Dayo Fadahunsi: Leadership by Popular Demand
By Triangle Magazine
Not a few people have often marvelled at those rare attributes that have continued to endear Dayo Fadahunsi to his admirers. Many have continued to enquire about what factors are giving him out as ideal candidate for leadership.
Fadahunsi is unusually loved by quite a majority, most especially by the ordinary citizens and underdogs, the market men and womean, the organized and
unorganized unions which include youths and students structures. It is no suprise for those who know him by personality traints.
He is convivial, humble and modest to a fault is not given to ego, one virtue that has since classed him out and which has made all Unionists to be proud of him as he discharges his duties to the admiration of all. A trusted person and a confidant of his allies. He is well recognized as a goal-getter, consummate strategist and resourceful mobilizer, highly dedicated, exceptionally hardworking, manifestly honest, undeniably patriotic and sincerely humble.
At various times and in various capacities, Dayo has been tested and can be trusted.
Above all, he is an incorruptible and impactful leader. A man of immense capacity whose performance in all these endeavours has exceeded expectations.
He has used his wealth of experience and uncanny ability to keep the peace among the various Organized, Unorganized Unions, Associations, Groups and Societies in Ondo State.
Dayo is a grassroots Politician and a
master strategist. He has consistently put the welfare of the generality of the masses first at every stage of his life. One can
now see why the down-trodden in his environment see him as their friend. Dayo sees politics as a means of impacting
positively the lives of the generality of the people rather than acquiring wealth at the expense of the State and the people.
Young Dayo , who started his career in Journalism in April T1983, was employed by the Ondo State Television Corporation, Akure, as News Assistant. On the political space, Fadahunsi broke his milk teeth in the Politics of Ondo State in D1982, during the regime of Chief Micheal Adekunle Ajasin, when his late brother-in-law, Chief J.K. Aderibigbe was the Attorney General and Hon. Commissioner for Justice.
Award of Ambassador of Peace by the Southwest Progressive Alliance, Ondo State Chapter; Merit Award by Ondo State Electronics/Technician Association; Award of Peace Ambassador by the Bible Society of Nigeria, Ondo State, NATA, Barbers, Hairdressers, and Organised Labour Unions. Award as best worker of the year by the Ondo State Ministry of Information for two consecutive years (2001 and 2002).
Apart from being a natural activist, Fadahunsi was Assistant Secretary,
NUJ OSRC Chapter from 1984 to 1986; Assistant Secretary NUJ , Ondo State Council from 1986 to 1989 and
Treasurer, NUJ Ondo State Council from February 1997 to September 1999. The icing on the cake of his blossoming career and rising profile was his election as Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ondo State Council – 1997.
Dayo does not believe in half measured in whatever he sets to do, decided to deepen his knowledge in Journalism and became a full-fledged professional in the industry. Thus, he attended the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos from 1985 to 1989. He went further to obtain all the certificates awarded by the Institution up to Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism, with specialization in Advanced News Writing and Editing, both in Broadcasting and Prints Journalism.
Fadahunsi chose, very early, to be a journalist, the drive which saw him
enrolled at the famous Nigeria Institute of
Journalism, Lagos, and subsequently obtained the Nigerian Institute of Journalism Advanced Diploma in Journalism in 1989.His invaluable experience and achievements as a competent unionist were things that the State Governor identified in him as a goal-getter, grassroot-mobilizer and political strategist.
In his unquenchable zeal to excel in his chosen career and also expand his horizon in other fields of human endeavor, Dayo Fadahunsi went ahead to
obtain a Post Graduate Diploma in Financial Management from the then Ondo State University, Ado Ekiti in 1998. He later obtained a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.
By nature, Dayo is gentle, simple and reserved; these traits, made his brother-in-law, the then Hon. Commissioner for Justice to take him along to Caucus meetings at the Government House. Dayo later joined the then OSTV from where he was posted to the Government House as a Reporter attached to His Excellency,
the Governor of Ondo State, Chief Micheal Adekunle Ajasin.
Dayo Fadahunsi, believes that opportunity of the Unity Party of Nigeria alongside people like Adewale Ayaga.
