09/09/2017
The Life and Times of Engr. Adetokunbo Uchechi Olawale Olaosebikan Obayan.
"While walking on this earth we are nothing in ourselves, yet God has chosen to use us..."
Birth and Early Life
Adetokunbo Uchechi Olawale, Olaosebikan Obayan hailed from Ogori, in Ogori-Magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State Nigeria. He was born in the Plateau Hospital in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria to Ven. (Dr) Felix Olayinika and Dr (Mrs.) Mercy Nnenna Obayan on the 6th day of November 1962, six (6) weeks after their arrival from England. This was deliberate because his father was a strong nationalist who wanted all his children born in Nigeria.
Tokunbo was very much loved, pampered and doted on by his parents and his aunties. He was also pampered by students of the then Government Teacher’s College, Gombe, where his father was the only black Education Officer.
From a tender age, Tokunbo showed high levels of brilliance and intellectual prowess. He was precocious and spoke intelligently, identifying many nursery rhymes while he was still a toddler and even some before he took his first steps.
Education
Tokunbo, in his early years travelled to different places because of the nature of his parent’s jobs and academic pursuits; as a result he had his education in different parts of the globe spanning New Haven, Connecticut, Lagos, Lokoja and finally concluding his primary education in Bishop Smith Primary School, Ilorin Kwara State in 1972. There he made a lot of lasting friendships with friends like Toyin Saliu, Iyabo Popoola, Bisi Soladoye, Gbenga Mejabi, Ayo Joseph, Biodun Soladoye, and Felix Ajayi amongst others.
He attended Federal Government College Ilorin, Kwara State for his Secondary school education where he made more friends and shined academically. He was always ahead of his times, highly intelligent and demonstrated great oratory skills, indeed, he had the gift of the garb! This made him an excellent debater. He was excellent all round with chess, scrabble and other sporting events.
Until his passing he was an active member of the old boys and Girls Association of Federal Government College Ilorin. The group and their activities had a very special place in his heart and agenda. He often attended reunion programmes and looked forward with great excitement to all their programmes particularly the pioneer set, a group that has forged a strong network and support with a number of them breaking grounds in their various endeavours.
He loved his teachers (Mr. Ojemuyiwa and Musa) and had an extra close relationship with Chief Olaniyan his Principal.
He was later admitted to the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) following his excellent performance in the concession examinations which he attempted from form five (5), skipping the Higher Secondary School pathway. His Parents had encouraged him to test out his prowess, without them really expecting too much from it, this was same for Tokunbo. One Saturday after, a cousin Seyi Ojo informed them that his name appeared on the admission list in the Tribune Newspapers for Chemical Engineering.
Life in the University of Ife (Obafemi Awolowo University)
Life in the University of Ife was interesting. He stayed strong as a Christian despite several challenges and things that could have distracted him. He gave full expression to his interest in political matters had a full life as a politician both in the Faculty of Engineering and in the university as a whole.
He ran against Femi Falana (SAN) for the position of Speaker of the House. This was atypical for an Engineering student. He was also a journalist becoming the editor of a Christian magazine which was quite popular in Ife called The Pointer. He was in the drama unit and loved to play music. Worship and praise were strong aspects of his life.
He graduated from Ife with B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering in1982 and served at PRODA in Enugu State, completing his National Youth Service Corps the following year.
NYSC- Projects Development Agency, Enugu (PRODA)
Toks as he was also fondly called, following the completion of his Chemical Engineering programme at the University of Ife, was posted to PRODA in Enugu and was deeply involved in the Christian Fellowship there in addition to his involvement in the development of some innovative projects.
Post NYSC/ Career Life
Tokunbo also obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Food Technology where he excelled and was immediately offered an opening for a Masters and lectureship job. During this period he stayed with the Lawsons and a friend, Tunde Jaiyebo who was like a brother to him. Toks however declined the offer because he had no intentions of going into academia.
He worked briefly at the Kwara State Polytechnic where he designed a rice processing plant; and then later worked in the following organizations:
1. Shift Manager
Nigerian Paper Mill Ltd, July 1986 – January 1988, where he was overseeing Shift Operations in Paper Machine 2 and 3 and was responsible for a crew of 30 personnel.
2. Managing Partner, Ibitayo, Obayan, Saliu & Company, January 1988 – June 1993, as CEO overseeing the firms many projects which covered engineering, Industrial and Management Consultancy.
