The premises of Baptist Secondary School, Oke-Odo, Ara, Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State would be agog on January 23 as Governor Gboyega Oyetola presents staff of office to the new Alara of Ara Kingdom, Oba (Dr) Olubayo Adesola Windapo, Oyelade-Abidogun.
The notification of appointment by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs signed by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Femi Ogundun, said the appointment took effect on December 16, 2019. The new monarch belongs to the Ajadi Ruling House.
A descendant of the Oyelade-Abidogun section of Iraye Oba’s Compound, he is the third to ascend the throne from Ajadi Ruling house and the 10th Alara of the new Ara.
Oba Windapo was born on August 26, 1961 to the family of Chief Timothy Akanni, a bricklayer and Madam Munirat Aduke, a petty trader of Abata’s Compound, Lalupon, Lagelu Local Government Area of Oyo State. His ancestors came from Ara in Osun to fight the Yoruba wars on the side of Bashorun Ogunmola, who upon his victory settled them in Lalupon.
The young Prince Olubayo attended St. Luke’s Anglican School, Lalupon, before proceeding to Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan, where he wrote his WASCE in 1979. Olubayo got admitted to the College of Medicine, University of Lagos in 1981. He was a student activist and class leader.
The mandatory housemanship and national service took him to Baptist Medical Centre, Ogbomoso and Nigerian Army Medical Corps, Lagos, respectively. He then proceeded to have surgical apprenticeship under the late Dr. Oluyombo Awojobi at Awojobi Clinic, Eruwa (ACE).
As budding surgeon, he acquired more surgical skills at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos, from where he went into private medical practice since 1992. He established Adesola Hospital in Bariga, Shomolu, Lagos State.
He is an active member of Association of Rural Surgical Practitioners of Nigeria (ARSPON), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Fellow, Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) among others.
He was past president, Rotary Club of Gbagada, Lagos, Chairman, Polio Plus Committee for Rotary International District 9110, Nigeria. He was once the National Secretary and presently the 1st National Vice President of the Old Boys Association, Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan, his alma mater.
Olubayo is a member of Christian Youth Followers (CYF) and Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) of Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial (BAHM) Church, Surulere, Lagos, where he also serves as a volunteer in the church clinic and a member of the Church Medical Society.