

He himself later contributed to the erection of the fence, an event

which developed into a bizarre story.

As the fence was been erected, scores of persons came to the school

premises to protest that they were been robbed of their land. One day,

a man came to the school with a site plan dated 1957, indicating that

the land on which the school stands belonged to him. The plan that

had been prepared by Odutola was dated 1951. On another occasion,

one of the workers, a driver, was killed under mysterious

circumstances. Although a fence was finally erected, a substantial

portion of the land could not be reclaimed.

It was, however, not only school land that was lost, the years ahead

would lead to a virtual erosion of standards. With government take-

over, facilities became inadequate. The school still excelled in sports,

as photographs in the Adeola Hall attest, but things were no longer the

same. Teachers’ salaries were no longer paid on time, grants became

irregular, the maintenance of existing structures could not even be

carried out, indiscipline among students became rampant. Teachers

were also forced to begin to look for other creative ways of generating

funds. The burden for almost everything had to shifted to the PTA. In

the past, all the PTA did was to pay school fees; but now, the PTA is

frequently called upon to recruit and pay for additional teachers.

A school that used to have a full complement of teachers, with

government take-over found that it was faced with a crisis. The school

had grown in population. As at the time of this work, there were 2,200

students. Instead of 72 teachers, the Ministry had sent only 52. Often,

when the Principal is not harassing the PTA for assistance, the college

has to depend on the generosity of the old students. In 1990, the

National Association spent about N40,000 on the furnishing and

renovation of the Principal’s quarter, provision of dishes, tables and

chairs for staff, replacement of broken window panes, resuscitation of

the street lights, and the rehabilitation of the roads. This is something

the school, under Chief Odutola, would have done by itself without

going about cap in hand.

The Founder’s Day has also continued appropriately to reflect the new

dispensation. The 34th Founder’s Day, in 1979, for example,

witnessed complaints galore compared to the Silver Jubilee

Celebrations earlier described. The Principal at the time was Rev. T.

Oba Ogunfuye. In his Principal’s Report on the occasion, he

expressed concern about the sudden transfer of teachers, those he

described as “experienced hands” and the “veteran N.C.E. teachers on

the staff”. He spoke, at length, also about discipline presenting in the

process a sorry picture. He said:

There were cases when students squandered their school fees and

claim that the fees had been stolen, thus forcing on the poor

parents double expenses. Parents and guardians used to give their

children or wards some home truths about life, the importance of

obedience, respect for law and order, truthfulness, determination

and industry. It is sad to note that some parents would come and

want to pull trouble with teacher X or teacher Y for disciplining

their children. Such parents encourage indiscipline the more in the

children.

Government also did not appear to be living up to its responsibility.

As the Principal noted:

We are yet to receive the salary grant for November and December

1978, January and February 1979, June, July and August 1979, and

grants in lieu of the N10.00 tuition fee per student for this third

term. Since the beginning of this session, Boarding fees have not

been subsidised by government grants apart from the salary grants

in respect of the kitchen staff. Other grants still expected include

Housemasters' and Mistresses' allowance, Rent subsidy, Science

teachers allowance, science equipment grants, leave bonus, and a

few other grants...

If the Principal's report was mild in parts, that of the Head Boy, Taiwo

Dixon, was perhaps more revealing. The Head Boy had lamented the

fall in academic standards, with an explanation that would have been

unthinkable, a few years earlier:

One of the identified reasons for this low academic performance is

the arbitrary transfer of teaching staff. The English, Arts, Science

and Business Studies departments, suffered from this

unwholesome development. The HSC students had to engage the

services of a private Chemistry teacher for some time on their own.

In fact, Some HSC departments had to rely solely on Youth

Corpers..

All this, in a school that was once toasted as the best in IjebuOde and

its environs!

Whatever maybe the transformations that Odutola College have

undergone, it is to be understood that the same fate is shared virtually

by all the schools under government control. The disruption that has

characterised government in the country in the past two decades has

made itself felt even more poignantly in the education sector. And it

is truly an irony that the take-over of schools which was meant to

maintain standards, has achieved the opposite.

However, Odutola's imprint remains eternal in the annals of the

school's history. It is, indeed, no accident that when students of the

school gather at any time, in any forum, the college song, which they

sing in unison, reminds them of their indebtedness to Timothy Adeola

Odutola:

The College Song

1. Deep love we feel for thee

Adeola Odutola College

The greatness of the Founder's

Heart stands for aye;

Fount desire to learn

Who drinking of thee

Shall henceforth thirst no more

Chorus: Adeola Odutola College

That nurtures us, our Alma Mater.

2. We must pass on her name

Have it in rising fame

Dogged in our pursuit of

What is highest

We know we shall succeed

If only we strive

We must always do

The right for right’s sake

Chorus: Adeola Odutola College

That nurtures us, our Alma Mater.

3. Timothy eschewing gain

Founded our noble school

This a lesson convincing

All Alumni

To live that others the

Brilliant light might see

To carry the flame

To all posterity

Chorus: Adeola Odutola College

That nurtures us, our Alma Mater.

It is easy to fall under the impression that, with the take-over of

Adeola Odutola College, Chief Odutola’s involvement in the direct

running of an educational institution was over. This was not the case.

There was the Adeola Odutola Private Elementary School which had

been founded in 1968. This was not taken over by government since

only secondary schools were affected. The Elementary School is

today housed in Owojona Hall, named after Chief Adeola’s

grandmother. There are about 29 of such schools in Ijebu-Ode, but

Adeola Odutola Elementary school is the largest with a student

population of about 1,300.

In 1968, when the school was established, it was the second of its type

in the whole of Ijebu-Ode. The first, and at the time the only private

elementary school was Sanni Luba Nursery/Primary school along

Atan/Erunwa road. The idea of establishing a nursery/primary school

occurred to Chief Odutola out of a need to cater for the children of the

expatriate teachers working in Adeola Odutola College. Sanni Luba,

the only private primary school, was too far away from Odutola's

College. Hence, the expatriates had problems educating their

children. Chief Odutola responded to their need by applying for

permission to start a private elementary school. The Ministry's long-

waited reply, when, at last, it came, was surprisingly negative.

But Odutola would not take no for an answer. A.S. Odutola, then

Principal of Odutola College, was asked to travel to lbadan to take up

the matter with Omololu Olunloyo, then Commissioner of Education

in Western region and, incidentally, A.S. Odutola's classmate at

Government College, Ibadan. Olunloyo was reportedly shocked.

Obviously, the application had not been referred to him. He

immediately sent for the officer who had signed the rejection letter

and reportedly asked him: "Do you know that the same man who

established Adeola Odutola College is the one to establish the

elementary school?" That settled the matter. It turned out that the

children of that particular officer were also attending a private nursery

school, and not an "Awolowo school ", as public schools were then

called.

So, in 1968, Adeola Odutola private Nursery/Primary school admitted

its first set of students. It was run under the same administration as

the college. In fact, the Principal of Adeola Odutola College also

doubled as the Headmaster for the nursery school. This was the case

until the government take-over of 1975. Since 1975, the nursery

school has had its own separate administration, which sent regular

reports to Chief Odutola who, until his death, was its main financier.

Before his death, he was in the process of completing two new

buildings which he had designed as a permanent site for the

elementary school. He had succeeded however, in 1993, in setting up

a Board of Governors for the school. Members of the board include

M.O. Adedeji as Chairman, Dr. Odedeyi (Secretary), Mr. Olusoga,

Chief Adesanya, Mrs. Sekoni and Mrs. Adesola Adeyemi. As with

the college, Chief Odutola had lofty hopes for the nursery school. He

wanted it to be the largest and the best in Ijebu-Ode; he achieved that

ambition. What began as a school for the children of expatriates is

today a preparatory school for thousands of children.

When Chief Odutola was not running this school, or assisting the

college, he spent much time donating to other educational institutions,

especially at the tertiary level. His passion for education was clearly

self-consuming. Where education was concerned, he was willing to

assist. He became, in no time, one of the most notable philanthropists

in the field of education. In 1989, he endowed a N500,000

Professorial chair in business administration at the university of

Lagos. Professor C.O. Taiwo, who was present at the signing of the

trust deed at Onibudo House in Ijebu-Ode, remarked, on the occasion,

that the endowment, like other contributions, reflected Odutola's

commitment to education, and to his belief in the need to extend the

frontiers of learning. Other universities also benefited from this

conviction. Odutola donated a biological lecture theatre to Ogun State

University at a cost of N I million and a law library to the university

of lbadan, the formal opening ceremony of which was performed by

one of his daughters, Professor Oyinade Olurin. Not surprisingly,

these three Universities consider Odutola their great benefactor. He

was hence appointed a distinguished alumnus of the University of

Lagos. Ogun State University awarded him an Honorary Degree of

Doctor of Laws. From the University of Ibadan, he received an

Honorary LL.D for his great contribution to economic development in

Nigeria.

The award from the University of Ibadan, in 1965, was particularly

dear to Adeola Odutola coming, as it did, at a time when Odutola

College was beginning to earn a reputation for itself. A commentary

in the Morning Post (November 17, 1965) summarised the

significance of the occasion, succinctly:

When the Prime Minister, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, as

Chancellor of Nigeria's Premier University confers the award on

Chief Odutola today November 17, he would be doing the Ijebus

and Western Nigerians in particular a rare honour. For Chief

Odutola is one of those rare gems Western Nigeria has been

fortunate to donate to the Federation of Nigeria.

Such statements and recognition served their purpose. They helped to

strengthen Odutola's resolve. It is no accident that, throughout, he

considered his contributions to education as the aspect of his life for

which he would wish to be most remembered. In an interview with

Emmanuel Hart, in the Daily Times (May 25, 1968), he smiled

broadly and said:

My greatest satisfaction in life was the establishment of

educational institutions. I regard all the students as my children

and whenever I meet them, they regard me as their father. What

more satisfaction does a man want in life?

For twenty-seven years Odutola remained faithful to this declaration.

His happiest moments were those occasion when old students of

Odutola College, and beneficiaries of his investments in education

called at Onibudo House. Such moments found him in high spirits.

They moments which those who had initially opposed his foray into

education were not privileged to see. But, till the last moment,

Odutola was at peace with his conscience.

Chapter Five

Attitude to Religion

The angels are singing, oh, they are signing!, singing their ways into

the bowels of Heaven, with their outstretched wings flapping

triumphantly, carrying Saint Timothy, and with a felt but unseen

celestial signal, the heavenly presences break out into yet another

song: Alleluia! Alleluia!! Alleluia!!! Below the firmament, men with

gifts of prescience behold the picture in their dreams. It is a dream

they can not forget. The dream of Saint Timothy in the vineyard….

Singing with the angels, and the celestial presences, on a homeward

journey, marked with shouts of Alleluia! The clouds clapped too, the

firmament stretched its fingers in exaltation and from this uprising of

spirits, rain begins to fall, upon the unknowing men and women

below, who would remember this day, and speak of the signs of

heaven…

At 386 Herbert Macaulay Street, Yaba, Lagos, a few metres from a

bus stop, is an imposing building, a massive piece of Brazilian

architecture, solid with age, yet so well maintained. It is the home of a

church: Church of God in Christ Pentecostal Assembly Inc.; a video

mart: Christian Video mart; and a primary school: Pentecostal

Assebly School. It is also the home of Chief Adeola Odutola, Ogbeni-

Oja of Iejbu-Ode, a name that is boldly carried on the building for the

world to see. For over a decade, Odutola was the landlord to the

tenants. Each day that the members converged and worshipped in the

premises, the symbolism of how God is worshipped in a house built

by the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode is palpable enough. Again, twenty

one years ago, a journalist with The Punch called Ibrahim Sule wrote

an account titled “Chief T. A. Odutola, the business tycoon with many

faces” (November 17, 1974). In it, he reported how, during a visit to

Onibudo House, he had met members of the Aladura Church and

those of Christ Apostolic Church who were there to have a meeting

with Chief Odutola. Again, every fortnight, on a Wednesday, till he

died, a Holy Communion service was held in Onibudo House. Yet,

many people who thought they understood Odutola never really knew

how much of a Christian he was.

Odutola was not just a Christian. He considered the fear of God the

beginning of wisdom. He always spoke of the Grace of God as the

foundation of his various exploits. It will be recalled, however, that

Odutola’s father was a Moslem; some members of the original family

are still Moslems. Odutotal’s mother was, however, a Christian. This

fascinated Odutola. He never looked back. The attraction, of course,

was not religion but a conviction that God has a hand in all things.

This was why his generosity was not limited to the Anglican

Communion (his denomination).

An essential way, in his reckoning, of showing appreciation for God’s

blessings was by helping the less privileged. This was truly the basis

of his philanthropy. By giving to others, he was invariably praising

God. For him, this was a continuous exercise. In the Odutola home,

therefore, the worship of the Lord was a virtue to which the children

were, as a matter of course, exposed. Their father brought them up to

appreciate the Christian way of life. At the centre of this training was

humility. Odutola abhorred arrogance of any sort. He catered for his

children, and provided as much comfort as would be ideal for their

upbringing. But at no time did he create the impression that a wealthy

background was an excuse for irresponsibility. Thus, he used the

Bible as much as he wielded the stick.

Also, as proprietor of Adeola Odutola College, Odutola stressed

religious upbringing. Adeola hall, built in form of a T to represent

Timothy was especially dedicated for religious worship. Old and

present students would easily confirm how a stay in Odutola College

was equally an exposure to godly conduct. Odutola himself lived by

personal example. He not only endeavoured to do good to his fellow

beings, he also did not allow his business commitments to stand in the

way of his faith. On Sundays, he was always to be to be seen in the

church, a picture of humility.

Because he had the means, he became easily a major supporter of the

Church. For many years, he worshipped at the Cathedral Church of

Our Saviour at Ijasi, Ijebu-Ode. The church’s records are replete with

evidence of Odutola’s contributions. The mighty pulpit in the church,

for example, was his personal donation, In yet another demonstration

of generosity, Odutola gave out the land where the cocoa store used to

stand to the Catholic Church for building a church. It is the site of St.

Timothy’s Catholic Church, the construction of which Chief Odutola

also supported financially. These are only two instances of a rich

record of service to the church. In recognition of his philanthropy.

Odutola was made Asiwaju (Leader) of Ijebu Christians by the

Anglican Communion.

All said, Odutola would be most remembered for the church that he

built, as a testament to his faith and leadership: Adeola Odutola

(Anglican Church), an impressive structure, occupying a large

expanse of land, inside the Adeola Odutola College premises, across

the road from Owojona hall. The story of the Odutola Church, its

beginnings and its growth, is, on its own, a major chapter in Odutola’s

life. When his mother died in 1969, he had burled her in the school

premises. He then selected a place near her grave for the building of

the church. Work soon began several years later.

Chief Odutola’s attractiveness to detail had been remarked upon. He

was even more concerned about Odutola church. He wanted it, as

usual, to be an impressive structure. He wanted to build the church

and provide its accessories in accordance with Anglican liturgy. To be

sure that everything was a it should be, his daughter, Mrs. Adebisi

Bateye, travelled to Europe to ensure that the best accessories were

procured. Odutola himself was no stranger to the church. He was a

devout Christian. He was quick to name among his close friends at

least, three men who had become distinguished in the church. These

were Bishop S. I. Kale, his classmate at Iejbu-Ode Grammar School,

Bishop I. G. A. Jadesimi, manager of Olu-Iwa College, and Bishop S.

