12 Years After, Adebowale Family Celebrates Life And Times Of Patriarch, Chief Amzat Beyioku

By Babatunde Kaka

December 4th, 2020 witnessed the gathering of sheer love and unbridled affection as crème de la crème of Lagos state government, men and women of proper standing and other notable personalities in the state converge to celebrate the life and times of an industrialist, philanthropist, political leader and business mogul, Alhaji Chief Amzat Beyioku Adebowale.

The aforementioned people, family members and well-wishers stormed the palatial edifice of the late septuagenarian to celebrate his indelible legacies.

Princess Adebowale, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Civic Engagement hosted the event.

At the low key event which coincided with the eve of Lagos East Senatorial Election, princess Adebowale interacted with all and sundry who took time out to celebrate the well-spent life of her beloved father.

She hinted that the event was meant to remember the 12th year of her father’s journey to eternal rest.

Princess Adebowale regaled the guest with the wondrous tale of her fathers rarity.

She described him as a shrewd business man with an altruistic and benevolence disposition whose act of generosity not only put a smile on the faces of many but also changed his immediate environment  and lives of those in it positively forever.

She added that her father’s entrepreneurial acumen engendered his meteoric rise to lime light which saw him move from an obscure businessman to highly respected manufacturer and personality who’s sought after.

The event was graced by Hon. Sylvester Dahunsi Ogunkelu, Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Epe Constituency II; Hon. Shakiru Adebanjo (John Bull), former Eredo LCDA Executive Secretary and Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Epe Constituency II; Hon. Shamsideen Adeniyi, former Eredo LCDA SLG and Hon. Warith Temitope Odeyemi, Eredo LCDA APC Chairmanship aspirant.

Profile of Chief Amzat Beyioku Adebowale.

Born April 5, 1927, Amzat Adebowale attended Government Primary School, Epe for his elementary education. He later proceeded to Government Teachers Training College, Ibadan between 1949 and 1950. His sterling business career took off with SCOA Group in 1959 as a marketing manager.

By 1960, his entrepreneurial foresight had begun to take shape. This culminated to his resolve to venture into commercial trading. In 1961, he established Adebowale Stores as a retail outlet in Lagos.

Adebowale’s entrepreneurial ingenuity began to manifest in 1961 when the retail shop was incorporated as Adebowale Stores Limited and subsequently diversified into manufacturing. The industrialist, known mostly as KDK man, quickly diversified his business, with branches established in Ibadan, Kano and Lagos.

To take full advantage of the then Federal Government’s favourable industrial policies, Adebowale incorporated Adebowale Electrical Industries Limited as a manufacturing concern. The move marked a remarkable turning point in his career from a businessman to a manufacturer, especially in 1975, when the budding company rolled out its first set of locally manufactured electrical/electronics products.

During his lifetime, the Business mogul held several leadership positions both locally, at the state level and nationally. These include; Council Member, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Life Vice President, Nigeria Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industries Mines And Agriculture NACCIM); Chairman, Industrial Group, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry; council University Endowment Foundation Council; ex-Member, Governing Council of the Lagos State Polytechnic, ex-Member, Governing Council of the Lagos State University; former Chairman, Lagos State Transport Corporation; founder, Industrial Manpower Development Centre. Odomola, Epe; Patron, Nigerian – British Chamber of Commerce: Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Nigerian-British Chamber of commerce, Ogun State; Institute of Directors, since 1986; Fellow: Institute of Directors; Vice President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry; National vice-president/Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria; Chairman, Electrical and Electronics Association of Nigeria.

Chief Adebowale financed and provided electricity to Odomola community, his place of birth in Epe LGA; donated generously to Student Societies, Charitable and Religious Organisations. He has conferred a National honour with the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in 1980 and was appointed Trustee, Lagos Country Club, 1990.