By Adeniyi Femi
Hon Adegboyega Adefarati’s sixtieth birthday was not a moment for extravagance but another expression of his belief that leadership is defined by service rather than spectacle. To mark the milestone, the Akoko South West and Akoko South East lawmaker distributed laptops to fifty youths and offered one hundred thousand naira each to one hundred widows, support he considered far more meaningful than any elaborate celebration. The gesture came barely a day after he donated a Toyota Hiace ambulance to Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko, a contribution that significantly strengthened the institution’s emergency response capability and reaffirmed his commitment to development focused representation.
For Adefarati, channelling birthday resources into empowerment came naturally. “Instead of spending money on parties, inviting musicians and all that, I chose to give to the people. They will appreciate it more than any celebration,” he said, reflecting with gratitude on a career that has taken him through teaching, banking, business and now legislative service.
His background offers a clear lens into why service runs so deeply in his public character. Born on the nineteenth of November nineteen sixty five in Ilesa, he grew up under the influence of his father, the late Chief Adebayo Adefarati, a former Governor of Ondo State from nineteen ninety nine to two thousand and three and an important figure in Nigeria’s democratic history. His upbringing instilled in him a sense of duty and responsibility that would later shape his own political path.
Adefarati’s educational journey began at Methodist Primary School Osu in Osun State where he obtained his primary school leaving certificate between nineteen seventy one and nineteen seventy seven. He proceeded to St Thomas Aquinas College Akure from nineteen seventy seven to nineteen eighty two where he earned the West African Examination Certificate. He later attended Community Comprehensive High School Erusu Akoko from nineteen eighty three to nineteen eighty four where he also completed the West African Examination Certificate. He then moved on to the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History, followed by a Master of Business Administration degree from the Lagos State University between nineteen ninety five and nineteen ninety six.
Before entering politics, Adefarati built a successful career in the private sector. He worked at the History Bureau in Sokoto during his National Youth Service year then served as an Administrative Officer at Pace Mortgage Finance between nineteen ninety and nineteen ninety two. He became Head of Operations at Secure Savings and Loans from nineteen ninety two to nineteen ninety four, later rising to Executive Director of Ely Samuel Limited between nineteen ninety six and two thousand and one. Since two thousand and one, he has been the Managing Director of Sharon Designs and Prints Limited, a position he holds to date.
His political journey is equally rich. He was a founding member of the Alliance for Democracy from nineteen ninety eight to two thousand and nine and later served on the board of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism in Abuja between two thousand and nine and two thousand and eleven. He became a founding member of the All Progressives Congress in two thousand and thirteen and has remained an active participant in its growth. He contested for the House of Representatives in two thousand and eleven and two thousand and fifteen in the Akoko South East and Akoko South West Federal Constituency and coordinated the Akeredolu Campaign Organization for the constituency in the two thousand and twelve gubernatorial election. He also served as the northern senatorial campaign coordinator for the Akeredolu Campaign Organization in the most recent Ondo State governorship election. Today, he is married and blessed with children.
Elected in twenty twenty three, representing the same constituency once served by Adejoro Adeogun, Adefarati entered the Tenth National Assembly with deep knowledge of the community’s needs and with a resolve to deliver visible results. His legislative record has since reflected that commitment.
Adefarati has become known for his hands on and results driven approach to governance. His ambitious water access intervention which provided one borehole in each of the twenty six wards of the constituency has brought relief to communities that had endured severe water scarcity for years. From Akungba and Supare to Oka Akoko, Isua, Ifira and Ipe this single initiative has transformed daily life. He also funded a solar powered borehole for Police Secondary School in Isua Akoko improving both learning and health outcomes.
His footprint in education is equally significant. In twenty twenty four he awarded fifty thousand naira bursaries to four hundred undergraduates, easing the burden on families grappling with rising tuition. He has renovated and constructed classroom blocks including notable work at Etioro High School in Supare Akoko, distributed tens of thousands of exercise books and sponsored youth training programmes linked to job placement through the National Directorate of Employment.
Adefarati’s support for agriculture includes the distribution of one thousand bags of fertilizer to local farmers, helping sustain food production at a time of soaring input costs. His welfare programmes also extend to artisans and small business owners, many of whom have received tools such as sewing machines and hair dryers as well as cash support to help stabilise their businesses.
Security, a priority in many Akoko communities, has benefited from his proactive actions. He laid the foundation for a new Police Area Command office in Iwaro Oka, donated patrol vehicles to strengthen policing in Akungba, and initiated plans for officers’ residential quarters, recognising that safety is essential for community growth.
In the health sector, his attention has consistently touched local health facilities. The newly donated AAUA ambulance is only the latest in a series of interventions that underscore his belief that communities deserve accessible emergency support. His long standing relationship with the university earned him an honorary Doctor of Political Science at its twenty twenty four convocation.
In the House of Representatives, Adefarati carries this same people oriented philosophy. As Chairman of the Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, he contributes significantly to shaping Nigeria’s labour policies, employment frameworks and national productivity agenda. His interventions in plenary regularly highlight issues affecting workers, job creation efforts and economic reforms.
His work has earned national recognition. President Bola Tinubu praised him in a public birthday message, acknowledging his decades of service spanning teaching, banking and public administration, and commending his contributions to youth empowerment, infrastructure improvement and economic development.
Across Akoko South West and Akoko South East, community leaders, civil society groups and youth associations consistently describe Adefarati as a representative who prioritises practical solutions over symbolic politics. They cite the borehole projects, educational bursaries, patrol vehicles, fertilizer distribution, classroom renovations, welfare support and the ambulance donation as evidence of the tangible impact he has made.
Although long term sustainability studies such as borehole maintenance records or measurable security data are still evolving, the immediate improvements in daily life are undeniable. Adefarati has demonstrated a rare blend of compassion, strategic thinking and commitment to community based development.
His sixtieth birthday gestures reflect the essence of his public life. Service above celebration. People above politics. Through water projects, education support, agricultural inputs, security upgrades and health interventions, Hon Adegboyega Adefarati has built a legacy of leadership anchored on dignity, progress and shared humanity. For the people he represents, the impact is not just political. It is personal, transformative and lasting.