By Oyewole Olurin/
A man perpetually devoted to service to humanity; Chief Olabode Ibiyinka George is a man of many parts. His essential being evokes passion both negative and positive, depending on where one stands in the political sphere in measuring and appraising his strides.
Wherever one stands, one constant denominator is that George in the last 74 years of his existence has become a colossus in the ever-evolving political environment in the country. His unbridled passion to serve his fatherland has seen him contributing his quota to the country’s developmental strides in diverse areas of the nation’s life.
Born on November 21, 1945, in Lagos, Chief Olabode George started life very early, cognizance of the fact that he has been marked for greatness by acquiring the requisite educational achievements that were to stand him in good stead to contribute his quota to Nigeria’s evolution as a great nation.
As a young budding statesman, he had earned for himself a B.Sc and MBA just as he enjoyed a rapid advancement in the Nigerian Navy where he rose to the enviable ranks of a Commodore before his retirement.
During the period that his service lasted, he was appointed as the Military Administrator of Ondo State (1988–1990), and during his tour of duty, George had an outstanding record as he erected the right edifice to assist in the developmental strides of the SUNSHINE STATE.
To his credit, some of the edifices he erected include the establishment of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo in 1990, a school that now has over 4,000 students. He also completed the building of the Governor’s Office in Alagbaka area of the state capital, Akure.
Owing to his love for the labour force, he constructed the TEACHERS HOUSE in Akure as well as a dam serving and reticulating water in Ado Ekiti, which is now the capital of Ekiti State.
George soon left the office to become the Principal Staff Officer, to General Donaldson Oladipo Diya when the latter was Chief of General Staff, between 1993 and 1997. This appointment gave him the unique opportunity to have a glimpse into what transpired during the vexed June 12 1993, election that was adjudged the most transparent and credible election ever in Nigeria.
Fate, however, was kind to him as he nearly got robed into a phantom coup of 1997. George was also a Director at the Nigerian National War College (NWC) where he retired from acting military service.
Upon his retirement, George joined partisan politics when he pitched his tent with the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he was initially elected the national vice-chairman, South West and later, the deputy national chairman, South.
It is to his credit that he displayed some rare political wizardry in the course of carrying out his assignment. One of such was the ability of the party to wrest the control of the South West from the then formidable party, the Alliance for Democracy in 2003. The party won five out of the six states making up the region.
A man constantly in love with his Yoruba pedigree and ancestry, he was honoured with the title of The Atona Odu’a of the Source, by the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuade Okunade, Olubuse II.
A National Hero, the Avatar who come ahead of his time, an enigma never tired, always on the march, a man of impeccable character who defied all known lexicon to fight for the truth and got framed up in a charge that was never in existence in the Nigeria Legal framework, yet unperturbed until justice was done to him while enriching the Nigeria Legal jurisprudence.
A man who appreciates the verdict of history, he has set up what could be termed a replica of the Odu’a Investment to financially liberate residents of Lagos from the realm of oppression and brigandage. He has been using the platform to further ensure the evolution of new crops of leaders that would fill the vacuum when he finally leaves the stage.
Olurin is a Lagos based legal practitioner and Director of Organization Bode George Leadership Foundation