Neither words nor symphonies, nor a thousand epigrams will do in commemorating his true essence and class as Chief Ayo Adebanjo clocks 90 years old in few days. Yes, 90 years! Timeless anecdotes seep from his being like whirlwind on the grass and inscriptions teaching us that everything and anything about him offers priceless lessons in humility, fortitude and grace.
He exudes the lustre of the proverbial leading light thus distinguishing his persona amid a range of middling men. Baba radiates compassion, ardor and acclaim that no life’s odd could tame. Having hacked his path to affluence in honest, industrious strides, he spread outs like a bastion of human aspiration even as his exploits become objects of the world affection.
Everywhere he navigates, he exudes a spirit of humaneness and generosity that even the world’s finest and most daring philanthropists live in awe of.
Like a strapping rampart in life’s sea of odds, Adebanjo’s resilience stretches for miles.
As he turns 90, Chief Adebanjo, an elder stateman and one of the leading voices in South West, evokes a rare combination of critical approval and public affection — love, even. It’s probably because he is audacious in his simplicity and brilliant in his business exploits.
At 90, he projects even greater charm. He ducks your compliments, absorbs your indelicate questions, jabs back with interest in you and never appears tired of the exchange: he is the middleweight champion of charm. His best punch however, is his self-awareness.
Nine decades on, his personal story demonstrates that strength is built through struggle and hardship, and he shares that strength with tremendous compassion and empathy. Channeling his own experiences, he has personally touched the lives of countless others who have had to confront their own challenges.
A champion of social justice here and abroad and now even, Ayo is as much a business titan and quintessential rock of his family: a loving husband, father, brother and uncle. He’s a man of great faith and character and financial wherewithal.
However, come Tuesday, April 3, his autobiography, ‘TELLING IT AS IT IS’, would launched at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos. It promises to be a day in history
