Kayode Akinmade: A golden tribute

FIFTY years is a golden age of entrenched and deep-rooted leadership instincts. Fifty years is an age to do more of giving back to the society, and to advance the cause of imprinting one’s footprints on the sands of time. Fifty years is an age to start living every passing day as if it will be the last. After all, many  younger souls have had the misfortune of having their lives cut short, sadly in their primes.

The 50th birthday of Honourable Kayode Akinmade is particularly remarkable for the reason of being born on Monday 9th January, 1967 and turning fifty today, Monday, 9th January, 2017. Akinmade’s destiny may just be connected to Mondays. The Ondo State Commissioner for Information has every reason to appreciate his creator for the grace to have weathered the storms over the years, and still be waxing strong. The Holy Bible admonishes us to always number our days so as to apply our hearts unto wisdom. Eighteen thousand days is such a whooping number going by another admonition of the Holy book that the evil in a day is just enough for that day. The life of the golden celebrant could have been terminated prematurely but for the grace of God. He could have fallen victim of poisoned food, stray bullets, reckless drivers and, worst still, become permanently maimed through accidents. Now, should be a time for Kayode Akinmade to look back, and sing and shout praises of appreciation to his Creator for being so consistently faithful to him in all respects.

Akinmade is an accomplished  journalist who was born in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State. He had his primary and secondary school education in the state before proceeding to the old Ondo State University of Ado-Ekiti, now Ekiti State University, where he studied and was awarded the Bachelors of Arts Degree in English and Literary Studies in 1992. He also studied and bagged Masters Degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Lagos. Hon. Akinmade is also a graduate of the  prestigious and highly competitive Nigeria Institute of Journalism  where he bagged a Post Graduate  Professional Diploma in Journalism in 1995. He is also an alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania, USA, where he studied Disputes and Conflict Management. He had earlier attended the Federal School of Art and Science in Ondo town after the completion of his secondary school education.

Akinmade began his professional career in journalism with the News Group where he served as the Lagos State House Correspondent  between 1994 and 1996. He resigned his appointment with The News in 1996 to become an  Assistant Editor with the now defunct Diet Newspaper till year 2000. Hon. Kayode later joined Tribune Group in  January 2000 and left the popular print news giant in year 2007 having worked as the Lagos Bureau Chief. He subsequently got   appointed as the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to the  former Speaker  Federal House  of Representatives, Rt. Hon Dimeji Bankole. Akinmade meritoriously served in this capacity till 2010.

He afterwards concentrated efforts on his media enterprise of Connect Communication. The most commendable performance of Akinmade in this initiative earned himgreatbriefs. The widely acclaimed media genius was appointed Commissioner for Information in Ondo State by the State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko in September 2011. He performed very brilliantly in this capacity to earn reappointment as Commissioner for Information by Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in his second term of office as the Governor of  Ondo State.

Akinmade is an Associate Member of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR). He is a devout Christian, a lover of sports, an ardent fan of Sunshine stars Football Club Akure and Chelsea Football Club of England.  Akinmade loves to play golf, table tennis  and hockey. He is a well cultured person who has a very deep appreciation of family values. Akinmade is married and blessed with children. Many happy returns as you navigate the lane of maturity and higher responsibilities.

• Salako, a publisher, is based in Akure, Ondo State.