Full Name: Chief Ganiyu Adams
Date of Birth: April 30, 1970
Place of Birth: Arigidi-Akoko, Akoko North-West Local Government Area, Ondo State, Nigeria
Early Life and Education
Began his education at Army Children’s School, Oturkpo.
Completed primary education at Municipal Primary School, Surulere, Lagos in 1980.
Attended Ansar-Ud-deen Secondary School, Randle Avenue, Surulere.
Trained in furniture-making and interior decoration, completing his apprenticeship in 1987.
Later obtained diplomas from the International Aviation School, Ghana, and Lagos State University (LASU).
Professional Career
Worked as an interior decorator with an Italian construction firm, Visinoni Stabilini, in Apapa, Lagos.
Resigned to establish his own interior decoration business, Gadson Interiors.
Activism and Political Engagement
Became actively involved in Nigeria’s pro-democracy movement in the early 1990s.
Served as Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Mushin Local Government chapter of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) in 1993.
Was also a member of the Campaign for Democracy (CD) during the struggle against military rule.
Role in Yoruba Nationalism
A founding member of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), formed in 1994 to promote Yoruba interests and culture.
Served as the first National Deputy Coordinator and later became the National Coordinator of the OPC.
Rose to national prominence after being declared wanted by the police in 2000 during clashes involving OPC members.
Arrested on August 22, 2001, and detained in prisons in Lagos, Abeokuta, and Abuja before his release.
Arrests and Controversies
Declared wanted during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo over allegations linked to violent clashes in Lagos.
He has consistently described his arrest and imprisonment as politically motivated, comparing his experience to that of Nelson Mandela and Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland
On October 14, 2017, he was installed as the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland by Lamidi Adeyemi III, the Alaafin of Oyo.
The title was last held by Moshood Abiola before his death in 1998.
Traditionally, the Aare Ona Kakanfo is the supreme military commander and defender of the Yoruba nation.
The title carries a historic myth that holders do not “die peacefully,” owing to the violent ends of many previous Aares.
Legacy and Public Image
Widely regarded as one of the most influential Yoruba nationalist leaders of the post-military era.
Known for blending activism, cultural revival, and traditional authority in contemporary Yoruba politics.
Remains a central figure in discussions on Yoruba self-determination, security, and cultural identity.
Sources:
TheCable Nigeria (2017 profiles on Aare Ona Kakanfo installation)
Vanguard Newspaper archives
BBC Yoruba Service
OPC historical records and public statements
Nigerian national dailies (Punch, Guardian)
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