Mogaji Soladoye Akeem Adewole was born in Ibadan on 10th July 1963, to Pa Abdulrauf Adejumo Adeleke Adewole, the great-grandson of the famous Warlord, Aríyìíbí Akano Aríkotokówóogunsí who joined other warlords to establish Ibadan land. He hails from Aríyìíbí Aríkotokówóogunsí Compound in Olórìsàoko Abébì Ibadan with his Ancestral Village at Aríyìíbí via Apete, Ibadan. Soladoye grew up in the Aríyìíbí compound also known as Afidielege’s compound, Olórìsàoko Ibadan.
Education
He started his education in 1969 at Òsoògùn, a relatively unknown Village in Iseyin Local Government, only recognised by the fact that the first African Anglican Bishop in Nigeria, and a former slave, Bishop Ajayi Crowther, was born there. After primary school, no plan was made for his secondary education but he ended up at Victory School, Oke Ado, Ibadan for preparatory classes. He later attended:
- Bishop Aggrey Memorial Secondary School, Ilasamaja, Lagos. (1976)
- Progressive Secondary Grammar School, Ado Awaye (1978 – 1984)
- The Polytechnic, Ibadan (1985 – 1987) – OND Mass Communication.
- Ogun State Polytechnic (1988 -1990) – HND Mass Communication.
- University of Ibadan (2003 – 2005) – Master’s Degree in Communication and Language Arts.
- University of Ibadan (2010) – Law
Career History
Soladoye was employed by the defunct Sketch Press Limited in 1992. He covered various beats which included the Parliament and the Office of the Governor, Oyo State. He was elected Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Sketch Chapel in 1994, and re-elected in 1996. On 22nd December 1997, he was elected the Chairman of, the Oyo State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), a position he held for 2 consecutive terms. On completion of his tenure, he crossed from core Journalism to Public Relations when he was employed by The Polytechnic, Ibadan (TPI) as its image maker.
Honours & Awards
He was installed as MÓGÀJÍ Aríyìíbí in 2012, by his Imperial Majesty, Late Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade.
Other Posts Held
- Member of Governor Lam Adeshina’s Free Education Implementation Committee. He also served as a Member of the Petroleum Distribution and Monitoring Committee for the same Government.
- Member, Central Working Committee of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Oyo State chapter for four years
- Member, National Executive Committee (NEC), Nigerian Union of Journalists during the same period.
- He is currently the National Secretary of The Polytechnic, Ibadan Alumni Association.
At a professional level, he has served the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Oyo State chapter as Vice Chairman, and later as an ex-officio.
A deeply religious person, he performed his Pilgrimage to the Holy land of Mecca in 1995. He is the Otun Baba Isale Adeen of Awotan Central Mosque. He has received several awards from community groups, student bodies, and religious bodies. He is happily married and blessed with children.
