By Kunle Somorin
In the grand amphitheatre of public life, where voices often clamour but seldom resonate, where ambition eclipses wisdom and titles masquerade as truth, there occasionally emerges a figure whose presence is not merely acknowledged but profoundly understood. Senator Akin Babalola Kamar Odunsi, the Maiyegun of Ota, is such a figure—a man whose life has been a quiet revolution in thought, speech, and service.
As he ascends the noble summit of eighty years, we do not merely commemorate longevity—we consecrate a legacy sculpted in clarity, conviction, and cerebral elegance. Odunsi is not a man of many words, but of meaningful ones. When he speaks, it is not to impress, but to illuminate. When he questions, it is not to provoke, but to distil truth. His firmness is not obstinacy—it is the classical discipline of a mind trained to seek precision and reject pretence.
Born in Ota on 23 July 1945, his journey began in the Imapa Compound, where the rhythms of Awori culture shaped his early sensibilities. While Secondary Modern School was the prevailing norm and AUD Teachers College the pinnacle for many, Odunsi’s ambition soared beyond convention. He enrolled at the nation’s premier institution, CMS Grammar School, Bariga, where he distinguished himself as Senior Prefect. From there, he proceeded to the University of Lagos, and later to the University of Illinois, Urbana, where he earned a Master’s in Advertising—his path marked by an unrelenting pursuit of excellence.
At Vince Cullers Advertising in Chicago, he imbibed the ethos of strategic communication and made a sure-footed foray into marketing communications when the field was scarcely recognised as a goldmine. Upon returning to Nigeria, he transmuted that ethos into enterprise—first at Grant Advertising, then as the first Nigerian Chief Executive of Admark, and ultimately as co-founder and Executive Chairman of Rosabel Advertising.
He co-founded other industry leaders and ventured into boardroom politics. In the realm of marketing communications, Odunsi is not merely a pioneer—he is a philosopher. He understood that advertising transcends persuasion; it is about perception, psychology, and purpose. His campaigns were not merely clever—they were culturally resonant, ethically grounded, and intellectually robust. As President of the Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (AAPN), he elevated the profession from craft to calling, insisting that communicators must first be thinkers.
Yet Odunsi’s genius was never confined to the boardroom. In 2011, he entered the Nigerian Senate as the representative of Ogun West, bringing with him a rare blend of corporate discipline and community empathy. His tenure was marked by quiet effectiveness. He served on committees for National Security and Intelligence; Information, Aviation, and Communications; and as Vice Chairman of the Committee on the Nigerian Air Force—not as a politician seeking applause, but as a statesman seeking alignment between policy and people.
His interventions were always measured and philosophical. He argued that over-centralisation was the bane of Nigeria’s development, and that true federalism was not a slogan but a structural necessity. He championed the constitutional amendment that renamed Egbado North and South to Yewa, affirming his belief that governance must be decentralised not only in form but in spirit—that power must be proximate to the people it serves.
In committee rooms and plenary sessions, he was calm, calculated, and compelling. His motions and bills are well documented, devoid of fanfare. His questions were Socratic, his convictions Aristotelian, and his delivery Platonic—seeking the ideal amidst the real. As a member of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS), he was a respected interlocutor.
As his senior legislative aide during that tenure, I sat at the feet of a master communicator. I watched him dissect policy with surgical precision, challenge assumptions with quiet force, and mentor with a generosity that never sought credit. He taught me that communication is not about volume, but about value. That wit, when married to wisdom, becomes a tool of transformation. That clarity is not the absence of complexity, but the triumph over it.
“Mi o kin se ap’adie ta asiya,” he would say—“I am not one to kill a chicken and construct a canopy for funfair”—a metaphor underscoring his disdain for ostentation. His empowerment programmes were not spectacles; they were substance. He eschewed ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the quiet dignity of impact.
Odunsi’s influence in Ogun West remains profound. From Ado-Odo/Ota to Imeko/Afon, Ipokia to Yewa North and South, his projects reflected a deep understanding of local needs and a strategic vision for regional upliftment. He commissioned town halls, supported educational initiatives, and empowered artisans—not with handouts, but with tools for self-reliance. Many of the 100 graduates he sponsored to the CBN-backed Entrepreneurship Development Centre can attest to this. They were not merely trained—they were funded and fortified.
As Maiyegun of Ota, he has remained a cultural custodian and a moral compass. At the installation of the Olota seven years ago, Odunsi did not deem himself too eminent or aged to serve as chairman of the coronation activities. His faith as a devout Muslim has imbued his public life with humility and discipline, while his intellectual disposition has made him a mentor to many and a model for all. He is not merely respected—he is revered.
In a world that often confuses noise for nuance, Odunsi stands as a reminder that true leadership is philosophical. That to lead is not to dominate, but to discern. That to serve is not to perform, but to perfect. His life is a meditation on the power of thought, the dignity of silence, and the eloquence of action.
As he turns 80, we do not merely mark a birthday—we celebrate a beacon. A man whose legacy is not in monuments, but in minds. A communicator whose sharpness never cut, but clarified. I recall his witty retorts to most issues then: “Why should that be? What happens if it is not done that way? Must we make noise about that? Is that not why they voted for us? These guys joke too much…” A senator whose calm was not passivity, but poise. A philosopher whose questions were not rhetorical, but revelatory.
May this milestone be a mirror to his journey and a map for those who follow. And may the Maiyegun of Ota continue to inspire, illuminate, and elevate.
Many happy returns, sir.
Somorin served as senior legislative aide to Senator Akin Odunsi