O. Odutola. It will be recalled that when Adeola Odutola College

marked its silver jubilee, these three men of God delivered goodwill

messages. By taking on the building of a church, Odutola knew that

only the best would be enough. He spared no resources to provide

Odutola Church with perhaps the largest premises in the Ijebu

Diocese, and the most modern environment.

When the church was eventually completed, it was a beauty to behold.

There were four main sections: the church building, the chancel, the

vicarage, and the reception hall. All the other sections, with the

exception of the reception hall, were already fully built. The

foundation stone for the reception hall would be laid much later, in

1993. Meanwhile, Odutola’s mother’s grave was now inside the

church. The church was fenced, the road leading to the church, inside

the compound and the vast parking spaces were paved. Trees were

planted to add beauty. To the left, ad the church is approached, is a

modern bungalow, for the Pastor’s use as vicarage and office. Inside

the church, all accessories were in place. Odutola was pleased that

god made it all possible.

On Saturday, June 27, 1987, the church was dedicated and formally

handed over to the Anglican Communion. The dedication was

performed by the Archbishop of the Province of Nigeria, the Most

Rev. Timothy Olufosoye. He was assisted by the first Anglican

Diocesan Bishop of Ijebu, the Rt. Rev. I.B.O. Akintemi, as well as

other clergymen. Chief Odutola and members of his family were

present. At the time, Odutola was 85. He had already been forced into

retirement by stroke. As he grew older, withdrawn from public

activities, the church which he had conceived as a place of worship

for all denominations would grow in the Lord’s vineyard.

To date, the church is administered by the Anglican Church of

Nigeria. The first service in the church was conducted on 2nd July

1987 by Ven. E. Ayo Odukoya. There were 322 worshippers in

attendance. The collection was N401.60. Less than three weeks later,

the church would be assigned its first residential pastor in the person

of Rev. Michael Olusina Fape. When the Pastor conducted his

inaugural service on July 19, 1987, his sermon was based on Isaiah

6:8. The attendance was 99; consisting of 11 men, 18 women, 47 boys

and 23 girls. The collection N84.65.

Adeola Odutola (Anglican) Church soon turned out to be remarkable.

The Anglican Church in Nigeria is largely a family and community

based church, with affiliations, and administrative structures initiated

by the community. A particular Anglican Church in a community

would most probably have served that community for generations.

Families could call up several generations that have been associated

with the church. Invariably, age is an important consideration. There

would be a Baba Ijo (Father of the Church), Mama Ijo (Mother of the

Church), several societies, and a council of elders to assist the clergy.

Odutola church is, however, a young church with a recent history and

a congregation comprising mostly youths.

It has had only five resident vicars to date: Rev. M.O. Fape, Rev. (Dr.)

now Ven. (Dr.) Bayo Obijole, Rev. S. Wale Ajagunna, Rev. Canon.

J.O. Igbari (now Ven Archdeacon) and the present Vicar, Rev. A. K.

Fasanmoye who assumed duties only on January 1, 1995. The church

has a well patronised Sunday School. It has no burial register. The

members are mostly young people who are elitist and radical. These

are not persons attending their father’s church.

They do not necessarily live in the neighbourhood, as many patrons of

the conventional Anglican churches do. They are scattered all over

Ijebu-Ode. Because of their usually high level of education, they are

eloquent and critical, a fact which poses special challenges for the

vicar. This is one church where tradition is not yet cast in stone.

Hence, the vicar is faced with the responsibility of having to carry his

congregation along. An indication of the youthfulness of the

congregation is also seen in the fact that the church has no Baba Ijo

(Father of the Church) or Mama Ijo (Mother of the Church) as in

Yoruba tradition.

What is likely to be encountered is either a Baba Ewe or an Iya Ewe

who is specially appointed during the annual Harvest Thanksgiving

ceremony. Even the parish council is young in outlook. The church

was granted Parish status on March 8, 1991 by the Diocesan Board of

Ijebu Diocese. The first Parish Council comprised the resident Vicar

as Chairman, Wilson Odunmuwagun (Peoples’ Warden), Williams

Olukayode (Pastor’s Warden), Femi Banjo, Kolewole Loy, Bayo

Begun, Bode Sotonade, Chris Etietsola (Secretary, now an “ordinand”

at Immanuel College, ibadan), Ignatius Ogbakani, Chief J. O.

Osikoya, Mrs. Funmilayo Odutola, mrs. G. O. Okulaja, Mrs. A. O.

Adebambo.

The youthfulness of the congregation has, however, not meant a

failure in obligations. The church has its full complement of activities.

Attendance, every Sunday, is about 600, at December 1992, there

were about 280 registered members.

The church has also been actively involved in evangelical activities.

Night vigils are held on a regular basis, the first of which was

conducted on January 28, 1989 by Rev. M. O. Fape with about 135

people in attendance. The church also has a seminar/outreach

committee. It was instituted in January 1992 by Rev. S. Wale

Ajagunna to organize programmes for the improvement of the

congregation’s spiritual growth. There is also an evangelical group,

instituted in October 1990. Between 4th and 7

th October 1990; this

group held its first open air revival. The church also publishes tracts;

to date, there have been four of these: He loves and he cares for you,

Crossing the Red sea in your life, Your time is your life, Fear Not.

Every December 24th, the Church organizes Carol services; visits are

paid to the homes of members. Home Bible Class Meetings were also

instituted. In November 1992, the Home Bible Teachers were given

certificates in recognition of their work. They are G. O. Okulaja,

Yemi Okulaja, Mrs. A.A. Adebanjo, Mrs. Bosede Odumade, Mrs.

Kemi Odukoya, Mrs. R. Bola Ajagunna, Kolawole Loy, Williams

Olukayode and Mrs. A. O. Ogundare.

As early as 1988, the church encouraged the establishment of societies

to strengthen congregation, and in conformity with Anglican liturgy.

This has been a continuous exercise. So far, societies in the church

include Ifelodun, Band of Love, Christian Morning Star, Christian

Youth League, Anglican Youth Fellowship, Women’s Guild,

Ambassadors of Christ, Guild of Stewards, Choral Group, Girls Guild,

and the Youth Christian Association.

The Church made frequent contacts with Chief Odutola and his

family. Every fortnight, on a Wednesday, the church, while Chief

Odutola was alive, conducted communion service at 7.45a.m in Chief

Odutola’s sitting room. It was a regular feature, usually a family

affair, attended by Chief Odutola’s wives, all the children in the

family and Mrs. Jadesimi, wife of Bishop I. G. A. Jadesimi. Whenever

the church was in need, Odutola was willing to assist. In 1989, the

founder took up the reconstruction and tarring of the link road

between the main road and the church. A year later, when the church

felt the need for a church bus, to facilitate its evangelical programme,

it proposed to launch a N0.5 million Bus Appeal Fund. Odutola got to

know and promptly gave the church a five-ton Bedford bus. No appeal

fund was, therefore, raised. In 1994, Chief Odutola again gave the

church N250,000 for general renovation. He established at the same

time, an endowment fund for the church, with a fixed deposit in a

bank. His instruction was that the interest on the deposit should be

used to maintain the church and propagate the gospel. The church ahs

had cause to withdraw from this account to purchase new choir robes,

four canopies, six executive tables and six dozen plastic chairs for

subsidized rental to church members who may need them from time to

time.

The Odutola’s family continues to worship at the church. The family

is one of the households which participate in the Household Harvest,

the first of which was celebrated in 1992. Every year, a Church

anniversary is held in July. It usually entails lectures and a revival and

a special service; in 1990, a “Love Feast Fellowship” was held to

mark the occasion. Every June 16, the Odutola family also worships

in the church to celebrate Chief Odutola’s birthday.

Many would easily assume that members of the Odutola family are

given a preferential treatment whenever they attend the church. This is

not the case. The Odutolas who attend the church, every Sunday, have

no special seats. There are even no special seats for anyone at all, the

congregation is treated as equal before God.

The church continues to grow. It has been fully integrated into the

Anglican Communion. It is, for example, a favourite venue for many

programmes in the diocese, some of which include the first ever Ijebu-

Ode District Churches Council meeting (December 11, 1991), a

diocesan service conducted in the church as part of activities marking

the celebration of the third Jubilee of re-planting Christianity in

Nigeria (January 6, 1992), Ijebu Diocese Evangelists Seminar

(February 13 – 15 1992), Mother’s Union Annual Conference, The

National Council of Anglican Youth Fellowship Women’s Forum

(May 1-3, 1992) and the 12th Anniversary of Christ Morning Star of

Nigeria (November 22, 1992). In 1993, the Choral Group of the

church waxed an album Jesu Olugbala, the dedication and launching

of which was performed by the Diocesan Bishop of Ijebu, the Rt. Rev.

A. S. O. Olowoyo.

Even without Chief Odutola, the church’s future is secure. It will

remain one of the major institutions bequeathed to posterity by a

businessman inspired by the fear of God. Many years after, the angels

continue to sing.

Chapter Six

Homecall

After summer comes winter. Summer had been truly bright, sun

had stood in the sky, standing still on nearly all occasions. Now, it

was winter. What a glorious winter it was. The patriarch,

trapped by the infirmity of age, still looked around, and saw

familiar faces from the past. Everyday, visitors trooped in and out.

Corporate institutions seeking patronage, newspaper men seeking

interviews, government officials seeking, counsel, children,

grandchildren, great grandchildren, biographers... It is no longer

a lonely world... fewer faces from the other age truly but the new

replaces the old. SOOI?, it would be time to return home. Soon,

the patriarch would sleep, and bid farewell to summer, winter and

all that. 7he living would bow their heads. 7hey would rise and in

one voice pay obeisance before the dead.- And the heavens will

shower forth to herald the close of a life, of an age, of a season...

Kabiyesi! What a life, so richly blessed.

Adeola Odutola spent his last days in partial retirement. Since 1981,

he had been affected by the stroke that would mark his gradual

withdrawal from active service. But still, till the very end, it was a

mark of the kind of man he was, that Odutola remained hardworking.

He had built himself up holding certain values as sacred. These

include, not necessarily in order of importance, cleanliness, Godliness,

trust, industry and generosity. As an old man, whom everyone

referred to affectionately as Papa, these were values which Odutola

continued to cherish. For many years, he insisted on being driven

round Ijebu-Ode, at least, once a week. During such trips, he visited

all his companies and Adeola Odutola College premises. He visited

persons and exchanged pleasantries. It was an old habit that had

refused to die. The Odutola empire had been built through direct

personal supervision. Even in old age, Odutola wanted to keep an eye

on all things. He received and read reports from various quarters, and

gave directions as necessary.

But age, for ever is, a progressive curve. With time, the patriarch was

confined to Onibudo House, Still, he remained active. At an age when

many old men would have become a nuisance to everyone around

them, Odutola was a source of delight. He remained committed to an

orderly life-style. He still woke up early and slept late. In his service

were a number of assistants: two nurses, three doctors, a washerman, a

telephone operator, a bank contract person, a personal secretary, and a

house househelp. The attended to all his needs. Even they were

continuously surprised at their employer’s presence of mind, at such

an old age. He could no longer go to the farm as he used to as a

septuagenarian. He also could no longer across the country and

overseas. Yet, he kept a busy schedule. Every other Wednesday, the

Vicar of Adeola Odutola (Anglican) Church came visiting and held a

communion service with the founder, and benefactor of the church,

the Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians. Every first Thursday of the month,

the Odutola siblings, together with their children and grandchildren,

reported at Onibudo House to spend a day with their father, in what

became a grand family re-union, on a monthly basis. When Odutola

was no meeting with the church or with his children, he held meetings

with his personal staff, or with old students associations of Adeola

Odutola College, or representatives of associations from the local

community. Not even for one moment was he forgotten.

As old as he was, he still received invitation cards to wedding

ceremonies and birthdays. He acknowledged every invitation. He

could not, of course, attend in person, but his generosity knew no

bounds. Every Christmas, he sent gifts to friends and acquaintances.

Every year, he enveloped money and sent packages of biscuits,

products of Odutola Foods, to a long list of people. On January - 1,

1995, he instructed that seven cows should be slaughtered for all

chiefs in the districts and elsewhere.

He also spent much time consolidating plans for the transition of his

business empire to a new phase, after its founder. He had involve two

of his sons, Oladipo Odutola and Olufunmilayo Odutola, in the

running of his businesses since he himself could not pay personal

attention to the vast empire as he would have wanted. He was,

however, concerned about management. He wanted the various

companies to be professionally run. He knew that, although many of

them appeared not to be thriving, due mainly to his absence, they were

nevertheless viable. He was determined to re-activate them. In 1994,

six of the companies were converted to public liability companies:

Odutola Tyresoles Company Limited, Odutola Stores, Odutola Food

Industries, Odutola Tyre and Rubber Company (in Ibadan, and Kano),

and Adeola Farm Estate. The thinking was that, as Public Limited

Companies, these would be managed by outsiders.

Odutola also kept his commitment to the schools and the church that

he built. He gave assistance to the College whenever he was

approached. For the elementary school, he built a new set of class-

rooms. He gave the church money for general maintenance, and laid

the foundation for the building of the reception hall. In 1992, when he

turned 90, it was as if he had not gone into retirement. His birthday

was celebrated nationwide. Kapital Advertising Ltd., Ikeja, did a

spotlight feature on him in The Daily Times (June 16, 1992) titled

"The Ogbeni Oja is 90", M.C.K. Ajuluchukwu, the politician cum

journalist, wrote a tribute: "Odutola at 90" (Sunday Times, June 28,

1992), The Guardian published "Adeola Odutola: The Titan at 90",

June 27, 1992, 7he Sunday Times went a step further: it published

both a tribute and a rare interview with the 90-year old - celebrant:

"Odutola, at 90, goes down memory lane", and "Odutola Man of

Honours" (Sunday Times, June 14, 1992). 7he Daily Times wrote in

its June 19th, 1992 edition:

Adeola Odutola at 90

The Ogbeni-Oja of liebu-Ode, Chief Adeola Odutola, a foremost

industrialist, educationist and philanthropist attained the age of 90

on June 16. In a continent where life expectancy is still less than

50 years, it is indeed a great phenomenon to reach that ripe, old

age. In Chief Odutola's case, however, it is more than longevity

that Nigerians and his family are celebrating.

His early start in industry, the steady and conscientious growth and

the eventual attainment of the status of one of the first to go into

industrialization call for eulogy. He started from the small

business of palm produce, cocoa purchasing, and little exportation

of same to the United Kingdom and the United States, coupled

with a little mining and timber trade. Chief Odutola was able to

sustain the business-like culture started by his parents and improve

upon it by building a conglomerate: Odutola Tyresoles Company

Limited, Odutola Tyre and Rubber Company Limited, Odutola

Nigeria Industries Limited, Odutola Food Industries Ltd. And

Continental Breweries Ltd. These created a lot of employment

opportunities for Nigerians. In his diverse endeavours Odutola has

relied on two assets: honesty and hardwork..

Chief Odutola realized quite early that investment in education can

never be measured in terms of naira and Kobo. That was why he

founded the Secondary Commercial College and the Secondary

Grammar School (Olu-Iwa College) in 1945. He later began the

idea of a broad-based education by establishing the Adeola

Odutola Comprehensive High School, Ijebu-Ode. Of late, he

endowed the Universities of Ibadan, Lagos and Ogun with about

N500,000 each for the development of education. Chief Odutola

has also been widely recognized for his philanthropic efforts.