His performance endeared him to everybody in the Vanguardshould not be wasted, took the bulls by the horn by joining the Awo Vanguard, the Youth
Wing and he was later appointed member of the Committee that midwifed the 1983
Elections. He served with personalities like Alex Adedipe, Wumi
Adegbonmire, Chief N.F. Aina, Chief Segun Adegoke and Pa Reuben Fasoranti among others.
Dayo Fadahunsi, as he is fondly called, did not relent in his pursuit of good governance for his people, therefore, when the struggle for the second Republic started, Dayo pitched his tent with Biodun Akin Fasae,
Prof. Olu Agbi, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and others who were together at the formative stage of the team that produced Evangelist Isola Bamidele Olumilua as Governor of Old Ondo State.
Prior to his appointment as Senior Special Assistant on Union Matters, he was the Deputy Director, News and Current Affairs in OSRC. Besides, he functioned as Secretary, Beautification Committee
of Ondo State Government; a body which was constituted at the inception of the present administration in Ondo State in
February 2009. He was also Secretary, Relocation of Traders and Artisans in Akure, between April and July 200 .
To Fadahunsi’s credit as Special Adviser to
the Governor on Labour and Union Matters are several golden achievements. He scored the following, among other legacies. He instituted a seamless and violence-free transfer of leadership positions of members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). Ensured stability in Leadership of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW)
Resolution of Leadership Crisis amongst members of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN), Ondo State Branch.
Dayo was not passive during the Military
Administration in Ondo State; he had a close link with Commodore Bamidele Otiko, Navy Captain Okhai Mike Akhigbe, Col.
Ekundayo B. Opaleye, Navy Captain Ibiyinka George, Navy Captain Abiodun Olukoya, Lt. Col. Lucky Mike Torey, Col. Ahmed
A. Usman etc as a professional Journalist and as a lobbyist for the good of his people.
He was equally involved in the NRC political strategies to take over Ondo State under the Chairmanship of Dr. Tayo Dairo who worked closely with the likes of Dr. Ademola Adebo, Dr. Dare Bada, Mr. Segun Ojo, Chief M.A. Fadare, Chief Omosanya, Dr. Adewumi Abitoye, Biodun Akin Fasae,
Soji Alakuro, Otunba Omolade Oluwateru, Gbenga Elegbeleye, Sanya
Orungbemi, Clement Faboyede, Engr. Osakuade, Engr. Niran Jogbodo
among others.
Inspite of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, he was resilient and fought for democratic structures to be put in place,
using all avenues available at his disposal to do so. No wonder Dayo was among the few Civil Servants that joined forces with the political class to bring Democracy back to Nigeria, and Ondo State in particular, when Alliance for Democracy was the party to beat in the whole of South West and even Edo State. He was among the
few people that delivered Ondo State to the then Alliance for Democracy.
A member of many professional bodies
among which are:
The Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ);
Commonwealth Journalist Association;
Association of Nigerian Authors;
Nigeria Institute of Management Institute of Chartered Mediators and Reconciliators of Nigeria; Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPMN).
A Chartered Mediator, Arbitrator and Reconciliator, an expert of no mean achievements. He has also attended
several workshops and seminars both Local and International.
Dayo has bagged over a hundred different Awards of Honours, among which are -Award for professional Excellence, by Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Press Club, Owo;
Award for Professional Excellence, Tell Magazine, 1997, Ondo State University, Ado Ekiti Campus; Award as Peoples’ Journalist by Ondo State RATTAWU 1998;
Award Winner, Nigeria Union of Journalist Chairman’s Award as Distinguished Member (1999).
Merit Award by Ondo State Market Women;
Award by Christ the Saviour Anglican Church, Akure as Christ’s Crusader. Award of Excellence by Christ Apostolic Church, Owo; Award of Recognition of his Outstanding Contributions to Humanity by the Arioran Brotherhood during the 77th
Ariorian Festival.
Fadahunsi enjoys as hobbies: travelling, Sports, driving, reading and philantrophy. He’s a golden fish with no hiding place.
