BIRTH -
Gabriel Abiodun Ayotunde, was born in the chilly, harmattan month of December. His mother, at No 24, Church street, Jos went onto labor and after some gruelling hours on the 19th of December, 1936, dark skinned baby Abiodun, was born to the family of Mr and Mrs J.O. Ayotunde (both of blessed memory).

EDUCATION -
Mr Gabriel Abiodun had his formal education at St. Luke's Anglican primary school, Jos from 1942 - 1948 but couldn't complete his elementary education there. It was the peak of WWII and there was an acute shortage of salt, that characterized that period. This made him relocate to Lagos with the family, and completed his elementary education there, at Tinubu Methodist school in 1952. Probably because Pa J.O. Ayotunde a.k.a Baba Shoemaker, was not so financially buoyant at t hat time to help young Gabriel further his education, he got his son employment as an apprentice Process Engraver with the Daily Times of Nigeria in 1953; but he wasn't cut out for such menial job, so he jettisoned that job and left for Ghana.

CAREER HISTORY -
He arrived Accra on the 6th of March, 1958 being Ghana's first independence anniversary. This move was symbolic! That same year, he bid a triumphant goodbye to poverty and embraced greatness. In order for him to achieve the lofty goals he set before himself, Mr Gabriel took up a job as a salesman with the Kingsway stores in 1960; not finding desired fulfillment and satisfaction there, he left them and joined the Leventis company in 1965. Still he wasn't satisfied! He eventually left Leventis and joined Nigeria Airways in 1970, there in Accra. Mr Gabriel soon gave a good account of himself, through diligence and hard work. He was soon transferred back to Lagos in 1974. An indefatigable worker, who was h onest to a fault, he was put on charge of the Lost & Found department, until he was transferred on promotion, to Benin, Edo State in 1978 as the Station Officer.

Then commenced his numerous travels abroad for trainings, which included the Lufthansa training school in Seechcam, Frankfurt Germany, in 1979 and another course in Atlanta, Georgia USA. Many others subsequently followed in the course of his job with the Airways. The peak of his career came in 1981, when he was promoted and sent to Ghana, again, as District Manager. He was promoted again and returned to Kaduna, Nigeria where he worked assiduously, till he was retired in December of 1987. In all, he had given Nigeria Airways about 17 years of his life