Chief (Elder) Peter Olayioye Ajibaye
- Chief [Elder] Peter Olayioye Ajibaye – (The Asiwaju Of Odo-Eku Kingdom)
Elder, Chief Peter Olayioye Ajibaye was born to the Ajibaye family from Ajogbo Royal Family of Odo-Eku in Isin Local Government Area of Kwara State over eight decades ago. According to oral story related to him, he was named Olayioye because he was born at the period when his great grand-father was to be installed as the Baale of Odo-Eku.
He attended Odo-Eku Sudan Interior Mission [SIM] School in the early fifties and later proceeded to Igbaja S.I.M School. Sudan Interior Mission [SIM], a Christian Missionary that covered parts of Nigeria and some West African Countries in the early twenties. That was the time when there were few schools in our area. Chief, Elder Peter Olayioye Ajibaye later went to Kaduna to learn the Art of Printing, which was an uncommon trade at that time. After the completion of his apprenticeship, Chief, Elder Peter Olayioye Ajibaye left Kaduna for Kano to pursue his printing career.
During the Nigerian Civil war in 1967, Chief, Elder Peter Olayioye Ajibaye moved to Lagos for some period for security reasons. About a year later, he returned to Kano. He became a pioneer printing materials merchant and printing machines broker in Kano, Kaduna and Kwara States. Ajibaye, being an industrial person, established a Limited Liability Company in the name of Great Ajibaye Industries Limited [GAIL]. That industrial expertise earned him the prestigious membership of the Kwara State Chambers of Commerce and Industries. He was also the pioneer President of Kwara State Masters Printers Association [KWASMASPA].
Chief, Elder Peter Olayioye Ajibaye is good outside Odo-Eku. He is also good at Odo-Eku. He was a member of Odo-Eku Central Working Committee for many years during the reign of their Royal Majesties, Oba John Alabi Bamigboye and Oba, Prof. Ezra Bamidele Bamgboye. He was the Treasurer of Odo-Eku Development Committee between 1978 and 2005. He is a Community activist who devoted one hundred percent of his time to the peace, progress, growth and development of Odo-Eku Kingdom. He played a major role in the construction of Odo-Eku Water Dam and many other activities that made Odo-Eku to become more prominent.
Because of the various active participations in the development of Odo-Eku Kingdom, he was installed as the Bobagunwa of Odo-Eku Kingdom by Oba John Alabi Bamgboye in the year 1978 and as Asiwaju of Odo-Eku Kingdom by Oba, Prof. Ezra Bamidele Bamgboye in the year 2010. Prior to this period, Elder Peter Olayioye Ajibaye has been installed as Mayegun of Isanlu Isin by late Olusin of Isanlu Isin, Oba Solomon Bolarin. That tends to show that other people from other areas also appreciated his love for the development of his areas.
He is a real patriot and philanthropist to Odo-Eku Kingdom as a whole and to ECWA Church at Odo-Eku, Ilorin and other areas. He was the Chairman of Isin Community for about eight years during which Isin Local Government Area was created in the year 1995. His records as the Chairman of Isin Local Government Area were excellent. He served the Association with high diligence. The Association still holds its monthly meeting at his Gaa-Akanbi, Ilorin’s residence. He is one of the people that represent Odo-Eku at the Association. Chief Ajibaye played significant and spectacular role in the creation of Isin Local Government Area. He is endowed with divine wisdom and energy. He is an orator who can talk for hours with different analogies. He is married with children. He is a devoted Christian too.