Pa Olanrewaju Akanni Adebayo was born in Abeokuta to late Esther Bolaji and late Sikiru Adebayo on the 1st of August 1945. He was their second son with a striking resemblance of his dad. He was fondly called Lanre.
He started his primary education at Ebenezer Baptist Primary School , Oke Saje Abeokuta at the age 10, when his right hand could touch his left ears. It is on record that he was a very bright student. Olanrewaju lost his dad at the age of 14 in 1959 and he had to move to Olodo Abeokuta where he completed his primary education at CMS Primary School Keshinro Olodo in 1961.
He enlisted with the Nigeria Army immediately after his primary school education, he started his military training and career in Ibadan and was later transferred to Nigerian Army Barrack in Lafenwa Abeokuta.
He was part of the Nigerian Army that fought in the Nigeria Civil war known as the Nigerian-Biafran war. The stories and experiences of the war are some of the stories he told his children and grand-children.
He got married in Abeokuta shortly after the war to Olasunbo Adebayo (Nee Dosunmu), as that time the was said to be a marriage of two families in different social classes. He started his family in Lafenwa Abeokuta.
The Nigeria Army transferred him to Lagos some years after. He was with the Nigerian Military for 12 years after which he decided to join the private sector.
He started his private sector journey with Coca Cola in their Loss Prevention and Security Department. He later joined the Nigerian Flour Mills in Ibadan and notably retired at WAPCO Cement in Shagamu Ogun State.
Pa Olanrewaju was also a farmer who believed everyone must grow what they eat, it is still unbelievable how he combined his work with his subsistence farming.
He slept and peacefully transitioned to glory in the early hours of Feb 6th 2021. He is survived by his wife, sons, daughter, grandsons, granddaughters and great-granddaughters.