ForeverMissed
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His Life
November 16, 2016

Engr David Abiola Olawale Oni was born in Esaoke town in the Obokun Local Government Area of Osun state on 7th August 1944. His father, Chief Isaiah Olajide Oni was a farmer whilst his mother Mrs Eunice Aina Oni was a trader.

He started his primary education at Saint Mark’s African Primary School Esaoke from 1950-1951 and completed it at the United Missionary School Esaoke from 1952-1956.

He had his secondary school education at the famous Ilesa Grammar School from January 1958 to December 1962. When he was in form three in 1960, he was awarded the school’s full scholarship “for high academic standard and exemplary character” and this provided the financial support he needed to complete the West African School Certificate Course in 1962. He was the Senior Prefect of Ilesa Grammar School in his final year (1962).

The teachers who inspired the young lad and influenced his life positively included Papa Lucas and Mr Dele Ilemia who taught mathematics, Tunji Fayokun, Derek and Pauline Williams and Mr Omotoye who taught English, Papa Oriowo who taught History, Papa Adeyekun who taught Geography, Godwin Ibezi who taught Biology, S.M. Ogunjobi who taught Chemistry and Abel Guobadia who taught Physics. Some of Abiola’s former classmates included Prof. Bode Lucas of the University of Ibadan, Professor Banji Ayoola currently practising medicine in the USA and the late Engr Adebisi Olaiya of blessed memory.

At Ilesa Grammar School in those days, emphasis was placed not only on high academic attainments but on honesty, probity and good character, hence the school’s motto “E huwa omoluabi”. The school also placed great emphasis on students using their brains as well as their hands ie. “Know-how” and “do-how”.

The School Principal Rev. J.A. Akinyemi was a disciplinarian and role model par excellence. He led by example and was a great mentor to all students who came in contact with him. Abiola was one of those who benefitted immensely from the fatherly guidance given by the renowned Ilegrams Principal.

From January 1963 to December 1964, Abiola attended King’s College Lagos on a Federal Government Scholarship.  At the end of the two-year course at King’s College he took and passed the Cambridge University Higher School Certificate and London University GCE A-level Examinations in Physics, Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics in December 1964/January 1965.

The two years at King’s College broadened Abiola’s outlook, deepened his academic maturity and prepared him well for University apart from giving him the opportunity to cultivate a wider circle of friends than he had at Ilesa Grammar School. His classmates at King’s College included Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, formerly Nigeria’s permanent representative at the United Nations, Professor Adele Jinadu formerly of Unilag and LASU and Professor Lekan Abudu of the University of Lagos College of Medicine.

On leaving King’s College, Abiola was awarded a scholarship by the British Petroleum Company Nigeria Limited to study for a BSc Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Woolwich Polytechnic (Now University of Greenwich) in London. He successfully completed the course in July 1969 and returned to Nigeria in January 1970 to take up employment at BP Nigeria Limited. He later studied part-time and obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Lagos (1989) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Critical Management from Lancaster University in UK in 2008.

As a Nigerian student in London, Abiola was privileged to study alongside students from many parts of the world including USA, Canada, other African countries apart from Nigeria, the Carribean, Asia, Western/Eastern Europe, South America, etc. This enabled him to broaden his outlook and to develop a deep interest in international affairs particularly international politics and economics. To this day he remains a keen student of international affairs.

Another aspect of the UK experience he gained was respect for the rule of law, and for human rights. The key issues in international affairs at that time were the Civil Rights Movement in the USA that led to the assassination of Martin Luther King and the struggle for majority rule in Northern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) leading to the unilateral declaration of Independence by Ian Smith. These events shaped his views on the attitude of the so-called developed world to issues concerning the rights of the black people to self-determination.

