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tolu ogunlesi

@toluogunlesi

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Do you know the lives/stories of the people Victoria Island’s streets are named after?

Akin Adesola, Professor of Surgery, was VC of UNILAG 1981-1988, before then DVC UNILAG 1975-1977, and before then VC UNILORIN. He founded ISL, among other legacies.

Add the ones you know

Saka Tinubu was a famous Lagos Merchant/Contractor & Muslim Leader. One of his sons, Abdul Hamid Saka Tinubu studied medicine at University of Glasgow between 1925 & 1930, and is believed to be the 1st Muslim doctor in Nigeria. (I’m not sure if Street was named for father or son)

Kingsley Ozumba (KO) Mbadiwe was one of the most colourful politicians Nigeria ever produced. Known for his bombastic rhetoric. He’s pictured here (middle) with the then US First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and Mbonu Ojike, at the White House in 1943. Was once Sp Adv to PM Balewa.

Matthew Oyin Jolayemi (born 1940) is a Nigerian entrepreneur and industrialist. Founder of Daily-Need Group, a Nigerian pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food conglomerate, which started as Daily-Need Chemists in 1970. (Their Daily-Need Toothpaste was launched in the 1970s).

In the late 1970s, under Head of State General Olusegun Obasanjo, Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun was Federal Commissioner for Special Duties, and pioneer Chairman of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) (1976-1979).

Sir Kofoworola “Kofo” Adekunle Abayomi, Pharmacist, Medical Doctor, Politician, founding member of Action Group, and Chair of Lagos Executive Development Board. Was married to Lady Oyinkan Abayomi, founder, in 1944, of the Nigerian Women’s Party. (An Ikoyi Street named after her)

J. Adeola Odeku, LLB, LLM, BA, was Assistant / Acting Federal Secretary of the Action Group, around the time Bola Ige was Federal Publicity Secretary. Also a former Chairman of the Board of the Lagos City Transport Service, and Balogun of Awe-Oyo.

Chief Louis S. Solomon was once Commandant-General of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps. Died 1991. Struggling to find any other info about him on the Internet. If you have any info please share.

Etim Inyang was a Police Officer appointed by GMB as Inspector-General of Police, in 1984.

In 1986, at the height of the Anini onslaught, Pres IBB (who kept him as IG) famously asked him, in front of press, “My friend, where is Anini?”

“We shall soon catch him,” came the reply.

John IDOWU Conrad TAYLOR was the first Chief Judge of Lagos State. And the only African to matriculate at Oxford University in 1937. Was also Pro-Chancellor UNILAG.

Died 7 November 1973, aged only 56.

His Oxford Uni page here: bnc.ox.ac.uk/about-brasenos…

Pictured here at Oxford:

Karimu Kotun was a Lagos businessman; and Nigerian agent for a number of European manufacturers in early 1900s. In 1907 he became President of Lagos Muslim Cricket Club. Also one of founders of 1st political party in Nigeria, the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP),in 1923.

Found this profile of Karimu Kotun in my library. His office was at 3, Dosumu Street. Was appointed in 1919, exactly a century ago, as Private Secretary to HRH Eshugbayi Eleko, Oba of Lagos.

Source: The Red Book of West Africa (1920)

Alhaji YOUNIS Olatunji BASHORUN was a School Principal; Permanent Secretary of the Lagos Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in the 1980s; also Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government; and Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, University of Agriculture, Makurdi.

CORRECTION: So I’ve done a bit more searching, there were 2 Akin Adesolas (brothers): AKINwunmi (Revd) & AKINpelu (Prof):

Akinwunmi was:
-Vice Principal, Igbobi College
-Principal, Eko Boys High School
-Lagos Comm for Education / LG & Chieftaincy

VI road named for him NOT Prof