By Julius Alabi, Akure
A good character grows into a good personality.
A person can be fantastically attractive, but without manners, he’ll get no one’s attention.
Your morals and character create the real you. Life without ethics and values is worthless.
If we go back in history, the new Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olayide Owolabi Adelami is a person valued for his character as his character virtues were highly-sought after.
Be it rich or poor, famous or not, one’s character made the man. It is valued because a character hardly ever changes and is a definite picture of the person’s inner self.
When the Deputy Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Prince Abayomi Akinruntan submitted the screening report of Dr. Adelami to the House for confirmation, he said the Deputy Governor is a man of reputable character, well exposed, physically and mentally fit for the position.
A person’s character is what sets them apart from others. It makes an individual unique and gives them intrinsic value.
This does not mean that a person with “good character” is perfect. It means that the person can be trusted and is worthy of admiration. One finds a form of feeling safe when interacting with a person of good character.
When we identify someone as of good character like Olayide Owolabi Adelami who hails from Owo, Ondo state, born over 6 decades ago to the family of Oluka Oribokun by Pa and Mrs Amos, we admit that his nature is made of good traits like honesty, compassion, integrity, and courage.
Adelami who also holds chieftaincy title in the ancient town of Owo graduated from the prestigious Imade College in Owo before proceeding to The Polytechnic, Ibadan for his GCE A level and University of Lagos for his Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. He further got an MBA degree from Ogun State University.
CAREER
After the completion of the mandatory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in June 1983, young Adelami was enlisted into the Federal Civil Service as an Accountant II in December 1983. He resumed to the Treasury Department of the Accountant General of the Federation office and in 1988 he was later posted to the National Assembly Provisional Office, Abuja as one of the pioneer staff of the Constituent Assembly which metamorphosed into the present day National Assembly.
In the discharge of his duty, Adelami had the singular privilege of setting up the Finance and Accounts Department of the National Assembly as we have come to know it. In 1996, he was invited to help in setting up the Accounts Department of the Petroleum Special Trust Fund. After completion of this tasks, he was also beckoned to serve at the Family Support Trust Fund where, again, he helped set up the Finance and Accounts Department. He headed these departments between 1996 and 2000. It is mention-worthy that the project of National Hospital, Abuja was executed and delivered during Adelami’s service period.
His sterling performances, years of experience and reputation as an astute manager of resources with enviable integrity saw Adelami being recalled to the National Assembly in 2000 to strengthen the Finance Department. Three years later, he was made the Head of the Finance and Accounts Department. He remained in this position till 2007 when he was confirmed as a Director. The following year, he was nominated for a one year senior management course at the prestigious National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos.
After the completion of his course at the Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies in 2008, he was assigned a bigger task of pioneering the newly created Department of Procurement and Supplies. Without a single trained staff in procurement processes, Adelami who relishes challenges embarked on the rigorous process of staff training and nurtured the department to an enviable position. In 2014, he was promoted to the position of Secretary (Permanent Secretary), Directorate of Procurement, Estate and Works. A position he held until he was appointed as the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly.
He remained the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly until his retirement in April 2018.
It is worthy of note that Chief Olayide Adelami during his illustrious career used his goodwill and personal influence to attract physical development and impact to the lives of Owo community and beyond.
His political journey began shortly after his retirement when he was appointed by the presidency as the Coordinator, Presidential Support Committee, Ondo state, whose mandate was to reconcile aggrieved APC members, as well as coordinate the activities of the various support groups across the state for the president’s reelection. He worked assiduously against all odds to deliver massive votes for the APC across the state and also ensured the return of the only APC senator in the state from his senatorial district.
MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Chief Olayide Adelami, mni is an active member of several professional bodies. Notable among them are;
– Fellow of the Certified National Accountants of Nigeria (FCNA) -1994, Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (FNIM) -2001, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (FCTI) -2006, Fellow of the Institute of Cost and Management Accountant (FCMA) -2006
PHILANTROPHIC AND HUMANITARIAN SERVICES
As a man with a large caring heart for the vulnerable people in the society, Chief Olayide Owolabi Adelami and his family set up ELIZABETH FOUNDATION in 2004. The Non Governmental Organisation was mandated to ameliorate the sufferings of widows and orphans in Owo where he hails from and Abuja where he worked most of his life. The positive effect of this initiative endeared him to people particularly in Owo where he earned the moniker, OKO OPO (Husband of the widows)
During persistent unrest in Jos, Chief Adelami donated relief materials worth millions of naira to the internally displaced persons.
He has given financial support to the Rural Missionary fields in Nigeria, particularly in the establishment of places of worships in the difficult to reach parts of Plateau, Benue and Nassarawa states.
He is an active member of the Prison Fellowship, Nigeria and has joined in ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of the prisoners. He has occupied the position of 2nd Vice Chairman of the National Board of Trustees Prison Fellowship, Nigeria for many years till date.
He established and continued to support the Music Department, School of the Blinds, Gindiri, Plateau state. Many of the blind children have acquired various musical skills till date.
HONOURS AND AWARDS
Chief Olayide Owolabi Adelami. mni has received a number of honours and awards within the country in appreciation of his servive to humanity.
~On his retirement from active public service in 2018, Chief Olayide Adelami was honoured with the chieftaincy title of Amuwagboye of Owo Kingdom by the late Olowo of Owo kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba ( Dr.) D.V.F. Olateru Olagbegi III. Amuwagboye literally means One who becomes a titled Chief on the strength of his character.
~Honorary Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supplies.
~Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Treasury and Financial Administration.
~Humanitarian Award by COCIN School for the Blind Children, Gindiri, Plateau State.
~Recognition Award by Plateau State Indigenes Development Association (PISDA) Abuja Branch.
~Patron of the Youth Fellowship, St. Patrick Church, Ijebu-Owo.
~Patron of the Youth Fellowship, C.A.C. Aruwajoye , Owo.
~Patron of the Boys Brigade, Owo Battalion.
~Leadership and Good Governance Award by National Association of Niger-Delta Oil Producing States Students (NANDOPSS).
~The Ambassador of Peace Award.
~Award of Excellence for Outstanding Humanitarian Services by IKB-D Chosen.
~Award for Outstanding Support Services by Women in Taxation (SWIT).
~ICON of Bureaucratic Excellence Award by Youth Advocacy Group for Good Governance.
~ICON of Development by South-West Leaders Association (SWLA).
~Award for Meritorious Service by Igala Cultural Development Association.
~Man of Honour Award by HRH Oba Alaba Omotunde Ebiyanmi Adako, Iresin II, the Oniyere of lyere of Iyere Kingdom and many others.
In the course of Chief Olayide Owolabi Adelami, mni, public service career that spanned 35 years, he has touched many lives in different ways and he is widely respected for his integrity and constant demonstration of the omoluabi ethos that typifies a properly brought up Yoruba man.
He is well travelled and has attended many international courses, seminars, workshops in Nigeria, African nations and foreign countries across Europe, Asia and the USA. He is an Alumnus of the prestigious Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA. Chief Olayide Owolabi Adelami, mni, is a lover of Table Tennis, Lawn Tennis and Golf, which he plays regularly.
FAMILY
He is happily married to Mrs. Abosede Olubukola Adelami and their marriage is blessed with Children.