His outstanding qualities have been acknowledged at home where

he has been conferred with the honour of the Order of the Federal

Republic (OFR) in 1966, the Commander of the Order of the Niger

(CON) in 1982, and an honorary Doctor of law degree by the

University of Lagos.

In 1948, Britain honoured him with the Order of the British Empire

(OBE). Despite this success, Chief Odutola is still an exampler in

modesty and humility. These are values significant enough to earn

the Ogbeni-Oja the status of eminence. Nigeria can certainly made

(sic) do with more of such men of calibre.

Chief Odutola’s children and dignitaries join him to out 90th birthday cake

This recognition by the Nigerian Press continued till the very end.

When Chief Odutola turned 92 in 1994, The Guardian published yet

another tribute: “T. A. Odutola: 92 and still Calling the Shots” (June

25, 1994). And even as late as December 1994, Chief Odutola still

granted audience to newspaper men in what was perhaps his last

published interview: “This is not the Nigeria of Our Dream – Adeola

Odutola” (The News, December 5, 1994). That he was loved by the

press was not in doubt. His achievements and personality had marked

him out, early in his career, as a news maker. And he maintained

cordial relations with the Press.

But perhaps the more remarkable feature of the last days was how,

everyday, he held court at his Onibudo Residence between 4 and 6

p.m. There was hardly a day that he did not have a crowd waiting to

see him. Yet, visitors were attended to by prior appointment only and

at specified periods. This writer was reminded on more than one

occasion, not to fail to turn up on time. Chief Odutola hated lateness

of any sort. In his earlier days, he had made punctuality his

watchword, and even in retirement, he would not approve of anyone

keeping him waiting. On one particular occasion, January 13, 1995,

his guests were old students of Odutola College, 1965-69 set. The old

students were celebrating their 25th anniversary, and they had booked

an appointment to see their proprietor. They were given 4.15 p.m. on

the appointed day, with strict instructions to arrive on time. Led by

their former Principal, A. S. Odutola, they arrived around 4:00 p.m.

By 4:15 exactly, Chief Odutola was ready to attend to them. Those

who arrived two minutes late had to sneak in to join in the prayer

session and the singing of the College song. Before the old students

visited him, Chief Odutola had made prior inquiries about the size of

the delegation, and had sought advice on what- entertainment that

they should be offered.

It was such attentiveness to details that sustained him for long. At a

time when he was still busy receiving visitors, and intervening in

public life, many of his age-mates who were still lucky to be alive

would have long given up the struggle. But not Odutola. In what

amounted to a remarkable refusal to quit the scene, he had even in

June 1991, at the age of 89, found time to write a rejoinder to a

newspaper piece, reproduced as follows, for its historical importance:

At his 90th birthday in 1992, he is flanked on the left by

Former Ogun State Governor, Segun Osoba and right,

Governor Kolapo Ishola of Oyo State

De-regulating CBN

I refer to a press interview by the Director-General of the

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Oladapo

Fafowora in the Sunday Times of 26th May 1991, in which he

advised the monetary authorities to further strengthen the Central

Bank of Nigeria (CBN) so as to enable it perform its functions

more effectively and efficiently.

As one of the founders and first President of MAN, I wish to state

that I share and fully support Dr. Fafowora's views on this matter,

and believe his position is one which should be endorsed by all

responsible businessmen.

If there are abuses and malpractices in the banking sector, then the

CBN should be empowered fully to deal with those abuses. Where

necessary, full penalties including fines and closures should be

imposed on the errant banks.

To suspend the issuance of new banking licences on account of the

malpractices of some banks would in the circumstances lead to

monopolies and undermine the Policy of deregulation which the

Federal Government has adopted with the full support of the

business community. It would affect the banking sector or the

domestic economy itself as it would not promote the competition

much needed in the banking sector.

(Sgd.) T. Adeola Odutola,

Ogbeni-Oja of ljebu-Ode.

The letter published on June 2nd, 1991, speaks for itself. Odutola

lived till the last moment, a life of service. In his last published

newspaper interviews, he was distressed about how horribly the times

have changed, particularly, -in the three main areas in which he had

served and distinguished himself- politics, education and the

economy. He was quick to attribute his success to the abundant Grace

of God and infinite mercy of the Almighty. Many would remember

him, in addition, as an exceptional being. By today's standards, he

had only a little education, but in no way did that become a handicap.

He built on his modest beginnings and became, in a short while, one

of the most remarkable men of his time. He touched many lives, he

transformed many persons. He also learnt to enjoy life. Life was, for

him, a lot of fun; hence, he dispensed humour with relative ease. This

was in keeping with his personal philosophy: there was no task too

difficult to be accomplished, no mountain was considered too high,

and no human being was thought undeserving of help and friendship.

He had participated in the key legislative events leading to the

independence of the Nigerian nation but, even in his personal circum-

stances, he was, truly, a nationalist. He recruited his staff from all

parts of the country. He rewarded not on the basis of ethnicity, but

merit and loyalty. He had no time for sluggards not even if they were

of his own blood. He preached hardwork and perseverance as the

only guarantee of success. He was continuously amused by how the

younger generation tended to take success for granted. Those who

appeared serious he encouraged. He was willing, at all times, to

promote merit. He was also a wise investor, he was one of those few

men with the exact instincts of scientific inquiry. This turned out to

be an invaluable asset: it kept him permanently in the front row.

In 1978, the rumour had gone round the nation, in business circles and

everywhere that Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola was dead. He

returned, soon after, to announce that he was still alive: "I am not

dead. I am hale and hearty. In fact, I returned from a tour of Europe

only last Saturday". He had only travelled abroad on a business trip.

Yorubas have an abiding superstition about such deaths by rumour.

Odutola survived the rumour by a record 17 years. When he died,

April 13, 1995, he was 93 years old. He had lived a contented and

remarkable life. He chose to go in style, quietly in his sleep without

any complications. Every morning, Odutola had summoned the

family to Morning Prayer with a bell, at about 4:30 a.m. That

particular morning, no one heard the bell. Soon, the curiosity of the

household was confirmed by the reality of the death of their patriarch.

Odutola was survived by his brother, Alhaji Jimoh A. Odutola, and,

four wives: Madam Segiloia Odutola, Madam Bernice Adetoun

Odutola, Madam Adunola Odutola and Madam Modupe Adewunmi

Odutola. And 26 children:

1. Ms. Ola ide Odutola

2. Mr. Oladipo Odutola

3. Mrs. Adebisi Bateye

4. Mr. Ademola Odutola

5. Mr. Adedapo Odutola

6. Prof. (Mrs.) Oyinade Olurin

7. Chief (Mrs.) Bisola Okupe

8. Mrs. Folasade Sofola

9. Mrs. Olabimpe Osinaike

10. Pastor Olufunmilayo Odutola

11. Mrs. Adesola Adeyemi

12. Chief (Mrs. Folorunso Adeuja

13. Mrs. Adejoke Fadina

14. Mr. Tokunbo Odutola

15. Dr. (Miss) Abisoye Odutola

16. Mr. Adeboye Odutola

17. Mr. Olufemi Odutola

18. Mr. Aderemi Odutola

19. Miss. Oyeyinka Odutola

20. Mr. Oladele Odutola

21. Miss. Aderonke Odutola

22. Mrs. Aderinsola Onalaja

23. Miss. Adetutu Odutola

24. Mr. Adegbola Odutola

25. Miss. Bolanle Odutola

26. Master Adekoyejo Odutola

To each of these children Odutola had given generously of his time,

care, and resources. He was, to them, a father, a friend and a

confident. Although he wielded the big stick nearly all the time, his

concern had been that the children should be able to stand on their

own. In this, he succeeded. At the time he died, many of his children

were themselves patriarchs and matriarchs of their own families. Only

one child, Mrs. A. Shodeinde, and died while he was alive. All over

the country, preparations for his burial began. Obituary notices were

published in the papers by his brother, Alhaji Jimoh Odutola, and by

virtually every institution with which Timothy Adeola Odutola had

been associated. The Funeral Arrangements which were detailed,

carried a significant footnote, in part, a concession to Chief Odutola’s

personal style: NO NIGHT PARTY PLEASE:

Thus, an age ended. The world will remember Odutola as a fine soul

who combined genius with longevity. He was Ijebu-Ode’s most

important human-resource gift to the Nigerian nation in the 20th

century; and one of the brightest and the best.

Chapter Seven

What The Press Said

Odutola, was throughout his life and career, a journalist’s delight. His

public speeches were always good copies; they were ever so well

though-out and elegantly composed. His life was also full of drama.

And newspapers love drama. They followed every bit of the Odutola

saga, as myth and legend, and, in several reports, mostly

complimentary, the Nigeria press paid its own tribute to a man who

had become a direct link with the public consciousness. A few of the

reports are reproduced in this chapter, without additional commentary.

They have been selected merely to represent the relationship between

the press and one of the greatest newsmakers of the 20th century in

modern Nigeria:

Chief T. A. Odutola:

The Business Tycoon With Many Faces

by

Ibrahim Sule

Punch, 17 November 1974

Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola, the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode and the

Asiwaju of the Ijebu Christians has an adequate nose for

professionalism and a good sense of integrity. Indeed, the industrial,

economic and social history of the country cannot be completed

without a chapter on this man of many faces. His has been an enviable

career full of drive, devotion, fortune and up-rightness. Tall, 6ft. plus,

handsome, well-built and soft spoken with a pair of glasses to correct

myopia, the Chief was born 73 years ago in Ijebu-Ode. Through

initiative, hard work and steadfastness, Chief Odutola has risen to be

the leading manufacturing entrepreneur in the country today. Chief

Odutola, who looks 40, wakes up at 4 a.m. daily (he goes to bed at 10

p.m) and commutes between Lagos, Ijebu-Ode and Ibadan at least

twice a week. His office at Ijebu-Ode is on the first floor of a modest,

well furnished and imposing building only 90 minutes drive from

Lagos. This site also houses his bicycle tyre-manufacturing factory,

which employs some 600 workers.

Ogbeni-Oja (as his friends fondly call him) has the insight and

capability to move into new areas of profitability at the right times. He

started humbly with produce buying and exporting mostly kolanuts

and palm kernel. He quickly moved to mining. Later he made his

mark on timber and in fact founded the now famous and prosperous

Omo Sawmills before setting up a tyre remoulding business. His vast

rubber plantations (some people put it at 5 miles plus an impressive

cattle ranch followed the setting up of the timber business). The real

task of management in the effective business is that of redirecting or

re-focusing activities towards what are the right economic realities for

today and for tomorrow. His belief is that a business is a viable unit

only if it can continue to be focused into the future. Chief Odutola is

publicity-shy. In fact his chain of companies has no Public Relations

Department. In a country plagued with record waxing in praise of

“Those who have made it” the Ogbeni-Oja is perhaps one of the few

business magnates who have never allowed any record to be waxed in

their names.

Recently, he introduced one of the latest tools management by

objectives (MBO) into his organization. MBO – by the way, is doing

for the management community what Magna Carta did for the world.

That is, MBO returns to the subordinate, at all levels, the right and the

opportunity to behave and be treated as a human being. Human beings

the Chief believes are not machines indeed his own business approach

is unique in many respects.

About a year ago, he recruited 4 top Nigerian executives through the

Nigerian Institute of Management (N.I.M) into his company. One an

ex-ICI Production Management is now the Manager of his Kano

factory, another an ex-NTC Economist is currently the Deputy

General Manager at the Odutola Nigerian Industries (a N1.5m project)

at Ijebu-Ode; while a third, a former legal adviser to Flour Mills

Apapa holds the post of Secretary/Legal Adviser to the group.

While his Nigerianisation policy progresses, he continues at the same

time, to seek technical co-operation with foreign companies and

individuals. The last time I visited him he had just returned from

Europe where he held discussions with a foreign tyre producing

company on the possibility of a partnership. Chief Odutola has other

faces. For 20 years, he was a legislator in the Western House of

Parliamentary democracy. His dynamic qualities got him into places

and posts. He is a former director of the Central Bank, the Chairman

of the Lagos Stock Exchange, the current President of the

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and the Proprietor of the

Adeola Odutola Comprehensive High School with a population of

over 1,800 students – no doubt one of the largest post primary

institutions in the country. He is a patron of many social clubs and

organizations in Nigeria.

Behind all these is a cool, collected and buoyant looking young old

family man whose Sunday is not even free. His castle at ljebu-Ode is

always packed full. The last appointment I had with him was for 2

p.m. on a Sunday. He had just returned from an Anglican Church

service; but waiting for him for a meeting were members of the

Aladura Church, Ijebu-Ode, the Christ Apostolic Faith and two other

economic development organizations in Ijebu-land. Yet, he found

time to attend to all of us in a brisk, business-like and intelligent way.

The real great wonders about him not only revolve around his

accessibility; but, also his capacity for facts and figures as well as his

quick ability for recognizing faces. One of his sons, a German-trained

rubber technologist is currently the Works Manager at Ijebu0Ode,

other sons and daughters are well spread out like daddy into poultry,

rubber plantation, produce, insurance and tyre production. Chief

Odutola is respected in government quarters for his wise advise on

business and he is a strong believer in an export orientation trade. Yet,

he is a man of strong conviction. Immediately after the civil war, he

pressed for a reduction in the excise duty payable on locally

manufactured tyres because of the high import duty being paid on raw

materials needed for locally manufactured tyres.

At that time the tyre business was dull and unprofitable. No one

seemed to take an immediate action As a consequence, he closed his

Ijebu-Ode factory and 1,500 people were out of job. In no time,

everyone saw reason, and the philanthropist – capitalist opened the

gates of his factory again. And, how does Chief Odutola think

businessmen can get results. “Early to bed results in early to rise”. By

8 a.m, he is already in his office going through essential mails or

holding a Board meeting.

Over the years observes the Chief, “I have known too many people

who are not terribly intelligent, but who somehow get things done

slowly and perhaps, not imaginatively, but they get there. Yet too

many able people, who understand much better and see much more

clearly and talk much, more clearly get nothing done. Hence, I have

observed that effectiveness is neither a talent nor an ability. It is a

practice, a habit”. That is a successful director talking. In the words of

my father, you can never tell a successful man that he is making a

mistake. If Chief Odutola has made any, they are surely over-powered

by his myriads of successes to him and Nigeria.

Ijebu-Ode Goes Gay For Odutola at 90 By

Sunday Olagunju, Assistant Editor,

Sunday Times, 21 June, 1992.

All roads led to Ijebu-Ode yesterday, where an open-air Holy

Communion Service was held in commemoration of the 90th birthday

anniversary of Chief Adeola Odutola, the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode.

The Holy Communion service held at the Onibudo House residence of

Chief Odutola at 11.00am, witnessed the cream of the society, who

had travelled from all walks of life to pay their respect to a great

industrialist and philanthropist. Chief Odutola, who also is the

Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians, had earlier been praised by the head of

the Anglican Church of Nigeria Archbishop Abiodun Adetiloye, who

officiated during the ceremony.

Adetiloye has showered encomiums on Chief Odutola for his

dedication, industry, finesse and nicety of purpose, that saw him

through the long but rough road of life. Readings during the occasion

were taken from Job 28:20-28, Romans 12:1-11 and John 15:1-11,

respectively.

Thereafter, the President’s message was read to the congregation by

the chief press secretary to the President, Chief Duro Onabule.

