Chief Abdulkareem Adebisi Akande was born in Ila Orangun of Osun State on January 16, 1939 in what is now known as Osun Central Senatorial District of the state.
Chief Bisi Akande had been a loyal and committed progressive since the hey days of the doyen of progressives in the Southwest of Nigeria, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Bola Ige of blessed memory.
In the second republic between 1979-1983, Chief Akande became the deputy governor of Oyo State when late Chief Bola Ige (Cicero) was a governor under the platform of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
Chief Akande was described to be the nephew of Chief Bola Ige.
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He became the governor of Osun State between 1999-2003 under the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the first Interim National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) that later took over power from the Peoples Democratic Party in 2015 general elections.
Chief Akande is an unrepentant Awoist and a progressive to the core. He is not an apologist nor a compromiser. He is a man of his words no matter whose ox is gored. A fearless man, an achiever who always show his unfettered love and direction to the younger generations that gave him the appellation, “Baba Omo Kekeeke.â€
He had this to say when President Buhari was hospitalized in the United Kingdom. “Let me warn today that those who wish to harvest political gains out of the health of the President are mistaken. This is not Nigeria of 1993. We are in a new national and global era of constitutionalism and order. We hope Nigerians have enough patience to learn from history.â€
Baba Akande was quick to inform those who cared to listen that “there is no automatic ticket for President Buhari in 2019.†That was when the President Buhari was discharged from the United Kingdom hospital.
His footprint is there for all to see as the one who managed the resources of the state to build the state-of- the-art modern Secretariat at Abere in Osogbo.
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His political son, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola also dedicated one of the best infrastructural technology in bridge construction to Chief Bisi Akande; “Bisi Akande Trumpet Bridge†at Gbongan, Osun State. It is a cynosure of all eyes along Ilesha-Ife-Ibadan Express Road, Gbongan.
At 79, he has become a statesman on whom every prospective aspirants in the progressive camp pay homage as it was during the time of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Adekunle Ajasin and Chief Abraham Adesanya all of blessed memory.
As Baba is marking his 79th birthday on earth today, I wish “Baba Omo Kekeeke†happiest birthday with sound health, joy, happiness and many more years of progressive services to mankind.
We identify with you, Baba on this glorious day and forever, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
www.sojworld.com © January 17, 2018
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