OLUWAKAYODE Ogayemi Tomoloju (1963-2021), Air Order of Kakaaki, former Leader of the Legislative House, Old Agege Local Government.
Died on Tuesday, October 12, 2021.
Honourable Oluwakayode Ogayemi TOMOLOJU, an indigene of Igbo-Egunrin in the present-day Ilaje LGA, was born on January 8, 1963 in the Old Okitipupa Division of the then Western Region of Nigeria.
He had his elementary education at Olufunmilayo Nursery/Primary School, Ikeja, a private institution owned by his parents, Chief Oladipupo and Mother-in-Celestial Olufunmilayo Tomoloju.
After his primary education, he moved on to Manuwa Memorial High School, Iju-Odo and later Saka Tinubu Memorial High School, Orile-Agege for his Secondary education. At Saka, he was an excellent sportsman, in fact, the Lagos State Heavyweight Boxing Champion in the Junior Category. Sir Kay, as he was popularly known, was also an outstanding member of the School’s Drama Society.
Indeed, Kayode Tomoloju was the one who dropped the hint to his schoolmates that his elder brother, Ben Tomoloju, who was a new graduate teacher at the school in 1979, was a highly committed creative artist. The hint led to the request by the students for the now renowned playwright, theatre director and pace-setting arts journalist to help in grooming members of the Drama Society.
Prominent among his classmates in Saka were Jahman Anikulapo and Loni Spak Adeyokun. Other classmates of his in a neighboring school who fell under the same tutorial influence were Antar Laniyan and Ola Tehinse. Also prominent among his immediate juniors were Adebayo Fayaman Bay Adesewo, his elder brother Toyin Natty Adesewo and Abiodun Familyman Ayoyinka (Papa Ajasco). The same hint ultimately led to the founding of KAKAAKI in June, 1980.
Hon. Kayode Tomoloju studied Business Administration at the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, practised crafts and designs briefly before moving into active politics in the late 1980s. He later emerged as the Leader of the Legislature on the platform of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in the Old Agege Local Government Area spanning Agege, Abule-Egba, Oke-Odo, Ifako, parts of Alimoso, Ipaja and Ayobo.
Following his creative urge after a few more years in politics and business Hon. Kayode Tomoloju relocated to the USA, where recently, he co-ordinated the activities of Kakaaki USA in collaboration with other worthy colleagues like Kola Olawoyin, Akeem Anishere, Sina Odukoya, Tunde Phillips, Funmi Ajamufua, Marian Albert (nee Burns), Lara Rachael Sodunke and others as well as Kakaaki in Diaspora with Lookman Sanusi and Tomi Ogunjobi.
Sir Kay is survived by a wife, a son and grandchildren including twin children born just four days before he bade the world good-bye.