President Babangida has described the birthday as monumental,

especially judging the wide and varied contributions of Chief Odutola

to the development of the nation, particularly his role as a nationalist

during the intervening colonial period.

Describing her father as a strict disciplinarian, Mrs. Adeyemi said all

the children owed him a debt of gratitude because he did not allow his

addluence to spoil them, especially in childhood. “I sometimes asked

my mother whether he was my true father because of the harsh way

we were brought up”, Mrs. Adeyemi said. “We later appreciated such

treatments, particularly when we started seeing the effects in later

life.” She added. On the possibility of any of the children possessing

the great zeal, industry and business acumen of their father, Mrs.

Adeyemi said it might not be possible. “Our father’s shoes, especially

business-wise is too big for any of his children to wear.”

Some citizens of Ijebu-Ode described Chief Odutola as a frank,

humane and nice man, whose presence in the town has brought a lot

of goodwill and recognition.

Particularly, they were full of praises of his pioneering efforts in the

establishment of the Adeola Odutola Grammar School. According to

them, but for such efforts, the story of educational development in the

former Ijebu Province could have been different. Among dignitaries

that graced the occasion were the governors of Ogun, Chief Segun

Osoba, and Oyo, Chief Kolapo Ishola. Others were Chief Duro

Onabule, Chief press secretary to the president, Chief Chris Okubanjo,

Mr. O. Olashore Chairman, Leads Merchant bank, Chief M.C.K.

Ajuluchuku, Mr. Mucheal Omolayole, management consultant and

former chairman of Levers Brothers, Chief Femi Ajayi, publisher, The

Republic newspapers, Prince Lekan Fadina, the managing director of

Equity security Limited, Ambassador B. A. Adeyemi, Ambassador M.

O. Adefope, Chief Ade John, Chairman of the Leventis Group.

Also present were Otunba Funsho Ajayi, OmoOba Tunde Sode

managing director of Cecilade insurance brokers, Chief Oluwole

Omole of Steel Iron Industries, Mr. Onyema Ugochukwu, Executive

Director (manpower and planning) Daily Times, and Mallam Farouk

U. Mohammed, Executive Director (Administration) Daily Times.

IBB Greets Odutola at 90 Sunday Times, 21 June, 1992

“PRESIDENT Ibrahim Babangida has sent a congratulatory message

to the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebuland and the first Chairman of the

Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, Chief Adeola Odutola on the

occasion of his 90th birthday.

President Babangida said the birthday celebration was monumental in

many aspects, considering Chief Odutola’s various contributions to

the industrial and educational development of the country. The letter

also read in part: “As a nationalist, you were one of the members of

the old Legislative Council who, with fellow compatriots, you play

your part in laying the foundation for our country’s independence.

Also, in the early years of independence, you were part of our new

experiment in democracy when you served as a senator in the First

Republic. Equally remarkable is the fact that you distinguished

yourself as an educationalist by funding several post-primary

institutions. As an industrialist, you displayed your nationalist fervour

by embarking on business ventures all over the country. It was in

recognition of your role in Nigeria’s industrial development that you

were elected the first President of Manufacturers Association of

Nigeria.

Nigeria will always remember your pioneering role in this capacity

especially in respect of the manner in which you blazed the trail of

industrial development in the country. With your great achievements

in this area, you can be rightly called the “Grandfather of Nigerian

Industry.” Indeed, contemporary Nigerian history must acknowledge

your immense contribution to the political and industrial development

of the country.

Tribute: Odutola At 90 Goes Down

Memory Lane By

Sunday Olagunju and Hakeem Bello,

Sunday Times, June 14, 1992

On Tuesday, June 16, Chief Adeola Odutola, the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-

Ode, will be 90. A foremost educationist, industrialist and a

philanthropist of no mean dimension, Chief Adeola Odutola has every

reason to be thankful to God for living to such enviable and revered

age. The Sunday Times was at Odutola's Onibudo House residence,

Ijebu-Ode, to have a feel of what it is to be able to live to 90 years.

Here in an interview with the Sunday Times, 'the grand old man of

Ijebu-Ode shares his reminiscence s, especially what it was in

yesteryears, and what precisely has kept him going, even at 90.

Please read on:

Q SUNDAY TIMES: How precisely did you get involved in

business and what has been the motivating factor?

It was not a mere coincidence that I came into business. My father

was one of the first set of businessmen in Ijebuland. His specialty was

palm produce. In a way one can therefore, say that business runs in

the family.

Q. At 90 and having been involved in manufacturing and

commerce for several decades, what is your assessment of the

Nigerian economy, especially the manufacturing sector?

The Nigerian economy has grown tremendously over the years. There

are a lot-of people in business and this is good for the economy. We

have Nigerians in many facets of our economic life - oil, banking, and

manufacturing, to mention a few. They are doing very well and I am

sure they can do better. The cost of doing business has gone up, the

exchange rate has taken a different turn. In fact, today people talk of

millions. However, the purchasing power has gone down. The value

of naira has depreciated a lot and the interest rate has gone up to as

high as 35 per cent. The manufacturing sector suffers from high cost

of doing business as it makes manufacturing sector unprofitable. Most

banks are not interested in long-term investments which

manufacturing sector depends upon and unless we do something in

this regard our vision of an industrial society may not be realised.

Q.- You were once quoted as saying that the Manufacturers'

Association of Nigeria and the, Chambers Of Commerce

nowadays have become Political rather than being involved in the

nitty-gritty of business and technological development of the

country. As one of the founders and first president of the

Manufacturers' Association of Nigeria, what role was MAN

playing during its early days but which the present MAN has

failed to play?

The early days of MAN witnessed few members who are bound

together with common objective of ensuring the growth of the

manufacturing base of the Nigerian economy. MAN was set up to be

a forum for manufacturers to put their views to government. Today

there are many companies with different needs and aspirations. The

circumstances of the early days are not the same as those of today.

The members must ensure that MAN is a relevant body set up for a

purpose and efforts must be geared toward ensuring the growth of our

manufacturing sector, industrial harmony and job creation.

Q., The fall of the naira, you once said, cannot be attributed to the

Ploy of foreigners to keep the country's economy perpetually in

bondage. What can you attribute the fall of the naira to? And

how best can the value of the naira be revised to a realistic level?

The fall of naira is due to many factors. We spend more on

importation of goods than we earn from exporting goods.

We have a high taste for things that we don't manufacture and in most

cases we tend to live beyond our means. We must learn to cut down

on things that are not necessary.

We have not encouraged farming and rural development. Most people

like white collar job and this has resulted in less out-put agricultural

products such as cocoa, palm products etc. we import even our food

and basic needs' We must encourage more use of our local raw

materials.

We must patronize made-in-Nigeria goods and the only way to

improve the output from our industries is to patronize them. The

manufacturers will be able to improve on them and on the long run

lower the prices. We must develop our technological base. We must

ensure that we teach our young ones the fundamentals of industrial

development. We must encourage more export-oriented businesses.

We must have a clearly defined export-oriented policy that will make

it possible for our businessmen to see the world as their market.

Q. One of your most notable contributions to the Nigerian society

has been in the field of education as one of the earliest founders of

a college. What is your vision of a well-educated person? There

has been complaints about the fall in the standard of education.

Is it true that standard of education has fallen? If yes, what can

you attribute this to?

It must be recalled that at the time Adeola Odutola College was

founded, there was only one secondary school in the whole of Ijebu

Province. Today, a number of eminent Nigerians have passed through

the school. I believe that investment in education cannot be measured

in naira and kobo. My- vision of a well-educated person is that of a

man who is able to use his education to benefit the society. He 1-nust

give to the society more than he gets from it. He must see himself as

a lucky person who by his education and discipline is in a privileged

group. He must therefore, be honest and in all things, strive to make

the society a better place.

All these have changed in recent years. Even parents in the face of

the new revolution in working habits (necessitating the absence from

home by both parents) have paid less and less attention in monitoring

the progress in any of their wards at school. The resultant decay in

discipline has brought about the present fall in standards. We can turn

this round again if we give teachers greater incentive as was done few

days ago in respect of university dons. Now is the time to have a

closer look at conditions in the post-primary institutions as well.

Q: As early as 1977, you were reported as calling for the breaking

of government monopoly of public utilities. How do you now feel

since your advise seems to have been headed by the government

through the present privatization and commercialization policy?

I think it is good that the government has embarked on the

privatization exercise which I have no doubt is good for the country.

The government's role should be to provide infrastructure - road,

water, industrial estates etc - and the businessmen should be able to

use their initiative and entrepreneurial skill for building the

appropriate businesses for employment creation, paying taxes and

developing the society through wealth creation.

Q: Looking at the operational modalities of the financial

institutions in the country today as well as the cost of obtaining

funds, would you say the climate is favourable enough to long-

term industrial investors?

The present environment needs to be re-visited. We must make

investors happy. We must appreciate that people are competing for

the same investment and as such we must be very competitive by

creating conducive atmosphere, granting attractive incentives and

selling the good things about our country.

Q. What steps can be taken to encourage genuine manufacturers

and uplift the production capacity of the country?

By providing more facilities, we must see that electricity, telephones

work and less bureaucracy - minimising the time of getting approvals.

Q: How will you describe the state of your business empire

today?

My business is not in bad shape.

Q. What is your advice to young aspiring entrepreneurs?

They must be hardworking and honest. There are tremendous

opportunities for young and aspiring entrepreneurs. The sky is the

limit.

Q: What will you attribute your long life to?

The abundant grace of God and infinite mercy of the Almighty.

Profile - Odutola: Man of Honours By

Sunday Olaogun and Hakeem Bello

Sunday Times, June 14, 1992

Born on June 16, 1902, at Ijebu-Ode to Mr. Sanni Odutola Seyindemi

and Mrs. Sabinah Otubajo Odutola, both traders one easily sees that

Chief Odutola's ingenuity in businesses in later years has precedence.

He completed his secondary education at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School

in 1920 and by 1932, 12 years later, Chief Odutola was already neck

deep in big-time businesses.

At age 30, he set up his own business, trading in palm products and

cocoa, exporting those products to USA and Europe. Simultaneously,

he was also engaged in gold mining and timber business. Within a

period of 30 years, he set up five flourishing businesses upon which

his success in life and as an industrialist was based. These are

Odutola Tyresoles Company Limited. Odutola Nigerian Industries

Limited Odutola Food Industries Limited and Continental Breweries

Limited. It is often said that business and politics are one side of the

same coin, meaning they are intertwined. No doubt, Chief Odutola's

pre-eminence in business could have had its genesis and fundamentals

right from his public service. For example between 1922 and 1993,

he served in the Tax and judicial Departments of the Ijebu Native

Administration. His brief spell in the Tax and judicial Departments as

then constituted during the colonial period, could have fired Odutola's

later day interest in politics.

A man of many parts, his interest in politics as epitomized by the

various positions he held within the polity of the period, could have

been enough to cause divergence and drift from his business callings,

yet this was not to be. Between 1945 and 1947, he was a member of

the Local Government Council representing Ijebu Province in the

Legislative Council. He also represented Ijebu Province in the

Western House of Assembly (1947-50), elected member of the

Western House of Assembly (1956-59), member of the Senate, Upper

House (1960-64) and a member of the Constituent Assembly(1978).

Perhaps, Chief Odutola's foremost contributions to the growth and

development of Nigeria was in the field of education.

In 1945, he established the Secondary Commercial College and the

Secondary Grammar School (Olu lwa College). Because of his

immense interest in education, he has also endowed the universities of

lbadan, Lagos and Ogun State with about N500,000 each for the

development of education. Chief Odutola also shares his professional

and business skills by getting involved and participating in

professional organisations. For example, he was the founder and first

president of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, as well as a

past chairman of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. He has also served as

a director of the Central Bank and the Nigerian Industrial

Development Bank (NIDB).

Given the very impressive and exemplary life of Chief Odutola, a man

of his sort deserves whatever accolades and honours that the society is

ready to bestow on its citizen, whose life epitomizes the best that

humankind could give. Thus, it is little wonder that Chief Odutola's

life and times remain decked with many honours, both nationally and

internationally. On the international plane, he was honoured with the

Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1948. Back home, he was

conferred with the honour of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR)

in 1966 and Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 1982.

He has also received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws of the

University of lbadan. A life that is well spent needs no belabouring

and so, it is with the life and times of Chief Adeola Odutola, the

Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode.

Many Happy returns.

Work For Nation’s Progress:

Odutola Tells Nigerians Business Times, 19 June 1990

Chief Odutola, the Proprietor of Adeola Odutola College in Ijebu-

Ode, Ogun State has called on Nigerians to contribute honestly and

faithfully towards the success and progress of the country.

He said that no contribution was too small to make and advised that

“Whatever anybody has power to contribute for the country, let him or

her do it for the benefit of the country and the fellow citizens.”

Chief Odutola made the call, when he received members of the old

students of his college who had paid the traditional yearly homage at

his Onibudo residence during the celebration of his 88th birthday and

45th anniversary of the college at Ijebu-Ode, over the weekend.

He said that he was always very happy and delighted about the

progress and achievements of some of the old students of the college

and thanked them for their assistance towards the development and

progress of the school at all times.

Chief Odutola, who is the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode and the Asiwaju

of Ijebu-Ode Christians, advised the students to be good citizens and

let the welfare, success and progress of their country and the college

be paramount in their minds at all times.

He thanked the students and all others, who had expressed concern

over his health which he said was now improving and assured them

that he would not relent in his efforts to make the college one of the

best in the country.

He charged them: “Equally, each and every one of you should not

relent in your efforts to see to it that you render any possible

assistance towards the development and progress of your cherished

college at anytime.”

Odutola Signs N.5M Trust Deed Sketch, 21 Sept. 1989

The endowment of N500.000 professorial chair in business

administration made by the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode, Chief Adeola

Odutola at the University of Lagos has been described as yet another

example of the great love and dedication to sound education.

A renowned educationist Professor C. O. Taiwo, made the remarks at

the ceremony marking the signing of trust deed for the chair held at

the Onibudo resident of Chief Odutola in Ijebu-Ode on Tuesday.

Professor Taiwo noted that the endowment like other contributions

made by Chief Odutola reflected his conviction about the need to

assist educational institutions in advancing the frontiers of learning. In

his speech, the vice chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor

Nurudeen Alao expressed deep gratitude to the donor. Chief Odutola

later signed the trust deed, which was witnessed by one of his

daughters, Professor Oyin Olurin, while Dr. A. A. Omotoso, the

university registrar, witnessed Professor Alao’s signature of the

document.

Present at the brief but impressive ceremony were the deputy vice

chancellor, of the university Professor A. A. Adeogun, the deputy

registrar (information) Mrs. Modupe Adeogun Professor G.G.O.

Development Plan By

Joe Odede

National Concord, 15 July 1980

A NIGERIAN Industrialist and President of the Manufacturers

Association of Nigerian. Chief T. Adeola, has called for a study of the

engineering implications of the Fourth National Development Plan.

In a keynote address to the Nigerian Society of Engineers during the

opening of a two-day National Seminar on Industrialization Policy,

Chief Odutola said this was necessary so that it could be matched with

the engineering resources that existed now.

He said it would also help to determine the technological gap that

existed between the country’s plan objectives, plan target and

available technical competence.

“This gap will describe not only the weak points in the plan, but also

the positive areas in which we have to direct our training efforts for

future development”. Chief Odutola emphasized.

