Prince Ayandele Ajayi

Prince James Ayandele was Born in 1940 at the Sudan Interior Mission Hospital in Ilorin, to the family of Pa Samuel Bankole Ajayi and Madam Ruth Efuntade Ajayi (both of blessed memory) of Oludele Ruling House, Ada, in the present Boripe North Local Council Development Area, in the State of Osun. Being farmers, the task of educating ‘Dele wasn’t an easy task for his parents. They were however resolute in ensuring a bright future for their son. By dint of diligence and hardwork,’Dele excelled in his academics. In 1947, his older Cousin, John Ponnle enrolled ‘Dele for his elementary education at the Baptist Day School, Ada, and after completion of Standard 4, (being the last class available in that school at the time) he proceeded to Baptist Day School, Iragbiji, where he completed his standard 6 in 1953. Upon completion of Standard 6, he was engaged briefly as a pupil teacher at the Baptist Day School, Ada between 1953 and 1954 where he was fondly referred to as "Tisa Kekere". In 1955, he proceeded to the prestigious Kiriji Memorial College, Igbajo on a Scholarship (due to his Fathers activities in the Action Group) for his secondary education. Upon completion of his Secondary education, he had a brief teaching career (1962 - 1963) at Baptist Modern School, Iyin Ekiti and finally at Oke'badan High School, Ibadan. Between 1964 and 1965, he proceeded to Co-Operative College, Eleyeile, Ibadan to study Accounting, after which he obtained the National Diploma. After obtaining his diploma he worked as a Cooperative Inspector in Ilesa in 1966. He then proceed to the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), Ibadan as an Accountant (1967 - 1968). During this period, he developed a liking for Uniformed Service. He made spirited attempts to join both the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Customs Service without success. However, in 1969, with the assistance of retired Col. Oyedele (also an indigene of Ada), he got enlisted in the Nigerian Army as a Clerk and Later became a Master Warrant Officer. He rose to become the Pay-Master in the Records Department and voluntarily retired as a Major in the Army in 1976. Upon retirement on 26th June, 1976, he established a Civil Engineering and Construction Company, Derilar Enterprises Limited in Ibadan. The company was reputed to have executed construction projects for the Nigerian Army, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Oyo State Government, Osun State Government, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Directorate of Federal & Rural Roads Infrastructures (DFRRI), National Electric Power Authority and many others. He also established a company called Proxima Overseas Limited, an Isle of Man registered company specialising in procurement of Defence equipments for the Ministry of Defence and the Nigerian Army. As an entrepreneur, he strived to excel by acquiring more knowledge. This drive made him enrol on a Masters Degree programme at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho where obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) Degree in 2002. Chief ‘Dele Ajayi was a consummate lover of rural communities and Traditional institutions. Until the time of his death, he remained unreservedly committed to respect and recognition for traditional institutions. He was quite close to many of the Royal Majesties across the length and breadth of Nigeria. As a Prince, he was of the strong view that he is not entitled to receive Chieftaincy titles and thus had a very difficult time convincing the various Royal fathers who were bent on conferring him with chieftaincy titles. In, 1980, However, he was persuaded, to accept the only Chieftaincy title he would hold until his demise. In recognition of his contributions to Ila community and its environs, and having being persuaded that he was being conferred with a Chieftaincy Title by one of the direct Sons of Oduduwa, the Late Orangun of Ila, H.R.M Oba Williams Ariwajoye Ayeni in 1980, conferred on him the prestigious Chieftaincy title of the Bobagunwa of Ila-Orangun to underscore his unrelenting development of Ila-Oragun Community in particular, and Osun State in general. He was not only a generous donor but also a philanthropist per excellence. Among his philanthropic efforts in his Ada Community are the following: *Donation of a Block of fully-furnished Six Classrooms to his alma –mater Baptist Day School, Ada. *Establishment and Donation of a fully-furnished Secondary School, Ajayi Memorial High School, Ada, and payment of salaries/wages of staffers of the School, to encourage secondary education in his community. This philanthropist gesture caught the attention of the then Military Governor of Oyo State, Late Gen. Abdulkareem Adisa, who bestowed on him an award on behalf of the people and Government of Oyo State in May 1988. Chief ‘Dele Ajayi was a keen sports enthusiast and lover of soccer. In this regard, he was a patron and Financier of the famous Football Club, IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan when Late Chief Lekan Salami was the Chairman. He lived and died as a devout Christian of the Baptist demonimation, taking after his parents. His Father was the Secretary of First Baptist Church Ada while his mother was the Iya Ijo of the Church. In Ibadan, he was active member of the Molete Baptist Church, Ibadan a Church where he was a foundation member while he also played a key role in the activities of First Baptist Church, Ada. He contributed in no little way to the development of the church's and the gospel of Christ Jesus. Late Prince ‘Dele Ajayi was married to Late Chief (Mrs) Aderike Ajayi (Nee Kareem) and Chief (Mrs) Folashade Omolara Ajayi (Nee Okedara), and the family is blessed with very outstanding children who remain the pride of the community. He was survived by his wife, Chief (Mrs) Folashade Omolara Ajayi, brother, Mr. Timothy Ajayi, Sisters, Children, Grand Children, Nephews and Nieces.