Niyi Adebayo

Niyi Adebayo Biography / Profile

Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1958 to Major General Robert Adeyinka Adebayo. Adebayo who was the first civilian governor of Ekiti State between May 29th, 1999, and May 29th, 2003. His father served as the Military Governor of the then Western region comprising Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo and some parts of Lagos State between 1966 and 1971.

Niyi Adebayo Age

Not available.

Niyi Adebayo Early Life

Although from Iyin Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun local government area of Ekiti State, Adebayo grew up in Lagos where he attended CMS Grammar School. He attended the University of Lagos where he studied Law and obtained LL.B Hons. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1982.

Niyi Adebayo Career

Adebayo has extensive experience in a wide range of disputes, legal and advisory work. His more notable achievements have been in the areas of project finance, oil and gas, contract procurement and business facilitation. He is a member of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the International Bar Association (IBA). He served as Chairman of Alpgal Energy Limited and Suburban West Africa Limited and Non-Executive Director of Chellarams Plc. He worked in the Law Firm of Arthur Vigo and Co briefly before setting up his own law firm Adebayo, Adebayo and Co in 1984. He ventured into politics in 1999, successfully contesting the election to become the first elected civilian Governor of Ekiti State and was sworn in on May 29th, 1999. He lost his bid for a second term when he was defeated by the People's Democratic Party's Ayo Fayose in April 2003.

Since he left office in 2003, Adebayo has remained one of the very few former governors (in the class of 1999) that has held his head verily high, and has continued to earn public respect, as he kept to his vow of not stealing a kobo from the Ekiti purse. He has one of the cleanest records of public service in Nigeria. It was not so much because there wasn’t quite enough to steal, because many of his successors have been enmeshed in the deep dye of corruption allegations, but because he is a perfect gentleman that went, saw and conquered the allure and fad to be roguish. Humble, amiable and unassuming, Otunba Adebayo, a consummate politician and loyal chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has continued to operate like a silent colossus both in the business and political terrains. Sitting cool on the board of many companies, he has managed to sustain his political career by keeping in touch with his allies and friends.

Niyi Adebayo Personal Life

Adebayo is a keen sportsman and plays tennis, squash and football. A Christian, he got married at an early age of 25 to Erelu Angela Adebayo, and is blessed with three children; Angela, Adeotun and Samantha.