In the address read on his behalf by Executive Director of the

Association Dr. U.O. Eleagu, Chief Odutola opined that there was a

way that technology could be introduced, which, rather than lead to a

national approach to production, turns technology into an object of

mystification. Chief Odutola contended that in the past national

Development Plans, there had been a dichotomy between agricultural

development and industrial developments.

“Both seemed to move in parallel lines that do not meet whereas both

ought to have been so interwoven that industrialization’s first fruits

would increase production of agriculture”, Chief Odutola pointed out.

He said that agricultural expansion would not go on unless there was

industrial development. Such an industrial development would take up

the manpower released by modernizing agriculture, and provide a

solid technical base for, the equipment and services essential to

modernize agriculture.

“This is where industrialization should begin and is precisely what we

have left undone in Nigeria”, Chief Odutola told the engineers.

He observed that at present, 70 out of every 100 Nigerians were said

to be engaged in producing food whereas in advanced industrial

countries, the figure was in the region of 16 farmers to 1,000

inhabitants.

Odutola Warns The Nation By

Taiwo Okutubo

Daily Times, 7 Dec. 1977

"An industrialist Chief Adeola Odutola yesterday advocated breaking

government monopoly of public utilities.

Most of the public services, such as the Posts and Telecommuni-

cations, the Airways and NEPA could be run efficiently by the private

sector, he said. Chief Odutola, who was contributing to the debate on

the constitution yesterday, mentioned countries where such a practice

is obtained.

A nominated member, the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode said once there

was competition, there would be efficiency in the public services.

Chief Odutola said that Nigerian leaders had always travelled

extensively to the developed countries and seen what operated there

but to his dismay, there had been nothing to show that they had gained

anything. He submitted that the country's economic policy should be

open and participatory. And if there was any public utility that could

not be run efficiently by government functionaries, the private sector

should be allowed to run it side by side with the government.

Chief Odutola gave his blessings to the executive Presidency, but

warmed against putting too many powers in his hands. The president

should not run more than one term of once. On Sharia Court of

Appeal, Chief Odutola called for religious tolerance and caution. He

said no attempt should be made to create disunity through the

protection of any religion by law. Let the judicature provide judges

versed in Islamic Law in the Federal Court of Appeal and post them to

dispense justice where appeals from Sharia court arise. He said this

would avoid a dual legal system for the country. Chief Odutola also

spoke on oil and warned the nation that we could be in trouble should

the wells dry up.

He said Nigeria was an agricultural country and in the past, the nation

earned almost all her foreign exchange on export produce. Chief

Odutola said it was by providence that the nation became lucky and

struck oil and other minerals which now earned her foreign exchange.

"But the time is bound to come when the wells from which we

produce this oil will be exhausted and unless we make good of the

money earned from oil now to develop this country and provide for

the basic needs of the people, we shall find ourselves in a difficult

situation." He suggested the setting up of industries to ward off such a

situation. Chief Odutola said it was sad that official support had not

been encouraging. All the infrastructures needed for serious

industrialization of the country were hardly available.

The basic requirements before anybody can think of industrialization

in any country are uninterrupted electric power and regular flow of

water.

Chief Odutola said although the country claimed it would supply

electric power to some neighbouring countries, the supply at home

was less than satisfactory. He said many industrialists were already in

serious difficulties because of incessant power failures which had

been damaging their machines and making business unprofitable. He

said what was annoying was that these companies and industries could

not ask for damages because the utilities had been unduly protected by

law.

He argued that if people who were responsible for the supply of

electric for power for both industrial and domestic use were made

liable for any unjustifiable misdeeds, they would be much more

careful in their duties. On education, Chief Odutola said that every

child should be able to go to school of his or her choice. The idea of

sending children to their states of origin was bad and could defeat the

very aim of uniting the country.

Odutola Xrays Causes of Low Standard

In Schools By

Dapo Aderinokun Punch, 22 June 1977

Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola, the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode has

blamed the poor results in schools on inadequate provision of teaching

personnel. Chief Odutola who was speaking at the 32nd Founder’s Day

Anniversary of Adeola Odutola said he did not altogether share the

view that the causes of the present low standard in schools was

entirely that of the students.

He said that the lack of teaching staff and facilities in classes has

seriously weakened the out-put of the students. Citing his school as an

example, Chief Odutola said that before the Schools’ State Boards

were created, “the college never suffered any lack of adequate

teaching force”.

He pointed out that since the Boards were created, the teaching staff

of the college had always been short. He appealed to the Federal

Military Government to ensure that suitable and steady teaching staff

were made available for students, especially the finalists.

Inflation For Years Ahead Daily Express, 27 Feb. 1976

INFLATION in the country is likely to persist as a nagging problem

for some time to come so predicted the president of the Manufacturers

Association of Nigerian (MAN) Chief Adeola Odutola yesterday.

Chief Odutola who was addressing the opening of the association’s

fifth annual general meeting in Lagos said the inflationary trends

could continue for so long a time because of poor harvests in Nigeria

and other parts of the world.

In the address the President also predicted that in view of the recent

demands made on the association’s members by their employees

especially in regard to enhanced fringe benefits the costs of labour is

likely to increase. Said the chief:

Although we have made the association’s views known to the

government through our budget representations and through the

Anti-inflation Task Force a lot of mis-understanding still persist in

government circles with regard to the nature of inflation now

raging in Nigeria.

Chief Odutola expressed the belied that a policy based on the coercion

of the private sector would not benefit the country, it can only succeed

in killing “the goose that lays the golden eggs” he added.

Personality of the Week: The Symbol of

A Rare Breed Business 77mes, 23 Dec. 1975

"We had just come from a luncheon party honouring Chief Timothy

Adeola Odutola on his retirement as the president of the Council of

the Lagos Stock Exchange, to his Lagos residence at Ajasa Street and

having heard all the tributes paid to the chief by members of the

council, the first question I asked was naturally: "How did you begin?

Begin seems a very apt word in any discussion of Chief Odutola's life

because, in his lifetime, he has pioneered so many things. But to

begin where it all began, we will have to return to Ijebu-Ode of 1902

where he was born.

After his education at the Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Chief Odutola

came to Lagos in 1921 and worked briefly as a clerk in the Nigerian

Government service. Back to Ijebu-Ode the same year, he took a job

in the native administration. It was while there that he started

business on part time. In 1932, he resigned his appointment to start

produce buying, which was also his father's line. The business

expanded so fast that he was soon selli4g produce direct to foreign

firms like U.A.C., John Holt, etc, and even exporting his goods to

overseas markets, on his own account.

But when the marketing boards were established and most of Nigeria's

agricultural export produce scheduled, Chief Odutola, was one of the

first to realise that produce buying business had little furture for

private enterprise. Perhaps he was not the only one who realised that,

but his next step made him unique indeed. He moved into industry,

establishing a tyre-retreading factory at lbadan and later at Kano and

Onitsha. His was not only the first tyre retreading business in Nigeria,

but it was also the first modern factory owned by a Nigerian.

The business has grown of course, and today manufactures motor

vehicle and bicycle tyres. But that decision long ago, to establish the

tyre retreading factory can be described as the beginning of Nigerian

participation in industrial production. And today Chief T.A. Odutola

remains the symbol of that almost rare breed of Nigerian businessmen

who engage in production as distinct from distribution and commerce;

and on whom the future of this economy on the long run may depend.

Not surprisingly, Chief Odutola is the president of the Manufacturers'

Association of Nigerian, whose indigenous membership is gradually

increasingly. Odutola, as President of M.A.N. says; 'The future is

bright... only if we have the support of the Government'

"It's true that the country has money now, but in the longer run, oil

will finish while industry will not." But Chief Odutola is not only an

industrialist. He is also a farmer and a school proprietor. Talking

about the farmer, he says: "I have always had the urge to do farming

myself."And about the latter the high standards which the Adeola

Odutola Comprehensive School, Ijebu-Ode, has maintained since its

foundation in 1943 are eloquent testimony. Handing over the school

to the Western State Government recently, he refused compensation,

asking only that the government maintain the standards already

existing in the school.

And now we return to where we started, Chief Odutola's retirement as

president of the Lagos Stock Exchange. Chief Odutola has been a

member of Exchange since 1962, almost right from its beginning. He

has been honorary counsellor of the Exchange since 1965, and

chairman of the council from 1972 - the crucial years of the

Indigenisation Decree. In taking leave of the council, Chief Odutola

says: "Time has come when younger people should be brought in to

serve the exchange" and to Nigerian businessmen he advises them to

be straightforward and honest, that they should be buying and selling

at the ruling prices.

"At times you may lose, and things may be difficult, but the good

name and the respect will be there." Chief Odutola who when I asked

his age said: "Not as old as you" (the writer is 34) is not retiring from

business yet, nor from his other public commitments even though he

is actually 73.

Odutola Advocates Women’s Active Role

In The Society New Nigerian, 17 Nov. 1975

“The Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode, Chief T. A. Odutola, ahs appealed to

all women in the state to use forum of the International Women’s

Organisation to take active part in the social, educational economic

development of the state.

Chief Odutola, who was speaking at Ijebu-ode during the celebration

of the International Women’s Year in Ijebu Division, stressed the

importance of women in the society. He implored women to spend

their money on the education of their children, rather than waste such

money on social ceremonies. Chief Odutola further urged them to

give their children sound home training alongside with classroom

education. He commended the efforts of the organizers of the

celebration in Ijebu Division. The celebration which lasted three days,

featured laying of wreath at the Obanta monument, cleaning of Ijebu-

ode, a novelty football match and dancing round the town.”

N2,000 Annual Award For Research Purposes Daily 77mes, 12 March 1974

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria intends to encourage

research aimed at improving our local products through an annual

award of N2,000 for five years beginning from this year.

This was disclosed by Mr. Jegede, secretary of the association while

delivering his opening address at the Made-in-Nigeria Exhibition on

behalf of the president of the association, Chief T. Adeola Odutola.

The following is the text of the speech:

Honourable Commissioners, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I

speak on behalf of the President of the Manufacturers Association

of Nigeria, Chief T. Adeola Odutola, who is unavoidably absent at

this opening ceremony.

This exhibition, the opening of which we are here to witness, is the

joint effort bf the Daily Times of Nigeria Ltd. and the

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and is the culmination of the

efforts of my association at promoting the patronage of products

manufactured in Nigeria.

My Association's Made-in-Nigeria Campaign was launched with

three main objectives in view : Firstly we wished to show the

public many goods made in Nigeria. Secondly, we wanted to

make the general public more aware of the factors affecting

manufacturers in Nigeria; and thirdly we wished to foster closer

co-operation between manufacturers, consumers and Government

functionaries.

The two slogans of the campaign summarise the pre-requisite of

the success of the campaign and also stress the campaign's ultimate

goal. The first slogan "together we can make it" intends to show

that the campaign will succeed only through the marriage of the

following factors:

♦ The faith of the manufacturers who have risked their capital and

know-how to set up industries in Nigeria.

♦ The pride of the Nigerian workers in making first-class products.

♦ The patriotism of the Nigerian consumer in ensuring adequate

domestic demand for goods made in his home country, and

♦ The backing of Government through fair Industrial laws and

adequate incentives to manufacturers.

The second slogan "made-in-Nigeria and proud of it" is urging us,

whatever our positions, to take pride in products made by our

fellow Nigerians so that, in the ultimate, our products may by their

quality, and pricing command the patronage of foreign consumers.

Only thus can we enhance the greatness of Nigeria as an industrial

nation.

The first stage of the campaign took the form of a newspaper

supplement and of illustrated literature directed at leaders of

thought and opinions. That first stage cost my Association

N22,000. We consider this exhibition as the second and most

important stage displaying as it will, some of the actual products

manufactured here in Nigeria.

Since high quality is essential to the acceptance of our products by

the consumer, my association intends to encourage research aimed

at improving our local products through an Annual Award of

N2.000 for five years beginning from 1974.

Since the Made-in-Nigeria campaign and exhibition are aimed at

ensuring Nigeria's industrial greatness, my association through this

medium is appealing to the Trade Unions to educate their members

on the importance of quality and patronage of the products made

by them. Only thus can the workers themselves ensure their

continued employment. We of the Manufacturers Association of

Nigeria also hope that our government will between this exhibition

and the 1976 international Trade Fair continue their efforts to

promote industrial growth and use their information media to back

up the success achieved by the private sector in the campaign for

patronage products made in Nigeria.

Honourable Commissioner and distinguished guests, I welcome

you on behalf of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and

hope that you will, in the course of viewing the products displayed

at the exhibition, feel satisfied with the progress so far made by

Nigerian Manufacturers.

Brain Behind It All By

Emmanuel Hart

Daily 17mes, 25 May 1968

At the age of 60, most men think of retirement. For it is the general

belief in this country that after 50, the energy of the ordinary run of

life is on the decline. It is at this age that most men take things easy.

But it's not so with Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola, the Ogbeni-Oja of

IlebuOde and chairman of Odutola Group of Companies. At 66 he is

still bustling with energy and planning ahead.

It can rightly be said of Chief Odutola that he is one of the few

surviving Nigerians who served both in the old Legislative Council

and the House of Representatives (1952-4) the Assembly which set

the pace for Nigeria's attainment of Independence on October 1, 1960.

Chief Odutola now belongs to the class of elder statesmen. Not only

was he actually engaged in the struggle for Nigeria's independence but

he also played a leading role throughout the teething period of

nationhood.

Under normal circumstances, a man who was able to establish two

secondary institutions, can rest assured that he has made worth-while

contributions towards the progress of his fatherland but with men of

exceptional foresight and zeal like Chief Odutola.

Little wonder that 1954 can rightly be described as his golden year for

it was in that year that he was installed the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode

(a post which places him as the Prime Minister of Ijebu-Ode).

Four years later he established his rubber compounding industry under

the name of Odutola Tyre and Rubber Company in Ibadan, at the

same time the idea of establishing the present industry took shape in

his mind. A small incident will serve to illustrate why and how Chief

Odutola got to the top. I asked him when his tyre and rubber

company was set up. He could easily have given me a date but he

called in his secretary who searched the records and gave me the exact

date.

I visited him a day after the announcement of the tragic death, through

motor accident of his son-in-law, 52-years-old, Mr. Oladipo Bateye,

Permanent Secretary, Western State Ministry of Local Government

and Chieftaincy Affairs. Here was a heavy blow which was enough to

demoralise ordinary men, but Chief Odutola went about his normal

business in a cool atmosphere. He was literally at every spot in the

premises putting finishing touches for the official opening of his new

factory on April 6, which owning to the above sad incident, had to be

postponed till today.

By all standards Chief Odutola can be regarded as a wealthy man.

But it is not financial motive that led him to establish the; ₤5OO,OOO

factory at his home town. When I asked him why he had to undertake

the trouble of setting up this ultra modern factory, his answer as

characteristic of him was:

Our motive should be to leave the world a better place than we

found it. We ought to strive-to put back something before we take

the final bow. "During my several visits abroad, especially to

Europe," he said, "I had the opportunity of seeing developed

countries. They were, in the main, efforts of individuals, I am

convinced that for this country to be developed, individual

Nigerians must be prepared to contribute their quota. The

country's development must not be left with the governments

alone.

Looking back, Sir, which of your various endeavours would you

say has given you the greatest joy and satisfaction - politics,

establishment of secondary institutions or setting up of industries?

Chief Odutola smiled broadly and replied:

My greatest satisfaction in life is the establishment of educational

institutions. I regard all the students as my children and wherever I

meet them, they regard me as their father. What more satisfaction

does a man want in life?