3. Head Chilled Foods
Cearns and Brown Ltd, Park Royal London, June 1998 – August 2000.
4. Adetokunbo Obayan and Associates - Adetokunbo Obayan was the Principal Partner/CEO Adetokunbo Obayan and Associates from January 2003 – August 2017 where he provided leadership in organisational consulting for a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors and was a well-respected facilitator for local and international organisations, including the World Bank and numerous blue chip organisations.
His personal work experience covered a wide area of work roles; which facilitated the pragmatic approach he brought to leadership development. He was involved in Manufacturing, Research, Marketing, Warehousing and Consultancy nationally and internationally. He was well known for his ability to simplify and facilitate easy understanding of complex issues. In addition to serving as Lead Facilitator on Adetokunbo Obayan and Associates’ leadership development programmes and related subjects, he was also the chief curriculum and material/tools developer of leadership materials employed for some of these programmes.
Adetokunbo Obayan was the only African founder of the leadership website - www.rattle-the-cage.com ranked 14th in the world by Google. His column, ‘Leadership Periscope’, he often featured appeared in the ‘Nigerian Tribune’ and he was a much sought after television commentator on Business, Management Leadership issues as well as in his great hobby of Sports.
He consulted for a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors and was a highly respected facilitator for local and international organisations, including the World Bank and numerous blue chip organisations, including NAPIMS, Total, IDL and UAC, the Nigerian Navy and Shippers Council, to name a few. As a result of his stellar reputation, he served as Guest Facilitator/Speaker in many capacity building programmes on Leadership for many organisations in Nigeria, United Arab Emirates, Gambia, Kenya and other locations.
He is the author of two books: “Vectors of Leadership: Understanding the Factors that Drive Leadership Impact and Direction” and “High Impact: A Leadership Manual for Building Great Groups”, and was working on a third: “Avoiding the Pitfalls of Successful Leadership”.
Family Life
Tokunbo had a very loving nuclear family. Parents, whom he loved and honoured till their passing, his elder brother Felix Oladimeji Obayan who escorted him to College when he got admitted to Obafemi Awolowo University and always checked him regularly. Two years after Tokunbo was born he welcomed a younger brother Adebola Obayan. They immediately became the best of friends and were inseparable. He was always willing to share thoughts and plans with his younger brother. Tokunbo and Adebola made friends for life; they were both benefactors of each other’s friends. Some years following, he welcomed a baby sister (Moji), with great excitement. He showered her with love, encouragement, mentorship, counselling in every way.
He was a great inspiration to his siblings, especially in spiritual matters. He was always there to cheer everybody up with his great humour and got along with all his in-laws, taking them as blood brothers and sisters. He had many other sisters and cousins both older and younger who loved and also doted on him. They include: Arinade, Iyajimoh, Tina(Ajuwa), Bolanle, Ngozi, Iyabo, Bukola, Chidinma, Uloma, Tochi, Kayode, Seyi amongst many. He was always the big shoulder to rely on to get you through any and everything.
Marriage and Children
In 1988 Tokunbo met his heartthrob Aize Olohigbe Imouokhome and they were married on the 22nd July 1989. God blessed the union with two beautiful children; Toluwani and Joshua. A lot of love and laughter filled their home with Jesus Christ as the centre. They opened their home to Christian fellowships, counselling and mentorship sessions. Toks was fond of speaking about his Wife Aize and Children Toluwani and Joshua. It was always evident in his interactions with people. He enjoyed telling Bible stories to his children in their younger years and was passionately involved in all aspects of their lives as they grew; from school recitals, to open days, to sports and games, and to graduations. He was close to their friends and they found in him a father and mentor. Toks was a bridge-builder and always had a humorous joke to share at all times no matter the situation. He was passionate and connected deeply with his family and friends. Persons who interacted closely with the family were often amazed about the close bond and love in the family, and most often commented on their desire to replicate such closeness and ties in their own homes.
Family time was usually non-negotiable, as he would most often be seen interacting closely with his children and his wife. He made indelible marks and footprints in everything they did (leisure and non-leisure). He woke up to bless his wife and children every morning, speaking prophetically into their lives from the Word of God daily.
