Senator Tolu Odebiyi @ 57
It is not quite often that you see men worthy to be called true offspring of our great nationalist within the political class of the Nigerian Political System. Not in a reality where the circle has been plagued with men of no noble mind and act who are just out there for sole purpose of personal gratification and glorification.
Worthy to be called a true Progressive, one with the real principles and values of representatives politics and the unflinching determination to advance the common good of all is Senator Tolu Odebiyi.
He is among the very few who have built themselves a legacy which is capable to stand the test of time and fire. Right from the onset he has distinguished himself a unique breed through his embrace of values and norms that defines one as a true son of the soil.
Born on the 14th of November, 1963 to the family of the Late Senator Jonathan and Olukemi Odebiyi in Iboro, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun West Senatorial District.
He attended the famous Government College Ibadan, Oyo State where he completed his secondary school education with flying colors before proceeding to the Lake Forest Academy, Illinois, United States of America in the year 1982 where he obtained his High School Diploma.
He graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston, Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction Technology in 1986.
Complimenting his rich educational background, his professional career sojourn has seen him developing a magnificent and impressive Career profile. The Lawmaker has over 25 years of international and domestic real estate experience with core competenciesin the areas of building construction, property management, Portfolio and Project Development Analysis.
Adding to the aforementioned, he became the Managing Director of Agbara Estates Limited in the year 2012. The Agbara Estates Limited is a development and investment company with over $200 million in asset worth.
His foray into politics in Nigeria has seen him hold several important and prominent roles, among which is the Chief of Staff to the Executive Governor of Ogun State where he served till the year 2018 when he later contested under the All Progressive Congress as a senatorial aspirant. Riding on the support of the people and his antecedent, he emerged victorious to become a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ever since then he has never looked back not renege on his campaign promises.
True to his words, he has ensured the adequate representation of his people, giving them a sense of belonging as he brings to then purposeful leadership and dividends of democracy.
Through the Tolu Odebiyi undergraduate scholarship, over 50 students drawn across Ogun West Senatorial District have been offered a full undergraduate scholarship.
Also Senator Tolu Odebiyi has facilitated the poverty alleviation and skill acquisition program for market women and youths in the district.
Among his numerous laudable achievement is the donation of ICT equipment and gadgets to 75 studentsas well as women entrepreneurs in his local government area.
Many members of his constituency now boast of having a good job all thanks to the move of Senator Tolu Odebiyi who saw to it that his constituents members are able to secure jobs in places like FCTA, ARMTI Ilorin, the national Assembly, the Nigerian Police Force, and also with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense.
As a Senator, he has been able to sponsor numerous bills in the house, among them areI. A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Institute of Border Studies, Imeko Ogun State.II. A Bill for an Act to Establish the Chartered Institute of Administrators and Registrars of Nigerian Universities.III. A Bill for an Act to Amend the National Youth Service Corps Act No:51 of 1993 and for other matters related therewith.IV. A Bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 CAP C23 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 to make provision for change of name of the area referred to as Egbado in Ogun State to Yewa as contained in Part 1 SEC 3(1) of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 ( AS AMENDED).
While we recount the tales of Lawmakers in Nigeria over the past decades, definitely we must reserve a special place for men like Senator Tolu Odebiyi, when others sees a means to amass wealth and acquire power, he sees a viable platform to change the narrative for the better.
One of those very few to be without a scandal, highly disciplined and morally conscious, he has successfully steered himself away from anyscandals.
To him all that matters is to do the will of the people, ensuring their adequate welfare in the process. It would be recalled that during the Covid-19 pandemic, while other lawmakers where busy politicizing the pandemic, using palliatives to gain cheap political gains, Senator Tolu Odebiyi understanding the true needs of his people took it upon himself without drawing much noise to see to it that his people were well taken care of during the pandemic. Foods were given out, monetary palliatives were shared among the people. He also went as far as sponsoring public health infomercials and distribution of hand sanitizers.
He has also ensured that he seizes every opportunity given to him to identify with the needs of his people, Ogun state is commonly used noted for its many bad roads, however with the likes of Senator Tolu Odebiyi, certain areas the stats has been given a huge facelift.
Senator Tolu Odebiyi worked assiduously with the federal ministry of works in fixing the following roads Ota-Abeoluta, the Atan-Agbararoad and the Ita Oshin-Iyana Ibara Orile road.
The highly distinguished Senator has risen above partisanship and other divisive inclinations, focusing on the main thrust of his legislative agenda which is to be a Lawmaker that truly represent his people.
The aforementioned various achievements attributed to him is a prove and testament to his commitment and dedication to leading by example.
Unrelenting in his giant strides to ensure that his people are not left behind in reaping the good dividends of democracy, he has highlighted several other projects in his Constituency.
Among them is the supply of farm seedlings and pesticides to farmers in Ogun West Senatorial district, training and installation of palm kernel processing machine in Ogun West Senatorial district, Training and provision of fingerlings to fish farmers in Ogun West Senatorial district, Construction of hand pumping boreholes across 5 LGAs of Ogun West Senatorial district among many other projects