It's difficult to meet Chief Odutola and not be inspired by the man s

dedication, his industry, sincerity and the will to succeed. That he is

embodiment of success is not surprising. The words of Long fellow

aptly apply to Chief Odutola:

The heights by great men reached and kept,

Were not attained by sudden flight.

While they their neighbours slept,

Were toiling onwards in the night.

His successes should be a challenge to the new generation of

Nigerians.

Others Slept - He Toiled On By

Bayo Kuku, President-General of the

Adeola Old Student Associadon

Daily 27mes, 25 May 1968

It is often said that "The height that great men reached and kept were

not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their neighbours slept,

were toiling onwards in the night". This famous quotation can well be

applied to Chief T.A. Odutola, whose present achievements in all

walks of life did' not come to him suddenly. He toiled and worked for

them. It is needless to say that he is one of the most illustrious sons of

ljebuland in particular and of Nigeria as a, whole.

He is a benefactor to many sons and daughters of Ijebu who have

from time to time stood in dire need to increase their wealth of

education and so in this instance, he became the proprietor and sole

founder of Olu-lwa College, now called Adeola Odutola College

Ijebu-Ode. It is needless to emphasize the ideals and motives behind

the founding of this great institution. Suffice it to say that Adeola

Odutola College is the child of the big heart of a philanthropist and

this philantrophist is Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola, the Ogbeni-Oja

of Ijebuland.

The college is the first voluntary agency comprehensive high school

in Western State and it is, perhaps, the second largest high school in

the whole of the Federation. Among the students who went through

the cog or mill of this institution are one first-class Oba in the Western

State and scores of lawyers, doctors, engineers, chartered accountants,

majors in the army, to mention but a few.

Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola is not a politician in any context of the

word, but a statesman. He represented his own area for many years in

the Legislative Council, in the Western House of Assembly, and

ended up as a Senator in the Federal Upper House.

But when the art of government became turbulent and unscrupulous,

he decided to go back into the industrial arena, in which he has always

been well accustomed. He is a director of many companies,

prominent among these being the Odutola Tyresoles Company

Limited.

The newly founded Odutola Nigerian Industries Limited is also one of

the Odutola Group of Companies. These companies, no doubt,

provide employment opportunities to all Nigerians and have in no

small measure helped Nigeria particularly in the now all-important

balance of trade and payment, in so much as we do not have to import

tyres.

He was also one of the founders of Lagos Chamber of Commerce,

which Organisation served so eloquently as the mouth piece of

commercial interests across the length and breadth of our Federation

and in the great world beyond.

If given three pages in this newspaper to write about the OgbeniOja of

Ijebu-Ode, one will not be able to write nearly enough about the many

good things he has done to help his country and his fellowman.

When the history of this great nation comes to be written, and read by

ages yet unborn, the name of Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola would be

given a conspicuous place. And if he is named a philanthropist,

educationist, industrialist, statesman, and benefactor, they would have

told only a small part of the story because Chief Odutola is all these

things and, indeed, a great many more.

Salutation and three hearty cheers to Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola,

the Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode, on this august occasion of the opening

of his first factory in Ijebu-Ode.

Chief Odutola Honoured Morning Post, 17 Nov. 1965

One of the distinguished Nigerians being honoured today (November

17) by the University of lbadan is Chief Timothy Adeola Odutola, the

Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebu-Ode. He is to be conferred with the honorary

LL.D. degree in Law for his great contribution to Economic

Development in Nigeria.

When the Prime Minister, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, as

Chancellor of Nigeria's premier University confers-the award on Chief

Odutola today November 17, he would be doing the Ijebus and

Western Nigerians in particular a rare honour.

For Chief Odutola is one of those rare gems Western Nigeria has been

fortunate to donate to the Federation of Nigeria.

Born on June 16, 1902 at Ijebu-Ode, Chief Odutola is the eldest son of

late Daddy Sanni Odutola Seyindemi and Madam Sabinah Otubajo

Odutola. His father was a trader - dealing in export produce, such as

cocoa, rubber and palm produce. He was not an exporter himself but

as a middle-man buying from farmers and selling to expatriate

exporters.

He had his early education at the St. Saviour's Primary School, Ijebu-

Ode up to 1917 and the Ijebu-Ode Grammar School Ijebu-Ode, 1918-

1920.

At Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, he was one of the early students under

the principal-ship of the late, well-known Nigerian educator, Rev.

Israel Oludotun Ransome-Kuti.

His early career began with his first appointment under the Nigerian

Government as a Clerk, in the Treasury Department in Lagos in 1921.

He worked for about eight months in Lagos including a very short

service in the Audit Department. He left the service then after

refusing a transfer (even with promotion prospects to Second Class

Clerk) to Minna in Northern Nigeria.

Young Odutola told his European boss then that his mother warned

him not to take up any employment outside Lagos.

The same year-by September 21 - he returned to Ijebu-Ode and joined

the Judicial Department of the Ijebu Native Administration as a Clerk.

(Court. Scribe as it was generally known in those days).

He served the Ijebu NA during these eleven years from 19211932.

During these eleven years he served as Gourt Scribe in almost every

District of Ijebu Province. Mr. Odutola backed by 11 years

experience in administration decided to go into business.

This was not without a purpose. A purpose to use a background of

liberal education and discipline in Native Authority administration to

explore virgin land of the world of modern business. Mr. Odutola's

business life from here is patterned on both the American and the old

European way. A young educated man with a background strong

enough to hold his own in a developing community facing a life of

business with zest and at other times playing a significant role in the

local politics and administration.

The two have gone together for many world leaders leading to

business tycoons and political lords.

The next 13 years saw Mr. Odutola in this double role. But his up and

coming wealth came from business. He used his education and wealth

to serve a critical community.

He started business with export produce dealing in export of cocoa,

and palm produce. He bought them from farmers and sold locally and

abroad. His exports went to the United Kingdom, Germany and the

United States of America. And at the close to this period, he ventured

into gold mining. But as produce magnate he held his own against

some of the biggest expatriate firms by a wide margin. At the same

period, Mr. Odutola while making good progress in the new business

world, started to play a role of leadership in the local politics and

administration of Ijebu-Ode and Ijebu Province as a whole. This was

the beginning of the role of leadership that was to allocate to him a

more significant role both of integrity and eminence on the national

platform in later years.

In 1935, he had been nominated a member of the Advisory Council of

the Ijebu Native Authority. His contributions to debates showed a

deep sense of public service. He asked intriguing yet vital questions.

He later became a member of the Ijebu Divisional Council. Dual

membership of legislatures was abolished. A General Election

followed in 1956. Chief Odutola contested on the platform of the

Action Group and won a landslide victory in Ijebu Central

Constituency into the House of Assembly in lbadan. From 1956 to

1959, Chief Odutola served in the Western House of Assembly as an

elected member.

Early in 1960 (after the 1959 Federal Elections), he was elected to the

Senate (Nigeria's Upper House).

So it turned out that Chief Senator Odutola became one of the few

Nigerians who ever sat continuously in Nigeria's highest Legislative

House under the 1922 Constitution to the time of the Independence

Constitution. He had among his colleagues the present Prime

Minister, Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

And among those who first served with him in the Legislative Council

was the President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, and later in the House of

Representative were in the Northern Premier, Alhaji Sir Ahmadu

Bello and the Action Group Leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

He served as Senator till 1964 December, when he retired into his

business which has both expanded and brought into display the

modern development in large-scale industries. Chief Odutola was

highly honoured both under the Colonial regime and after

independence.

Chief Odutola's industrial enterprises stem from a firm belief that

given the opportunity Nigerians can legitimately rise to the position

where they can provide capital and technical know-how and take

active parts in vital sectors of the country's economic development.

He never failed to impress on the Governments of Nigerian to always

leave those avenues where Nigeria's indigenous capital and labour can

contribute their quota open and free from interference from foreign

acquisitive entrepreneurs.

Appendix A

The Second Member For The Western

Provinces (The Hon. T. Adeola Odutola, (OBE):

on The Appropriation Bills

7th March 1950

Your Excellency, we have before us what I can describe as a mild

budget; and we feel heartened in reading the Honourable Financial

Secretary’s Memorandum on the Estimates of the healthy state of our

finances, and also in hearing from him in his Budget Address that the

economic and financial state of the country is good.

I do not wish to seize upon this as an occasion or opportunity for

demanding general tax reduction, but the item I have chosen to speak

on today is one that calls for careful consideration. I refer to the

Companies Income Tax of 9s in the ₤ to which Your Excellency has

made special reference in your Budget Address and which was not left

untouched by the Honourable Financial Secretary in his address as

well. It seems to me absurd that income tax on company’s profit

should be 9s.6d. in the United Kingdom and only six pence less in this

country. It may be of interest to this House to know that people

abroad, anxious to invest their capital in this country, avoid coming

here because of the present excessive rate of company tax. We need

all the outside capital that we can attract to Nigeria for development of

the country, but I can see no hope of our succeeding to do so under the

present condition. This is like killing the goose that lays the golden

eggs; because we are shutting out the only sources from which the

country’s wealth can be increased.

Everything that can be done, I think, should be done to encourage and

attract capital into the country if much needed development is to

proceed: and one way of this is to reduce the company's income tax to

a more reasonable level and, I believe, this is one of the things that

Your Excellency had in mind when you made the following

statements in your lucid address last Thursday. I shall quote from

your own words:

As regards capital, I am not an economist and I touch on the

subject with diffidence. All economic development requires

capital, whether, it is owned publicly or privately, and all capital, I

believe, must come, in the last resort, from savings. I shall leave it

to tile Finance Secretary to explain our present loan position and

prospects, but I know that in general our people have little as yet to

spare for savings so that, apart from the operations of the

Marketing Boards, the courses of raising capital locally are very

limited. IN any case, this country, in common with most countries

in the world, cannot achieve the national income that it requires

merely by utilising its own resources. We must, I suggest, in this

matter make a clear distinction between self-reliance, which is

admirable, and attempted self sufficiency, which is stultifying, and

the negation of progress. We need the capital equipment which

other countries can supply, and we must therefore ensure that

conditions exist which will, attract a flow of capital, whether from

such sources as the Colonial Development Corporation, or from

private enterprise, always remembering that we get our direct

return (I need not remind Honourable Members that company tax

at present is nine shillings in the pound) as well as the indirect

benefits in the form of increased employment and economic

activity. I have been greatly encouraged by tile. new sense of self-

confidence and responsible thinking in the country in regard to this

question of outside capital. Best of all would be joint participation

by Nigerian and overseas capital in the financing of industrial

concerns throughout the country. It is already starting. I look

forward to the time when Nigerians, by virtue of their business

ability, will sit side by side with their European colleagues on tile

Boards of Directors controlling such enterprises. There is already

ample evidence that a class of-Nigerian business men in emerging

which will increasingly be capable of making a genuine

contribution to the industrial and commercial life of the country.

Sir, I remain corrected, but I understand that the Nigerian Companies

Income Tax Rate is the highest in the whole of colonial territories. It

would seem therefore that we who stand in the greatest need of

outside capital are those who are actually pursuing a policy which

would tend to scare capital away from the country. I am pressing very

strongly that something should be done in this matter without delay.

In high taxation, we are told by the Honourable Financial Secretary,

there is nil virtue, and especially when, in this country it is derived

from one or two sources only.

What I say regarding attracting outside capital applies to local

enterprise as well. There are many people anxious to form small

limited liability companies in this country and to take share in

development, but are scared away from doing so by the present high

rate of Company's Profit Income Tax. I suggest that relief should be

given either by substantial reduction of the present or by introduction

of a sliding scale whereby newly established companies could be

afforded a breathing space while they are consolidating their business.

I can assure this House that there are a large number of small African

business men anxious to form companies, but are kept back at present

by this tax. Think of the large contribution which such people can

make to our revenue if my suggestions are considered. I am prepared

to meet the Financial Secretary for further discussion on this matter,

perhaps we may be able to find some satisfactory solution.

Coming to the subject of development, I should like to deal with the

existing restriction on the importation of American trucks into this

country. I do not think that this country can be accused of failing to

cooperate with the United Kingdom Government at any time in

prosecution of any measures for solving the dollar crisis. In my

opinion, it is a most unscientific approach to try to save dollars by

limiting the very means by which a large amount of dollars could be

earned. Road transport plays a vital part in the economy of the

country. We must evacuate our cocoa, palm kernels and other

products from the interior to the coast. These commodities are, in the

main, dollar earners, and American trucks are the only reliable kind of

vehicles which can be successfully employed for transportation work

on the type of roads that we have in this country at present. The

British make of trucks, as far as experience goes, are simply unable to

stand up to them. If we are to use British make of trucks with any

degree of success, then the condition of our roads must be improved

considerably beyond existing standards. The story of many Africans

engaged in transport business and who have been compelled by

present circumstances to operate their services with British trucks is a

very depressing one. I know of many who have been completely

ruined because the vehicles they are forced to buy earn hardly

anything for them before they go to pieces. This sort of thing gets

people embittered and I have been asked several times, "Why should

Government compel us to buy British lorries when they know very

well these vehicles are not suitable for our roads?" These are things

that help to swell the cry for self-government blindly.

While on this subject, I should like to make reference to the Lagos-

lkorodu, Ijebu-Ode-Benin roads. I cannot think of any more

disgraceful example of official complacency than has been shown in

the progress of construction work on these roads, especially the

sixteen mile stretch between Lagos and Ikorodu which after about five

years still remains uncompleted. We hear the usual story about

certain engineering difficulties. Our Government appears to have

learnt nothing from the last war. In the wary years, people did not

fold their hands and talk about difficulties, if there was a job or work

to be done, they just got down to it and saw it through. I wish all

those engaged in all departments of development, especially in our

present stage, would recapture some of that war-time spirit. It is badly

needed. One can speak with less heat about that section of the road

between Ijebu-Ode and Benin, especially that portion of it, the

construction of which, is being done by the staff in Ijebu-Ode. Work

has progressed with reasonable satisfaction. But it may be said,

however, that this has, perhaps, been the result of much criticism in

the past. This may be so; nevertheless, the staff engaged on this

section deserve some tribute especially when it is considered that they

had not been having the benefit of the equipment and tools which

appear to have been so generously supplied for operation in the

Lagos-lkorodu section of the road. It would appear that officials

attach greater importance to this than the Ijebu-Ode-Benin section. If

this is the idea then the sooner it is corrected the better. In fact, the

latter section of the road is of some economic value to the country

than the former. I have heard reports from various sources that one of

the chief causes of delay in the execution of many important schemes

in the development has been the slowness in delivery of materials by

the Crown Agents for the colonies. This is a story we are tired of

hearing. I have advocated on more than one occasion both in this

House and I remember at the Colonial Conference in London over a

year ago that if the machinery of the Crown Agents Office is too

antiquated to deal with the needs of this rapid moving age, then let us

scrap it and place our business in the hands of some other

organisations which can serve us better. It is to my knowledge that

while work is held up because Government Departments have to wait

sometimes for years, to get their indents executed, private enterprise

seems to have experienced no difficulty in securing a flow Of Supply

of the very materials which the Crown Agents are unable to obtain.