On 2nd June 1972, Abiola met Princess (Miss) Modupe Adeola Agbede, daughter of His Royal Highness Oba Aderibigbe Agbede the Olowa of Igbara-Oke in Ondo state and Her Royal Highness Olori Eunice Olaremi Agbede. He was then a Sales Engineer at British Petroleum Company Nigeria Limited and she was a Secretary at First Bank of Nigeria in Lagos. The relationship blossomed very rapidly and led to a memorable Royal wedding at Igbara-Oke on 21st April 1973. The couple were joined in holy matrimony by the late Primate of the Anglican Communion Rt. Rev. J. Abiodun Adetiloye who was then Bishop of Ekiti Diocese. The marriage is blessed with children and grand children, male and female.

Abiola’s working career covered various Management positions in BP Nigeria Limited (1970-1976); Metal Box and Metal Box Toyo Glass Nigeria Limited (1976-1981); Standard Breweries Nigeria Limited Ibadan (1981-1983); West African Portland Cement Company Plc (1983-1999). He retired voluntarily from WAPCO in August 1999 and was immediately appointed Group Chairman of the Odua Investment Company limited, an investment company jointly owned by the governments of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun states. Abiola’s tenure at Odua witnessed the resuscitation of The National Bank of Nigeria after that Bank had gone comatose for many years.  He retired from the Board of Odua Investment Company in October 2003. Earlier in 2001, Abiola had ventured into the area of International Education Consulting and founded Dave Abion Consulting, a firm which specialises in counselling and recruiting suitably qualified Nigerian students wishing to study overseas. He is currently Chairman and Chief Executive of this organization which has its Head office at Ikeja Lagos and Branch offices at Victoria Island Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. Over the last twelve years the firm has recruited hundreds of students who have earned valuable foreign academic and professional qualifications and are now making significant contributions to the Nigerian economy. Many of these foreign-trained Nigerian graduates are also making a positive impact in various countries outside Nigeria.

Abiola and his wife are devoted Anglicans and they worship regularly at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Anglican Church Cathedral (AVMCC) Ikeja, Lagos. Whilst Abiola is a member of the YMCA and Christian Friends Society, his wife is a member of the YWCA and Agape Christian Sisters Societies of the Cathedral. Because of Abiola’s interest in the promotion of evangelism amongst the youth, he was installed the Baba Egbe of the Girls Guild at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church Esaoke on 27th September 1981. In this role he contributed his quota to youth development within the church. He was also installed as the Otun Baba Egbe Ijo of the same Church on 23rd December 2011. His wife is also the current Iya Egbe Ajinyinrere of Anglican Church of the Advent Esaoke. The couple were honoured at the Family of Honours Award Ceremony of the Diocese of Lagos West in July 2010 and were also honoured at St. Paul’s Anglican Church Igbara-Oke Ondo state on Mother’s Day 2011.

Abiola was the Chairman of the Special committee set up by Ijesa Anglicans at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Ikeja (AVMCC) to organise a symposium at Ilesa (“Anglicanism in Ijesa land, yesterday, today and tomorrow”) in June 2011 in an effort to further reconcile the four Ijesa Dioceses.

Abiola is a foundation member of the Esaoke United Society (a Social Club devoted to the promotion of education and general social development of Esaoke town). He is a life member of Ikoyi Club 1938 and a long-standing member of Lagos Country Club Ikeja. He is also a member of Ilesa Grammar School Old Boys Association, Kings College Old Boys Association and the Alumni Association of the Universities of Lagos (Nigeria), Lancaster (UK) and Greenwich (UK). He is an associate member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (UK) and the Nigerian Institute of Management. In June 2014, he was appointed a Director of the Osun State College of Education Ila-Orangun Investment Company Limited (OSSCILA) a public-private partnership company which engages in profit-making activities to augment government subventions for the Institution.

Dave devoted time to serving God and touched the lives of the people around him. From very humble beginnings, God was very kind to him, guarded and guided him. He gave back through using his time, talent and treasure to serve his Maker, Redeemer and King.

Dave was an advocate for Nigeria and advised that should not allow the current situation in Nigeria to dampen our resolve or becloud our hope for a brighter tomorrow in our beloved country. He was an epitome of hard work, doggedness and had and taught great work ethics