ICONS: Olagunsoye Oyinlola

• Born on Saturday, 3 February, 1951 into a royal family in Okuku, in the Odo Ọtin Local Government Area of Ọṣun State. His father, Moses Oyewole Oyinlola, was the traditional ruler (Ọba) of Okuku, reigning from 1934 to 1960.

• After leaving secondary school at the age of 18, Ọlagunsoye Oyinlọla enlisted in the army in 1969. While in the army, Oyinlọla obtained leave to attend the University of Ife, where he obtained a Diploma in International Relations in 1979. He also obtained a Master of Science in Defence Studies in 1988 from the University of Madras, India. In 1999, Oyinlọla obtained another master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan.

• In 2003, he obtained a Law degree from Buckingham University, United Kingdom. In April 2004, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho made him an honorary Doctor of Civil Law. In April 2006, the Federal University of Technology, Minna, made him an honorary Doctor of Science. He has also been conferred with an honorary Doctor of Laws (Osun State University, 2009), LL.D (Honoris Causa) University of Buckingham, 2005; and honorary Doctor of Civil Law (Lead City University Ibadan, 2010).

• He became governor of Osun State in Nigeria in May 2003, and was re-elected in 2007.

• Ọmọọba Ọlagunsoye Oyinlọla will be 71 years old tomorrow, Thursday, 3 February, 2022.