There is also the cry of dearth of engineers, and reading through the

half-yearly report on the general progress of development and welfare

schemes, I noticed that there are more vacant posts of engineers for

various fields than those already filled. Take for instance, there are

only six water engineers reported to be available for work while there

are twenty-five vacant posts, and, I believe, the same thing applies to

road, electrical and mechanical engineering sections of our

development. I understand that the Public Works Department is not

only finding it extremely difficult to recruit engineers but that even

most of those who are now in the service are looking for an

opportunity to give up this appointment for something better

elsewhere. But what do you expect if you choose to treat engineers as

if they are inferior to members of the other professions such as

Medicine and Law; of course, I understand that the Medical Service

has behind it a kind of Trade Union, hence the better conditions which

they enjoy. This, of course, is always like the Nigerian Government

which is prepared only to consider the claims of those who are in a

position to employ force or threat of force to secure their legitimate

dues. In a service whose conditions are far from favourable the

African holders suffer even greater disabilities. I can recall about

fourteen years ago the case of a qualified African Engineer who when

he sought appointment in Government was offered the ridiculous

salary of ₤128 per annum, when other departments were offering a

Starting salary of L400 per annum to men newly qualified. Even now

when some of the earlier prejudices against the profession are

disappearing, one is astounded to hear of a case where there was

reluctance to apply the Harragin conditions to an African recently

graduated in engineering on entering Government service until the

man threatened to resign. I understand that today there are less than

five Africans holding the position of engineers in the Government

service, while there are scores of African Medical Officers and

perhaps the same in the Legal and Judicial Department. The reason is

the more generous conditions provided for members of these

professions in the Government service. We may set out with all the

enthusiasm we can command but the development of this country

cannot be achieved without the service of engineers. As pointed out

by the Regional Deputy Director of Public Works in the Western

House of Assembly recently, the department so readily referred to as

Public Works Department is the only one that carries no super-scale

posts, for instance, the Provincial Engineer's post which, I believe, is

the equivalent to that of a Resident in the Administrative service or

Senior Medical Officer in the Medical, is not a super-scale post. The

duties of a District Engineer or Provincial Engineer are known to be

very onerous and it is no surprise when one learns that an ever

increasing number of engineers are taking advantage of the facility for

retiring at forty-five years of age. It is up to the Government to do

something to correct the position.

In our Estimation of Expenditure, quite apart from other provisions

made under Colonial Development and Welfare Act, provision has

also been made for an amount of E108,200 to be spent during the

years 1950-51 by our Department of Agriculture, a figure which

shows a net increase of ;EIO,501 over what was made available for

the Department last year. Nigerian, we have always been told, is an

agricultural country, and I do not think anyone in this House will

oppose any sum which may be earmarked for Agricultural

Department to carry out its duties to the country provided the people

of the country have an 'y assurance that they will have fair return from

the department for their money. In a Province in the Region which I

represent, more than 90 per cent of the people of that area hardly have

any idea of the existence of Agricultural Department in the country,

and those who do know very little of what kind of work the

department does. I agree that very elaborate experimental works are

being done by the department in its Headquarters in lbadan, but how

many farmers in this country have the time to go to experimental

schools? I think that what we need today is practical demonstration.

We want Agricultural Officers to visit our farmers as much as

possible, and to advise them of what to do to increase productivity.

Agricultural Department should be able to contribute very largely to

improving the condition of our local food supply which is the main

concern of the people of this country today. We have the land and we

have the men, and whatever capital is required, I am sure, will be

made available by the people of this country provided the Department

shows some sign of willingness to help them. One can say, within a

twinkle of an eye, or count on his fingers, how many times an

Agricultural Officer has visited farmers in Ijebu Province during the

last ten years. The people of that area whose main industry from time

immemorial was trade have for some time developed the desire to

farm in keeping with the great need of the country, but unfortunately,

they have no encouragement from our Agricultural Department. I

have more serious complaints against the department which I hope to

discuss with the Director when we meet in the Select Committee.

Your Excellency, it is a pity indeed that in a country like this, such

schemes for the improvement of the daily lives of the people like

water supply and electricity could not be carried out more rapidly.

Water supply certainly should be top priority. We spend large sums

annually in building hospitals and providing other health services, and

yet omit to provide the first essential of healthy existence, good water.

It is a joke, only rather tragic joke, to treat a patient in hospital and

send him back to his village where he has to drink germ-ridden water

only to develop worse diseases than the one for which he has been

treated. Our policy in these matters must be revised. We must

recognise the principles of first things first, which need to be applied

in the whole field of development in Nigeria.

Sir, I would like to bring to the notice of this House a very bad

practice going on in the Western Provinces of the country, which, I

know, if not checked in time, will result into a great trouble. I refer to

the existing arrangements of Government subsidy paid on the

transport of cocoa, palm kernels and other export produce from the

interior to the port. The facts are that this subsidy is not helping those

whom it is intended to help nor fulfilling the purpose for which it was

intended. What I wish to point out is that hardly a single African

motor transport operator is today sharing in the carrying of cocoa,

palm kernels and other export produce from the interior to the port.

He has been ousted from the field by the big Syrian transport firms.

These Syrians have been undercutting rates to a point which rendered

competition by the African impossible. Rates have been reduced to

such a figure that the whole Government subsidy on differential goes

to the European Licenced Buying Agents instead of being passed on

to the transporters as should be the case. Two evils result, one is the

elimination of the Africa, the second is that Government is paying the

tax-payers money for nothing. The more serious, of course, is the

former. It is creating a great deal of bad feeling against not only the

big Syrian firms but the European firms who suffer the greatest loss

from looting, for instance. The Syrian came into this country without

any money, with the help of the European firms he soon amasses great

wealth which he takes away from the country into which he puts back

very little of what he had accumulated. The African will not sit by

and watch his resources being taken away from him by the Syrian

with the aid of the British firms.

We want to see the country developed and we want to see the fruits of

such development shared by those who have title to it; namely, the

British who put their- capital and energy into the process and the

African who contributes his share by his labour and his land. I do

hope Government will look into this matter without delay. When I

was in the United Kingdom in 1948 for the African Conference, I

attended a meeting arranged by Sir Alan Burns and others at the

instance of the Colonial Office, the object of which was to enquire

into the sources of racial ill-feeling and to find ways of promoting

better understanding. To deprive the African of his livelihood is

certainly not the best way of creating better feeling. After all, if a

father in Nigeria is deliberately deprived of the means by which he

could make a decent livelihood in preference to a Syrian or any other

foreigner, he certainly is not going to encourage his student son or

daughter in the United Kingdom to develop friendliest feeling towards

those whose brothers are working against his interest in his own

country. I am asking through this House that immediate steps be

taken to enquire into this complaint.

Another point I wish to emphasise is the need for a bold drive in the

development of productive lines as opposed to the development of

purely social services. At present, large sums are spent in building

such things as hospitals and schools, but there will be a need for funds

for the maintenance of these services and unless the country can

produce more wealth by increased productivity, we shall soon reach a

stage where we find ourselves unable to bear the burden. What is

happening to day is that we are spending our money before we have

earned it. We all know that the consequences of such policy will lead

to National Bankruptcy.

During the Budget Session of this House, in 1948, one Honourable

Member of the House who was then new and not yet used to

Government's way of treating the views of the unofficial members

was compelled by his young experience of the work of the Council to

make the following statements. He said:

Year after year budget sessions are held. Large sums of money are

voted in the estimates for the transport of members to the meeting

place and for paying their attendance allowances. It is now over a

year since I became a member of this House, I can't still see what

efforts have been made by the Government to carry out any of the

demands or suggestions made during the last year's Budget

Session, not even the planting of the coconut tree.

It is true that government way of doing things is very slow, but it

should be remembered also that we have all sworn that we should

serve our country faithfully and conscientiously, and if we come as

Honourable Members to talk and talk and talk which bears no

fruitful results, then we shall be looked upon by our people as

cheaters who are sent over here to make money at the expense of

the poor rate and tax-payers.

Please let us face facts. Let us speak the truth even if it is bitter.

I do not say that Government is not doing its best to help the

people of this country, and I commend its efforts, but what I do say

is that more weight should be given as far as possible to the point

raised by the Honourable Members of this House during their

speeches. After all, they are the accredited representatives of the

people and their people would expect much from them. I hope this

criticism will be seriously considered by the Government.

There are several comments I would like to make on specific items on

the Estimates of Expenditure, but these I reserve until the Committee

stage.

Your Excellency, I support the Appropriation Bill.

Appendix B

Address By

The President of The Manufacturers

Association of Nigeria

Chief Adeola Odutola

At The Launching of The Phase Two of

The Made-in-Nigeria Campaign

On Friday, 25th May, 1973

At Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos

Chairman Mr. Calvert, members of the Made-in Nigeria Campaign

Committee, Mr. Commissioner and distinguished guests.

It gives me great pleasure to be here with you this afternoon to launch

the second phase of the Made-in-Nigeria Campaign. I consider the

occasion significant not only because I am the President of your hosts'

Association, but more importantly because the need for increased

patronage of Made-in-Nigeria products is a cause to which every

Nigerian should be fully committed. There is no doubt that the extent

and type of commitment will vary depending on the individual and the

Organisation he represents. It is essential, however, that there must be

coordination of efforts and a greater dedication on the parts of the

various bodies concerned, to ensure increased industrial activities in

the country in the interest of the people of Nigeria. Thus, while the

Federal and State Ministries of Industries are primarily concerned

with the implementation of the government and manufacturers as well

as other bodies to which I will refer later must never lose sight of their

responsibilities for the advancement of manufacturing activities

within the country's economy.

The Manufacturers Association -of Nigeria embarked on this

campaign which has now reached its second phase for three major

reasons: First, to show the public the many examples of high quality

products made in the country and of which they would be justifiably

proud: secondly, to make the general public more aware of factors

affecting manufacturers in Nigeria.

Lastly, to foster closer cooperation between manufacturers and all

bodies, government and otherwise who are concerned with the

advancement of industry in Nigeria. These objectives are well

summarised in the themes of the campaign which are:

Made in Nigeria and Proud of It

and

Together We Can Make It

The first phase of th6 campaign has been concluded. I may, I hope

add that the first phase has been successfully completed. The average

man in this country I believe now appreciates to a much greater extent

the factors affecting manufacturers in Nigeria.

Not only does the manufacturer face difficulty in mobilising capital,

he is also involved in a continuous search for suitable employees. Ile

inadequacies of the infrastructure is a common knowledge and the

reliance of the manufacturers on the limited facilities has been fully

appreciated by no less an important personality than the Commander-

in-Chief, Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria,

General Gowon, as clearly evidenced by the high priority accorded

infrastructure in his last budget speech. I see around me a re-

dedication on the part of the National Electric Power Authority

(NEPA) to improve supplies to consumers, increased activities on the

construction of motorable roads, allocation of funds for improved

water supply, the establishment of the industrial and Commercial bank

and the commencement of informative seminars by the Nigerian

Enterprises Promotions Board. These and other activities will no

doubt improve the circumstances under which manufacturers operate

in Nigeria to the benefit of all parties.

The made-in-Nigeria Campaign has now entered its second phase. It

gives me great satisfaction to present to this select audience here and

indeed the entire people of Nigeria, this brochure which provides in a

pictorial form of the many products made in Nigeria and of which we

should be proud. The brochure does not claim to be exhaustive as

may be immediately obvious to a critical consumer Mention for

instance, is not made of the high quality cement that went into the

construction of many structures like the Eko bridge, the football boots

with which the Green Eagles won the Gold Medal in the last All-

African Games, the beautiful carpets made in Nigeria or Nigerian

cocoa butter and, of course, the wide range of branded foods many of

which have won international awards for quality in various parts of

the world.

This brochure which is being circulated this afternoon will

subsequently go to every part of the federation conveying to the

people of this country a few of the high quality products made by

Nigerian manufacturers. In the next five days and fortnightly for

several weeks, loose coloured insert will be carried by Newspapers in

various parts of the country. The message will reach many Nigerians

and I sincerely hope it will give them greater pride in many things

produced in Nigeria. For too long, many Nigerians have avidly

sought after foreign things in various shapes and forms. Many

reasons have been given for this characteristic which, common though

it is in other countries, has reached frustrating proportions in Nigeria.

The self-denigrating attitudes of some Nigerians which have affected

many locally manufactured products also pervade many other aspects

of our national life.

Whilst the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has embarked on this

campaign to remove as much as possible, some of these

misconceptions, it is hoped the Federal and State governments and

other appropriate bodies will seek other ways and means of drastically

reducing the general tendency among those who still continue to

underestimate the Nigerian capacity. We, as manufacturers, are proud

of many of our products. Those, which have not reached the mark, we

hope, will continue to receive every assistance from institutions such

as the Nigerian Standards Organisation, the Consumers Protection

Council and Research institutions. It is my hope that our message of

"Made-in-Nigeria and proud of it" will mark the reorientation of all

Nigerians, including a higher degree of self-respect in our people.

Distinguished guests, as you all are no doubt aware, manufacturers

cannot claim to be the sole architect of the high quality goods made in

Nigeria. Various institutions have continued to play most useful roles

in the affairs of manufacturers. Apart from the fact that all of us as

consumers foster industrial development through our patronage, each

person present today represents an Organisation to which the

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria on behalf of industry is

indebted in varying degrees.

The Nigerian Standards Organisation establishes and will award the

certificate marks - marks of guaranteed quality. The Investment

Centres continues to attract, with many successes, industrial

investments, just as the banks increasingly improve on their level of

assistance to industrialists. In their various roles these and other

bodies perform valuable services for the manufacturing sector.

The institutions least heard of and to which I wish to focus attention

this afternoon are the various bodies involved in industrial research.

Too often research projects have been started without adequate

consultation with local industrialists and on some occasions the

government has sought to increase the utilization of local raw

materials without providing sufficient incentives to both the

manufacturers and research institutions.

In order to forge a closer link with Research Institutions throughout

the country, and to emphasize the significant contribution these

institutions could make with the right support from government and

incentives to manufacturers, I take this occasion which also coincides

with the second anniversary of the establishment of the Association,

to announce that the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has

decided to make an Award of N2,000 each year for the next five years

to any institution in the country adjudged to have produced the most

quality of any locally manufactured product. Thus, a total amount of

N 10,000 will be awarded in the next five years for industrial research

findings of direct relevance to manufacturing activities in the country.

The details of this award have still to be worked out by the

Association in conjunction, we hope, with the Nigerian Standards

Organisation and the Industrial Research Council of Nigeria. It is my

hope, and that of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria that this

award though modest, will serve to stimulate closer cooperation

between research institutions in Nigeria and manufacturers. I also

hope that, it will, in due course, instigate more positive incentives

from the government to research institutions.

The patronage of Nigerian products deserves your full commitment

and it is with the greatest pleasure that I present you all with this

Made-in-Nigeria brochure which marks the next phase of the Made-

in-Nigeria Campaign. I hope the Manufacturers Association of

Nigeria may continue to rely on you and the institutions you represent

to give every assistance to manufacturers and to offer constructive

comments on manufacturing matters as and when the need may arise.

Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen.

Appendix C

"We Never Had It So Bad" Being an Extract From An Address

Delivered at The Fouith Annual Conference of the

Manufacturers' Association of Nigetia

By

Chief -T. A. Odutola

March 1975

The situation in Nigeria today is paradoxical. This period looks like

the "best of times" and the worst of times" to borrow a line from

Charles Dickens. To those who have lived through the uncertainties

of civil war and are now privileged to witness an era of buoyant

Government revenues, this indeed is the best of times.

But to those who witness the seeming disregard of businessmen by

some public officers who consider non-oil revenues as of no

consequence, and to those manufacturers who are squeezed between

international cost inflation, shortages of manufacturing materials, the

Price Control Board and now Udoji, this period would look like the

worst of times.

