Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi on Sunday recounted how he was once seriously dazed by the stupendous wealth of an Ibadan born Chief Harry Akande,
who, after an encounter, allowed him a pip into what he was
really worth.
Ajimobi said having worked in the Shell Petroleum
Company, which first launched him into the world of the
rich, he used to move about with a gait of pride until he met
Harry Akande well ensconced in pool of wealth back in the
United Kingdom.
The Governor, it was gathered, told the story of his
interesting encounter with Akande earlier in the day at the
Cathedral Church of St David, Kudeti, Ibadan.
The occasion was the marking of the Platinum Jubilee
organised in honour of Chief Mrs Regina Olayinka Akande
who just clocked 100 years on mother earth.
The governor who was one of the dignitaries who gave
goodwill messages during the Church service for Harry
Akande’s lucky mother, spoke in a lighter mood, recounting
that he was seriously humbled on knowing how rich Chief
Akande has been.
He said having pulled some years in the Shell Petroleum, he
usually went about with an impression that he was rich until
he once met Chief Akande in London and the latter invited
him to his residence, just for a social meeting.
He told the congregation that on the day he was to visit the
multi-billionaire, he decided to go with his wife as both were
meditating on what Akande was worth on their way.
Ajimobi said as a supposedly wealthy Nigerian in UK, he
could boast of dashing out the sum of £100 or sometimes
£50 pounds to those in need without blinking, while they
both wondered whether Harry Akande could give out much
than that to anyone around him.
The governor said it was when he and the First Lady got to
the golden Castle abode of Chief Harry Akande in London
that they got a whiff of what the man was worth as a wealthy Nigerian and in philanthropy.
The Street Journal quotes Ajimobi as saying that "Chief
Akande’s castle located very close to the Buckingham
Palace in London is a place reserved for very wealthy
people, while it has all the trappings of affluence with every
department of the Castile well computerized."
He said if he was overwhelmed with the vista of stupendous
affluence that confronted him on arrival, Chief Akande was
to shock him the more when after the meeting with him and
the wife, he drew and handed over to him a cheque which
he said he never bothered to open until he got into his car.
Ajimobi disclosed further that when he dared to open the
Cheque, he found to his utter consternation that he had
been made £10, 000 richer, courtesy of the magnanimity of
the wealthy Ibadan man he calls ‘egbon’ (elder brother in
Yoruba language).
He said since the day of the encounter, his impression
about Chief Harry Akande changed dramatically as he learnt
to accord him greater respect, most especially in view of his generosity and unequalled philanthropy.
The governor in a parable described the one time
Presidential aspirant on the platform of the defunct All
Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) as a noiseless wealthy
Nigerian whose pool of wealth can, any day, create a shock
wave for the wealthiest man.
While the section for goodwill messages was on, a woman
on a wheel chair also testified to the uncommon act of
philanthropy of Chief Akande as he narrated how the family,
in particular, the Akande’s mother took deep interest in her
and decided to assuage her condition.
She said she got to know the Akandes through one of the
acquaintances he named Bayo Alugbin, recalling that her life
story changed dramatically the moment she set eyes on
Chief Akande and the mother.
As she recounted, so magnanimous was the family that the
mother literally turned her into a daughter while she ensured
that the family attended to all her academic pursuits up till
the Masters level, with all school fees fully paid.
The celebrant, Chief Mrs Regina Akande shocked the
congregation when she was asked to give a vote of thanks
and spoke extempore, reeling out dates and events, as she
spoke for a considerable period of time without a hiccup.
As a mark of honour, the congregation stood up as the
Centenarian spoke of memorable events with precision of
dates which most people found stunning.
The Platinum Anniversary of Chief Harry Akande’s mother
was witnessed by top traditional rulers in the south-west
including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III; the
Osile Oke-Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso; the Owa
Obokun of Ijeshaland, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr) Adekunle
Aromolaran; as well as the representatives of the Olubadan
of Ibadanland and the Ooni Of Ife.
Others in attendance include wife of former President
Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola; Senator Tunde Ogbeha; Professor
Taoheed Adedoja; Chief Ebenizer Babatope; and a host of
others. SOURCE: https://thestreetjournal.org/2015/06/harry-akande-once-dazed-me-with-philanthropy-stupendous-wealth-ajimobi/ |
