Written by ; ‘JIDE ADESINA
“Just like we did in our first time, we will do more by equipping our farmers with necessary materials and provide enabling environment. “We will ensure that food is produced and made available for our people,’’ – Chief Alao-Akala
The Labour Party candidate, who promised to follow up the shop-to-shop campaign and Town-to-Town, assured that he would continue to prioritize programmes that he had embarked before. “When I got to the markets, some of the traders demanded one thing or the other. “Their demands include road repairs, provision of toilet facilities and even demanded for assurance that I would not demolish their shops and stores.’’
The ex .Gov. Akala and LP Governorship candidate promised to make life comfortable for the people of the state, said his efforts to return to the Government House was at the instance of the masses. “The people of the state, who are tired of the present government’s misrule, came to me and said that they wanted me back as their governor,’’ he said.
He was born on June 3, 1950 at Ogbomoso in the Ogbomoso North Local Government Area of Oyo State, young Adebayo Alao-Akala had his elementary school at Osupa Baptist Day School, Ogbomoso. From there, he proceeded to the Kamina Barracks Middle School, 5th Battalion of Infantry Tamale, Ghana.
On leaving Kamina Barracks Middle School, Adebayo Alao-Akala went to Government Technical College, Tamale, Ghana and Ogbomoso High School, Ogbomoso. Still in search of more knowledge, Otunba (Dr) Alao-Akala capped it all with further studies at Nigeria’s premier high institution, the University of Ibadan.
For his efforts, Dr Alao-Akala has in his kitty the First Leaving Certificate obtained in 1962, West African School Certificate (1972), ASCON Certificate (1985), Passed Staff College (Psc) 1990, Diploma in Business Administration (1998), Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) Honoris Causa, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso (2006), Doctor of Science (Political Science) Honoris Causa, Lead City University (2008).
His Excellency, Otunba (Dr) Adebayo Alao-Akala has been privileged to attend several career development courses. He enlisted as Cadet Inspector of Police in June 1974 at the Nigeria Police College, Ikeja. Following his brilliant performance, he was recommended for overseas training at the Metropolitan Police Training School, Peel Centre, Hendon, London. He has also attended the Administrative Staff College, Topo, Badagry; the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos; Police Staff College, Jos; Command and Staff College, Jaji. Otunba Alao-Akala has participated as a Nigerian delegate at two INTERPOL Conferences in Nice, France and Malaga, Spain.
Otunba (Dr) Alao-Akala today stands tall among his peers. His astuteness and the uncanny ability to detect the genius in other people is one of the secret weapons of his soar away success as politician and administrator. According to Saint Augustine, “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night”. Obviously, the various positions of responsibility held by Otunba Alao-Akala and his rich work experience have helped to mould him into a well-rounded statesman and leader.
Years of Service
From the position of Station Officer in the Nigeria Police, he became Administrative Officer, Federal Operation, Federal Headquarters, Lagos and rose to the position of Operations Officer, FEDOPS, Lagos. The steady rise of Otunba Alao-Akala to fame and fortune reached its apogee when he became the Personal Assistant to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police and subsequently the ADC to the Inspector-General of Police.
From there onwards, Alao-Akala’s star began to shine brilliantly as he held several prestigious command positions in the Police Force. He was O/C Advanced Training Wing, Police College, Ikeja; Divisional Police Officer, Bode Thomas, Lagos; Divisional Police Officer, Iponri Police Station, Lagos; Railway Divisional Police Officer, Nigeria Railways, Ebute Meta, Lagos; Area Commander, Western District, Nigeria Railway Police, Ibadan; CSP Admin. Gongola State Command, Yola; CSP Admin. Kwara State Command, Ilorin; Assistant Commissioner of Police, Agodi Area Command, Ibadan, Oyo State Police Command, Ibadan. In September 1995, Otunba (Dr) Adebayo retired from the Nigeria Police as Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Logistics and Supply, Oyo State Police Command, Eleiyele, Ibadan. It was, indeed, a meritorious service to his fatherland. Besides public service, Dr. Alao-Akala became the Chairman of ACALA Nigeria Limited, Private Eye Security Consultant and General Contractor. He is also the founder and chairman of TDB Global Ventures in Lagos and Parrot FM radio station in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
Political Life
In the political arena, Otunba (Dr) Adebayo Alao-Akala could be rightly described as a man with the midas touch. He started his political career as a member of New Dimension, a political association of progressive young elements. He participated in the zero-party local government election of 1996 and later co-founded the UNP before its fusion with UNC to form UNCP. In the 1997 local government elections, Otunba Alao-Akala sponsored the chairmanship candidate and seven councilors to victory on the ticket of the UNCP. He participated in the Ogbomoso Federal Constituency (One) primary election of the UNCP in 1997. He contested and won the chairmanship seat of the Ogbomoso North Local Government along with seven councilors under the platform of APP in 1998. He was elected vice-chairman of ALGON, Oyo State Chapter between 1999 and 2002. A versatile and visionary political leader, Alao-Akala founded the Ogbomoso Unity Forum, a political association which later joined the PDP. He was the Executive Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government from 1999 to 2002.
