CITATION OF OLOYE JONATHAN ADIO OBAFEMI OLOPADE

           OLOYE JONATHAN ADIO OBAFEMI OLOPADE  

OFR, DIP STRUC, D. Eng (Honoris Causa)

Jonathan A. Obafemi Olopade was born in Lagos on the 31st of July, 1926. He started his professional career in 1963 at Messrs. G. Maunsel & Patners (Consulting Engineers) in the United Kingdom where he worked as a Junior Engineer on the White City/ Baker Street Road construction in London and was also involved the traffic survey in the new diversion of traffic from the Centre City in Chester, England.

He subsequently took up appointment with Whesso Engineering Limited, Darlington as a Design and Sales Engineer and in 1966 and was posted to the Nigerian arm of the Company in Port Harcourt, Rivers States where he was solely in charge of its Sales Department. During this period, he had the responsibility of visiting all the Ministries of Works in most State Capitals, such as Ibadan, Enugu and Lagos and scout for contracts to build storage tanks, both surface and underground primarily for the major Oil Companies. Such contracts included some of the Steel Structures and large storage tanksat the Afam and Ugheli Power Station.

At the outbreak of the Civil War in Nigeria, Whesso Engineering decided to pull out of the country and Oloye Olopadealso decided to go back to the United KIngdom where he was re-employed by his previous employer G. Maunsel & Partners. This time around, he spent more times on site rather than in the Drawing Office, including a stint Stag Place, Victoria, London , SWI. He soon returned to Nigeria having been offered employment with the Nigeria Railway Corporation under the late Eng. S.M.O. Denloye and was looking forward to serving the Federal Government of Nigeria, as he had been a Federal Scholar who was bonded to serve on the completion of his studies.

However, on seeing the workings at the Nigerian Railway, he decided that he could not work there and he sets up on his own firm, supplying all the States and Federal Government with Bailey Bridges. The Army Engineering Corp was his biggest customer. All the war affected areas needed rehabilitation and with the service, he was able to offer, with the support of late Engineer Foli Kanyi and Engineer M.T. Usman, his firm was able to meet the various demands by both the Federal Ministry of Works and the Army Egineer Corp. One of such was the repairs to the damaged part of the Onitsha Bridge.

He also set up a small construction company that was primarily responsible for putting up Residential accommodation in Victoria Island. Most of his customers got financing for their properties from United Bank for Africa (UBA).  At his age, Oloye Olopade still finds time to be involved in all his companies. These include 3 different companies at the Free Trade Zone in Calabar, Cross River State which produce disposable Syringes, Needles and Condoms.

Oloye Olopade is happily married and blessed with many children.