We of this Association therefore consider that the National Economic

Development plan period we shall be entering next April should be

employed first to broaden the base of industry by increasing in our

manufactures the input of local materials.

Secondly, efforts should be directed towards export promotion to

ensure that our industries benefit from the current negotiations on

trade liberalisation in Europe, West Africa, and the rest of the world.

Thirdly, more efforts should be directed in the plan period towards

greater investment in agriculture and agro-allied industries, Fourthly,

the incentives given to industries should be broadened rather than

diminished.

It is on that last suggestion that I shall now speak even at the risk of

appearing critical of the support hitherto given to industry. After

independence in early sixties, we embarked on industrialisation with a

view to diversifying our economy and improving our terms of trade,

replacing imported consumer goods with local manufactures, creating

employment for our educated youth, and imparting modern

technology into our economy. This naturally led to the protection of

our infant industries which needed time to grow while necessary skills

were being imparted to Nigerians.

Without that policy it would have been impossible to attract foreign

skill, personnel and capital to an unexplored industrial territory like

Nigeria of the early sixties. With the intervention of the civil war,

foreign exchange became scarce, the protectionist policy was

reinforced and productive capacities in the sheltered industries were

expanded to make Nigeria self-sufficient in some consumer products.

As soon as the civil war ended, however, the protection given to local

industry was lifted and backward integration of the textile industry in

particular turned sour. Importation of foreign cotton textiles was

liberalised generally. The net result is that the cotton textile industry

has not recovered from the destructive effect of that sudden change in

policy. Not only has it been impossible for many textile mills to repay

the loans raised for their expansion but profit has been wiped out in

many mills.

The protection of local industry would appear to have been followed

also in the breach in regard to the local manufacture of pharmaceutical

drugs and printed matters. Whereas drugs are imported duty free and

printed matters allowed in at low rates of duty the materials for the

manufacture of generic drugs and printed matter are imported at

higher rates of duty.

I have mentioned only two of several instances where the protection

of local industry is not being implemented. My Association wishes it

to be understood that, as happened in many industrialised countries in

the recent past, the policy of protecting infant industries must be

consistently followed for several years before success can be

registered.

It must be also noted that the policy also implies a sacrifice by

consumers. Not only must they put up with slightly higher cost of

local manufactures but they must endure lower quality until the skills

of local labour can be raised.

The case for protection of local industry is further buttressed by the

inadequacy of infrastructural services like water, electricity, the

physical facilities on industrial estates, posts and telecommunications,

and port facilities.

The inadequacy of these services has led to local manufacturers

incurring additional costs in the form of: construction of private water

works and boreholes, - establishment of high-capacity generating

plants and - Organisation of private fire services on estates.

Others are employment of messengers for postal work within and

between towns. Loss of goods and essential parts at ports, - and

payment of freight surcharges for long delays at ports.

The additional costs arising from those basic services not only offset

the value of incentives and reliefs given to local industry but result in

increased prices of local manufactures which are thus rendered

uncompetitive with the goods of foreign countries with better

infrastructural services and export subsidy schemes.

We submit that until the infrastructural services are made adequate

hopefully during the 1975-80 plan period, it would be unwise to

withdraw the protection given to our local industries. Rather, we

would suggest that immediate steps be taken to protect other local

industries like boat building, pharmaceutical, printing trade and metal

fabrication to which adequate protection has hitherto not been given.

Appendix D

Investment Constraints in Nigeria An Address By

Chief Adeola Odutola

President of the Manufacturers

Association of Nigeria

At the Annual General Meeting of MAN

23 February 1978

The present administration has introduced a sense of purpose into the

industrial and commercial life of the country and my Association

appreciates the effort that has so far been made in this direction.

The business community of this country of which the Association is

regarded as a prominent member is a vital contributor to the nation’s

economic growth and it is therefore necessary that the Association

should be accorded fair encouragement commensurate with its

contribution.

However, the nation’s economic situation continues to demand the

attention of the association. The Government'’ fiscal and monetary

measures appear to be working in the face of galloping inflation but

with Government'’ current high expenditure on projects envisaged

under the Third National Development Plan, and the harvest of the

efforts under “Operation Feed the Nation” still to be gathered in, and

also with the increasing shortage of essential commodities, there

appears to be a need for a review of the nation’s anti-inflation

package.

We therefore desire that Government will direct the Ministry of

Finance and the authorities of the Central Bank to review the

mechanics of our foreign exchange.

In the midst Of scarcity Of many commodities that consumers need in

the ordinary course Of living, it is sad to observe that most of our

member-companies operate under-capacity because Of fluctuation in

voltage and lack Of reliable supply of electrical Power and water.

Workers forced to be idle during working hours because of lack of

Power are paid for work not done. The productive elements are not

only under-utilised but expensive to maintain. The telephones are

unserviceable and Only last recently there was a report in the paper

that 1,500 telephones in some parts of Lagos State are Out of order.

While there are some manufacturers whose telephones have been out

Of use for more than five months, and yet they are made to pay rent.

Traffic congestion which had eased for some time is building up

again. it is generally believed that an efficient telephone service will

reduce the number of vehicles Plying our roads.

Many member-companies that have gone to the expense of installing

telex machines are unable to use them because Post and

Telecommunications Department lacks both the man-power and the

spare parts to maintain the service.

We solicit Government assistance in providing initial incentive and

support to industries in form of infrastructural facilities.

Recently we were told that because of drought, the water level in the

reservoir at Kainji darn is too low this year for generators to work

normally and that the present Power crisis will be with us for another

six months.

While we appreciate the difficulties facing the authorities in control of

our public utilities, we take this opportunity to re-iterate that National

Electric Power Authority, Post and Telecommunications Department

and the Nigeria Airways should not only be allowed to operate on a

commercial basis, but Should also be divested of the monopoly of

operation they enjoy.

The Private Sector in the interest of the economy of this country

should no longer be barred from competing in these fields.

It is my view and that of my Association that the most workable and

constructive system for our economy is the mixed one in which some

services in demand by the public are supplied by the private sector

and other services which cannot be efficiently supplied by the private

sector are given by the public sector.

You will recall that almost a year ago the Head of State, Lieutenant

General Olusegun Obasanjo, declared this fiscal year now coming to

an end as that of developing Agriculture and Industry as distinct from

the previous fiscal year which was for infrastructural development.

This declaration, was subsequently articulated by the Federal

Commissioner for Industries, Dr. Adeleye, when he asserted on this

platform last Year that the authorities were aware Of the problems

associated with industrialisation in this country and that Government

was determined to minimise some of these problems so as to stimulate

industrial output.

To this end protective tariffs were levied on some commodities and

concessions were granted to some manufacturing sectors. These

measures were designed primarily to make local manufactured goods

more Price competitive.

But whilst these changes are welcome and have nationally desirable

Objectives it is important to note that by themselves they are

insufficient to stimulate investment which as you know is the

purveyor of technology into our economy and a factor we cannot do

without if we wish to Promote industrialisation.

The most powerful check on investment is the climate of uncertainty

generated in the institutional lags experienced in implementing the

commercial and trade regulations spelt out in some of our Decrees,

and the variable and inadequate supplies of such basic services as

electricity, and water.

The resultant effect of these limiting factors is to lower the overall

expected returns on investment and consequently the flow of

investment is hindered.

Perhaps the following examples of some of the factors promoting

uncertainty will help clarify this point:

(i) Delays in obtaining agreement in principle for "pioneer"

and "approved" status when forming a company.

(ii) The lags involved in reaching decisions regarding the

release of foreign exchange for the installment payment

for capital and cost of machinery despite the prior

agreement in principle when initial payments are made.

(iii) The discriminatory treatment meted to foreign investors

who have to file in additional documents for the release

of foreign exchange to enable them to repatriate divi-

dends.

(iv) The rate of dividend permissible on profit which as of

now, is only 161/2percent.

In our effort to stabilise our production schedules against a

background of fluctuating supply of electricity and water we have

resorted to the provision of stand-by generators and bore-holes. These

alternative provisions are not only expensive but also second-best

solutions.

Hence, we are forced to operate below our normal capacity levels,

with the result that our average production costs have risen to heights

that erode the very price advantages which are claimed to have been

conferred on us through the protective tariffs and concessions.

It is therefore desirable that more effort should be made to minimise

the areas of uncertainty affecting our operations some of which I

would like to mention:

(i) Terminate frustration generally experienced by prospec-

tive investors in this country some of whom often give up

altogether after making fruitless journeys from ministry

to ministry when seeking to establish business by

establishing now the Business Advisory Commission that

would take over all the services necessary for the quick

processing of applications by manufacturers and act as

"clearing house" as announced in the Head of State's

Budget Speech one year ago.

(ii) Give the Pioneering industries 5 to 7 years to take off.

(iii) Reduce to the barest minimum Import Duty on Raw

Materials to be used by manufacturers.

(iv) Systematic, scaling down of Excise Duty on locally

manufactured goods as against the imported articles

which are often subsidised by the governments of the

producing countries.

(v) Positive action from the authorities that would ensure

that "Made in Nigeria" products such as wire products,

nails, cables, splints for safety-matches, textiles, tooth-

brush, leather and rubber goods that are now plentiful

and of undoubted quality are not subjected to unfair

competition from rival and heavily subsidised products

from abroad.

(vi) Develop pari-passu with demand electricity, water roads,

post and telecommunications. Failing to do so would

not only limit our productive capacity base but also the

size of our market.

Now that the manufacturing capability in the country is increasing

rapidly, it is our desire that the manufacturer should be encouraged to

take a more active interest in the distribution of his products but under

present regulations it is not attractive for him to do so because his

lorry is not permitted to ply back to it base with return load.

It is also desired that accelerated depreciation allowances be granted

on capital spent on manufacturers’ transport costs.

It is our view that the Price Control Board should take into account,

where applicable, unit transportation costs so that more manufacturers

would be prepared to move towards delivered price concepts.

This arrangement should bring closer co-operation between

manufacturers and Price Control Board and also beneficial to curbing

inflation in distribution costs.

In conclusion, we call on government to look into the matter of

industrial decentralisation, which government can readily encourage

by providing the necessary infrastructural support and granting some

measure of relief to new industries sited outside urban centres.

Appendix E

We Need Incentive From Government Chief Adeola Odutola

President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria

March 1979

As we complete the annual cycle, we find ourselves landed on the

eighth milestone of our Association’s existence. Like Janus in

mythology, we have one face looking back reflectively and another

face looking forward not with temerity but with courage and

determination. Let us look back for a while and reflect soberly on our

achievements and setbacks, on our anticipated economic goals and our

actual accruals.

Let us evaluate realistically our successes in forging a praiseworthy,

profitable and sound economic link between the producer and

consumer, and to the advantage of our national industrial policy.

Let us as industrial agents of our people hold the scales in our hands

and note conscientiously whether we can record a favourable balance

towards a sound national economic growth with out Gross National

product recording an annual growth of 3 per cent or 4 per cent as

anticipated or contrarily record on our scales a regrettable decline in

percentages in our Gross National product to the detriment of our

nation and of our consumers.

We have all tangible evidence that the infrastructure for economic

growth has been further strengthened since our last annual general

meeting. Plans for economic developments are being implemented

and efforts are being made to stimulate and expand the economy.

Can we in retrospect affirm that sufficient has been done to make

adequate provision of the essential posts of an infrastructure that will

sustain the street and strain of sound economic growth?

Last year, at our general meeting the need for improvement to

essential services was stressed – these were electricity, water and

posts/telecommunications services. All of which were described as

woefully inadequate for the efficient performance of the

manufacturing sector.

Do we today experience marked improvements? We are pleased to

observe that the multi-storeyed building for the Nigerian External

Telecommunications Limited has been commissioned let us therefore

expect a multiple performance per excellence from our telecoms

services.

There are other ancillary services and problem areas worth stressing

because they are vital to economic development, a few of which I

should like to mention:

a. Inadequacy of industrial plots;

b. Water supply;

c. Bad condition of roads in many industrial estates;

d. Inadequate sanitation and waste disposal services;

e. More warehousing facilities where necessary.

Then there is the overall National Industrial Policy which seems to be

calling for some overhauling. We have been told that it is

government’s avowed policy to promote self-sufficiency and to

inculcate self-reliance.

These are worthy objectives which demand mobilisation of capital,

but these objectives are only attainable if the right injections are

administered into the system, otherwise no remedy will be effected;

on the contrary the situation might deteriorate. Our diagnoses reveal

the following:

A threatened recession in the manufacturing sector of the economy

brought about the existing attitude to dividend and bonus issues, the

present rigid control of prices, the present policy of corporation

taxation and income tax and also the existing import restrictions.

The unfortunate situation of the manufacturers not getting approved

users status – some being withdrawn without reasons.

Inadequate protection from competition.

No seemingly effective law and order to provide enough protection of

life and property in some of the major cities and towns in the country

which is a very grave discouragement to world-be investors.

Insufficient food production with its resultant increase in import bills

on food items.

Unsteadiness in government’s policy which tends to create a feeling

of uncertainty among manufacturers and investors.

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has pledged itself to render

whole-hearted support to the Federal Military Government in its

desire to promote the economic development of the nation and the

people through a positive contribution to the Gross National Product.

We would however like to make the following recommendations in

respect of some of the main areas we have enumerated earlier on

calling for improvements.

In the matter of dividend and bonus issues, we do submit that a pay-

out ratio of less than 46 percent gross and 25 percent net does no

provide sufficient inducement for new investment but that differential

rates of corporate taxes and dividends payments be used as further

means of allocating capital into the more favourable areas of the

economy. For example, agriculture and manufacturing.

We recommend more viable price controls which should be

introduced after due discussion of production costs with

manufacturers. Duties on industrial chemical should be reviewed with

the possibility of setting a maximum ceiling of 5 percent ad valoren.

Raw materials for production of confectioneries currently over-taxed

could be given some fiscal respite by lowering import duties on sugar,

glucose, and malt-extract.

It is worth noting that the growth rate in confectionery is not

encouraging because real income has not increased for the past three

years. Manufacturers need the incentive to expand thereby absorbing

more labour and reducing unemployment, while investors also

deserve some consideration. Our recommendation is that projects with

long gestation periods should be given comparable tax free periods.

One of the major incentives which is always expected by industrialists

from government is protection against importation of products which

are locally produced and associated with this is the problem of

smuggling. Every effort has to be made to bring this under control.

Honoured guests, we face the future with high hopes based on the

established rapport between the public sectors and my Association

together with other private sectors. Our Association expects an

established policy or regular dialogue with the government based on

mutual trust, to continued to the advantage of manufactures and

consumers and more important, to the benefit of our common people.

Economic growth would be really meaningful if it results in raising

the standard of living of the average man and not widen the gap

between the haves and have nots. Nigeria is on the verge of great

industrial expansion more so with the establishment of a giant Iron

and Steel Industry.

With that, and many other big projects in the pipeline, we have

reasons to look to the future with hopes that there is a greater

tomorrow for the nation. But that future of our dream will continue to

be an illusion if agriculture and industry are not given their rightful

places in our development planning and budgeting and if, as a nation,

the general malaise of indiscipline is not up-rooted from our socio-

economic life.

Honourable Commissioner, let us all join hands together in this

crusade and with one great pull, to make our nation what we all want

it to be, which is a growing, self-reliant disciplined nation.