On July 30, 2019 at the Tony Elumelu Forum, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo remarked that: No matter how young or old we might be, our lives are essentially stories that are being written and revised every day and on the occasion of the visit of the NFF President, Ibrahim Gasau to Lanreleke Sports Academy in July 2024, he described Engr. Olanrewaju Adeleke as a builder of youths- a metaphor of service.
Indeed the stories of life range from what we are born into, to what our reality is and to what our life can become, and to Engr Olanrewaju Adeleke, he understands that for one to be ascribed as being responsible, he has to perform the tasks expected or required of him by people around him with a sense of complete loyalty and implicit dedication so as to secure for himself a permanent place on the sands of time.
On November 19, 2024, Engineer Olanrewaju Adeleke was among the 211 professional engineers that was honoured with Fellowship of Nigerian Society of Engineers and there are many lessons to learn about his selfless life and accomplishments. According to Jack Welch: Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.
This mindset is reflected in Engineer Adeleke’s dedication to mentoring and developing young engineers and his community. The attribute of GROWING OTHER PEOPLE is what defines the style of Engineer Olanrewaju Adeleke, the Chairman and Managing Director, Peculiar Ultimate Concern.
To him, being a successful person is not about himself or his relatives, but it is about the people one come across and builds in this brief journey of life. That is why Engr Lanre Adeleke is perceived in some quarters as a ‘rallypoint’ in our land.
I remember with nostalgia in 2022, at a final church service held at Baptist Church, Oluponna, in honour of my late king, Oba Emmanuel Oyebamiji, who returned to his ancestors. I had written about this in the Guardian newspaper on April 6, 2022 where I said, A tall, straight tree does not last.
Peculiar, as fondly called, was at the occasion with Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, the insurance magnate and one of Osun’s hopefuls in 2026. He demonstrated his love and patriotism for our land.
Engineer Adeleke, as fate would have it, never met the late Kabiesi in person during his lifetime, despite their regular phone conversations. However, he ensured the Kabiesi legacy did not go unnoticed by sponsoring a book documenting his life and accomplishments, written by lawyer-historian Barrister Femi Kehinde, a member of National Assembly in the fourth Republic. That is essential Peculiar!
The conferment of fellowship to Engineer Adeleke by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) led by the President/Chairman in-Council, Engr Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, is in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the field of engineering in Nigeria, humanity, as well as the lasting impact he has made across various sectors of Nigerian society. He has consistently served as an inspiration to younger generations, with his work and service.
Engr Olanrewaju Adeleke, FNSE is an accomplished Civil Engineer, project consultant and a community servant. Armed his degree at Federal University of Technology, Akure in 1996, and he has demonstrated his expertise in the engineering industry, succeeded with a rich portfolio spanning national and international projects.
Many years ago, the great American icon and hero of the working class, Walter Reuther who as president of the United Automobile Workers Union (UAW) grew the union to more than 1.5 million members was reputed to have said: There is no greater calling than to serve your fellow men and there is no greater contribution than to help the weak. Engineer Adeleke’s philosophy exemplifies Reuther’s words, demonstrating the power of selfless service.
The Nobel Prize Winner in Literature George Bernard Shaw who lived to be 94 years old also reiterated that one person can make a difference in the life of a community and move an entire people forward, when the main goal of the leader is to serve. This is what George Bernard Shaw meant when he said: one man that has a mind and knows it can always beat ten men who haven’t and don’t! Shaw’s words ring true in Engineer Adeleke’s story, highlighting the potential for one person to spark widespread progress.
There’s a popular term in academia, ‘town and gown’, it is a collaborative effort or means of linking the academia to the neighbourhood for development. As such, Engineer Adeleke interventions in the socio-political and educational activities of his hometown, Ile-Ogbo and by extension, Osun State is notable which encapsulated his vision and blueprint.
Aside from tarring of 3.8 kilometres of road that connects Ile-Ogbo to Iwo as part of Corporate Social Responsibility of his company which is part of the Alternative Project Funding Approach being adopted in four states of the country, he has equally established an academy.
The Academy combines sports and education. It is co-educational (for boys and girls). It is fully residential (the students will all live on the campus). It will promote more than football which would remain its main catchment area.
There will be track and field athletics, tennis and golf. It will run at a senior secondary school level only, to start with, and shall use the junior secondary schools around the country to identify young gifted and passionate children that fit the profile of those that can be admitted to the school and become the best in the world.
Down the line, beyond secondary school education, the academy also introduce education classes and entrepreneurship courses that will empower the student/athletes with higher education and specific fit-for-industry programmes. At the end of the programmes, the graduates can then embark on either further education, or proceed directly to careers in professional sports, depending on the level of their sports talent and development. Either way, the graduates would have been well-equipped for life with the training they would have received in the Sports Academy.
It is said that it is when one caters to the needs of his people the way Engr. Adeleke is doing that he becomes GREAT in their sight. For as Mahatma Gandhi once asserted: “Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works for the welfare of his fellow-men. This encapsulates Engineer Adeleke’s approach to leadership, measuring greatness by the positive impact on his community and people around him.
Adeleke’s conferment as a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) is more than a personal achievement; it is a recognition of his unwavering commitment to professional excellence, community development, and the empowerment of future generations. Through his innovative contributions to engineering, his mentorship of young talents, and his community-driven initiatives like the Lanreleke Sports Academy, he exemplifies the ideals of selfless service and impactful leadership.
In conclusion, Adeleke’s life is a testament to the profound truth that true greatness lies not in personal accomplishments but in the ability to uplift others and foster lasting change. His story is an inspiring reminder that with dedication, vision, and a heart for service, one individual can indeed make a difference in the lives of many.
