ILLUSTRIOUS SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF ILOBU, (VOLUME TWO) 20TH EDITION
Elder Afolabi Joseph Olanrewaju was born on the 19th day of February, 1965 to the family of Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Afolabi Sadique (Austerity) and Mrs Habibat Jadesola Afolabi of Bara Olokuta’s Compound. He started his primary education at the famous Oroki Nursery and Primary School, Alekuwodo, Osogbo in 1970 and completed it at the St Michael’s Primary School, Ilobu where he bagged his Primary School Leaving Certificate in 1976. He proceeded briefly to St Paul’s Modern School, Ilobu between 1976 and 1978. He later got admitted into Ilobu Secondary Comercial Grammar School, Ilobu in 1979 and passed out in 1984.
After he had completed his secondary education in 1984, he relocated to Lagos in a desperate pursuance of a greener pasture. His intention was to go out and connect himself with a brighter tomorrow through honesty and hard work. He ended up becoming a Molue Conductor. This also afforded him a kind of driving apprenticeship. Having mastered the act of driving, he moved from Lagos to Ikirun, where he became a commercial car driver, plying Ikirun-Ibadan route. In June 1990, the event that changed the navigation of his life occurred. As a commercial car driver, a young man in his early 40s boarded his car from Ibadan; he was to alight at Ikirun but later asked Elder Afolabi Joseph Olanrewaju to further convey him to Iree, a town after Ikirun and towards Ila-Orangun axis. He did convey him to Iree but this gentleman forgot his portable handbag his car. He did not notice this until the close of work for the day at the car-wash point. He searched untiringly for the man for two good weeks without a result. In the bag, he found the complementary card of the owner’s uncle who happened to be the Area Manager of Union Bank at Dugbe in Ibadan. He located the Area Manager who asked for what favour he could do for him. He quickly flaunted the handbag at the man and showed him the International passport of the person who forgot it in his car. At this point, the Area Manager, who was excited, confirmed that the owner (his cousin) came from the United State of America and had been searching seriously for the handbag. He contacted him immediately through his office land line and the owner showed up within 20 minutes. Elder Afolabi Joseph Olanrewaju then handed over the handbag to him. In appreciation of his faithfulness, he was offered the sum of #1,000 which was a huge amount at the period but he rejected it. The man and the Area manager were amazed. The Area manager then asked for his qualification and he responded by saying WASC sir!
Without mincing words, he was offered employment as a driver at the Union Bank Plc in October 1990 as a result of his faithfulness. With this, he became a new man and was very ready to do all things Godly possible to push himself through a better career progression in the banking industry. In 1997, he completed his Higher National Diploma in Banking and Finance and was duly promoted to Management in Training and Transferred to Oyo town in 1998 after the training exercise. He rose to become a Bank Inspector in 2010 and later became an Internal Control Manager and posted to Lokoja from Kwara. He was overseeing not less than 10 branches and using Lokoja as a hub. In June 2014, he voluntarily retired and floated his own business; LarryGas Nigeria Enterprises which is a household name for residents of Ilobu, Ifon, Erin, Okinni and Osogbo. His relocation home and sitting of his business in Ilobu has no doubt,really proved him as a worthy ambassador of Ilobu Asake. He is presently the Zonal Secretary of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Association of Nigeria (LPGAR), South-West Zone.
Therefore for his inspiring story to become someone against all odds and his contribution to the growth of the economy of Ilobu , I therefore with every sense of respect and humility present Elder Afolabi Joseph Olanrewaju to the public for celebration and appreciation as an illustrious son of Ilobu Asake.
Dare Alabi,
Project Director
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