Hobbies
He loved to play scrabble, chess, watching sports –from football to cricket, reading books, intellectual debates and had a sweet tooth, loved cakes, apple crumble, and pounded yam. He ate poundo yam using a fork because it was not “worthy” of his hands, however for pounded yam, he used his hands! He also enjoyed singing Christian Hymns, playing the organ and the guitar, listening to Andrae Crouch’s songs and classical music. He loved to listen to the teachings of Kenneth Hagin and Gbile Akanni and read voraciously from Christian Leadership and Management Literature,.
Christian Testimony
In 1972, at the age of 10, Tokunbo all of a sudden had a burden to go to Church. This was unique because at that time no one in his family was a Christian. Himself and his brother left home on that Sunday morning and found a young man preaching to a small group of people under a shed. They went there for a couple of Sundays until his mother took him to Sunday school at All Saints Anglican Church, Yaba, and Lagos. During his first attendance in the Church, an altar call was made; he responded and gave his life to Jesus Christ. He never looked back since then!
In January 1973 he told his younger brother Bola about this awesome experience, and following this, Bola became his first convert. One by one, God used him to lead his entire family (including his parents) to Jesus. Truly for him he started from his Judea and Samaria, he was determined that he and his house would serve the Lord.
He therefore resumed as a form one (1) student into Federal Government College Ilorin as a Christian, and he became a fervent member of the Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS), His school father, a former Minister of Education, the late Dr. Aja –Nwachukwu, was the first President of the FCS.
When his parents went for their Ph.D. degrees in the United States of America, Tokunbo and his brother, Bola spent part of their holiday in Ogori visiting their grandmother and using the journey in the public transportation as a good opportunity lead people to Christ. At that time, Tokunbo was appointed into the leadership of the already existing Fellowship of Ogori Christian Youths and organized many outreaches during this period.
While he worked in Jebba, he had the opportunity to play a significant role in the Anglican Church and here again he led many people to the Lord. This association with the Anglican Church was the core group for the establishment of the first Jebba Chapter of Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International.
He was always excited to share the gospel, preaching in the Chapel of Light University of Ilorin on many occasions, talking to people about Jesus in planes, at work, and even in places that most people would consider unconventional. He instilled in people, a love for Christian Music and Worship
Before graduating from the then University of Ife, God told him that he was going to use him in the market place to lead people to Christ. At that time he felt that meant he would have to start a Ministry with that unique mission, but then God lead him to the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International and it became clear to him that the FGBMFI was where God had called him to.
He was passionate about the vision of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International; a Fellowship with a mission in pursuit in line with the vision God had given him earlier, with laymen reaching out to other laymen in the market place, a friend in the city indeed!
He became a member of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International in March 1986 as a pioneer member of the first ever Chapter in Ilorin. The Ibadan Chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International facilitated the inauguration meeting. Engineer Adetokunbo Obayan, his brother Dr. Bola Obayan and his late father, Venerable Dr. F. O.B. Obayan, had before now, done the background work in preparation for the inauguration. He became Secretary of the Ilorin City Chapter in 1989, and in 1990 elected as the third president of the Ilorin City Chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International.
He also served as a Field representative to the Chapters in Kogi State and rising up to be the National Vice-President (Capacity Building), where he served under the leadership of the National President, Architect Ifeanyi Odedo from 2009-2017. Along with his team they developed training modules for the Leaders’ Advance across all the six (6) geo-political zones of Nigeria an Office he passionately served with his body, soul and spirit till his last days on earth. He was an active member of the Iyana-Iyesi Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International Chapter, Ota, Nigeria, where at a time he served as membership Chairman. He was about Market place outreaches and regularly gave out voice magazines by way of spreading the good news of the salvation message of Jesus Christ.
In more recent times, his passion and emphasis was on living out the life and example of Christ in the Market Place and becoming Gatekeepers for Christ. This he did with every breath in his nostril. He was a driver of God’s Kingdom agenda here on earth in line with the scriptures “…. Thy Kingdom Come and thy WILL be done here on earth as it is in heaven´” (Matthew 6.10).
Until his home-call on the 15th of August 2017, he regularly worshiped along with his family, at Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, under the Ministration of presiding Bishop, Dr David Oyedepo and served in the Hospitality Service Group along with his wife Aize. He truly had a love relationship with his Creator and even at this moment, Adetokunbo Uchechi Obayan lives on. Fond and endearing memories of his wonderful life and impact will linger on. He will be greatly missed…!