A man of Destiny, Otunba (Dr) Adebayo popularly known as “Omo Iya Alaro” became the Deputy Governor of Oyo State from May 2003 to January 2006. To crown his efforts in life, the Almighty God who directs the affairs of man, took Otunba Alao-Akala to the pinnacle of his political career when he became the Executive Governor of Oyo State in January 2006, a position he occupied till May 2011.
On 8th December 2014, Otunba (Dr) Adebayo Alao-Akala defected to the Labour Party in Oyo State due to internal irregularities in his former party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). On 10th December 2014, he formally declared his intention to re-contest the gubernatorial election of Oyo State on the platform of the Labour Party in the February 2015 general elections in Nigeria. During his declaration of intent, all other party gubernatorial aspirants stepped down for him, thereby making him emerge as the Labour party’s gubernatorial flag bearer in Oyo State.
His Excellency, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala is a polyglot. He speaks English, Yoruba, Hausa, (Twi, Fanti and Dagbani) and Ghanaian Languages fluently. And he is a widely traveled man.
His Works
Alao-Akala is not only a distinguished police officer and astute politician, he is also an egg-headed, a prolific writer and author. His publications include:
(i) Training of police cadet Inspectors: Prospects and Problems (May 1985)
(ii) Police and The Media: A Critical Approach (June 1990)
(iii) Conflict Resolution and Crime in Local Governments (Sept. 2004).
Chieftaincy Titles
Otunba Akala’s sterling leadership qualities have not gone unrewarded. He is a political titan who has received several accolades, commendations, recognitions, awards and several honorary chieftaincy titles, among which are: Otun of the Source, Otunba of Akinmorin, Bobajiro of Owu Kingdom, Basorun Atunluto of Akure, Mayegun of Okeho, Akogun of Ilua, Aare Asoludero of Ibarapa, Agbaakin of Iseyin, Ariwajoye of Ede land, Atunluse of Ife Odan, Balogun of Igbojaye land, Aare Kebimapalu of Oyo State and Bobagunwa of Ogbomosoland.
Christopher Alao-Akala is an inspiration to the youth of Nigeria, particularly in Oyo State. His consciousness to the education of this generation has endeared many young people to him. He has personally awarded scholarships to scores of less-privileged children. He is a people person, for till date hundreds of people throng him everywhere he goes.
His hobbies include reading and traveling; he has visited all the 36 states of the country and Abuja; he has also visited over 10 countries in the world; he loves reading and meeting people. Otunba Alao-Akala is a member of many social clubs including Ikoyi Club 1938; he was President, Rotary Club of Ogbomoso 2005-2006; he is the current President, Ogbomoso Recreation Club.
He is happily married and blessed with beautiful, diligent and God-fearing children.
In quest for 2015 gubernatorial ambition, former Governor of Oyo State and Labour Party gubernatorial candidate, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala has expressed commitment to redefining Education, Health, Peace, Urban Renewal and Infrastructure in the state. Alao-Akala, speaking during a programme on Murhi International Television (MITV) on Friday, decried the current state of education, noting mass failure of students in Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), lack of trained teachers and poorly equipped schools. He promised to revamp the education sector by intensifying Career counselling for Junior Secondary School (JSS) three students, requisite training for teachers, provision of teaching aids and infrastructure in schools.
“We have mass failure because teachers employed are not trained. You don’t just recruit anybody because they have Bachelors Degree or Higher National Diploma. Such a person should be trained in education. I will intensify Career counselling for JSS3 students. In 2010, Oyo State was adjudged second best in the country by an assessment team. I built schools in nooks and crannies of the state and equipped them,” he said.
On Urban Renewal and Infrastructural Development, Alao-Akala emphasised that infrastructure is beneficial to the downtrodden and intensification of orientation of the people to make the state clean.
“For an environment to be clean, you don’t have to destroy things, their source of livelihood. Urban renewal should show human face. I look for and construct roads that will help people from the farm transport their goods to town, not roads for the elites,” Alao-Akala said.
Promising peace unrivalled and a secure state when he emerges governor after the 2015 elections, he noted that the crisis experienced then was a leadership crisis of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
“That some miscreants of NURTW were disturbing the peace of the state over their leadership crisis does not mean that the whole state was in crisis. I, however, nipped it in the bud by proscribing them. The peace currently being talked about is politics; it is a façade. The people of Oyo State should expect a secure state,” he said.
Akala described what he has for workers as “enjoyment galore”. He said, “this is Labour party, a party for workers, so workers should relax. They are in for enjoyment galore. Whatever it takes me to pay, I will not owe workers. You have to be a good manager of material and men. There is no excuse not to pay because every government has a budget and provision must be made even for unforeseen circumstances.”
On Health, he promised to fix the health sector with emphasis on Primary Health Care, building and equipping hospitals from ward to state level.
“I fixed Yemetu State Hospital. I made sure each Local Government had a general hospital. My emphasis will be on Primary Health Care, where every hospital in each Local Government has a doctor. I am not happy and the current state and will fix it.”
