Alhaji Tolani Abass
Today, many youths want to take shortcuts to short-lived success. But inspiring stories like that of Alhaji Abass remind us that hard work breeds lasting success and there is no shortcut to enjoying a fulfilled life.
At 83, Alhaji Abass, the Mogaji of the Abass Family worldwide, is fulfilled. He has lived. He has worked hard. He has traded in honesty. He has reaped the rewards. Little wonder the octogenarian is still going strong at 83 with his mind and speech sharp as ever.
Born in Epe, Lagos State, and raised in Ibadan, Oyo State, he tasted the best of both towns. Alhaji Abass enjoyed comfort early in life, thanks to his father, a produce buyer, who traded cocoa, and mother, who sold various species of fish.
In a recent interview with Radio Lagos, he recounted his early life and the challenges that came with it. He recalled that he attended two primary schools; Baptist Primary School, Idikan, Ibadan, Oyo State, and Fountain School, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.
Missing the warmth of his family, Alhaji Abass chose to pursue his secondary school education at Ibadan Boys High School, Ibadan, where his family lived. He started his study in 1955 and spent five years at the school. However, he could not proceed to a tertiary institution due to financial constraints as his father’s business had become less profitable.
Alhaji Tolani Abass
Fresh off secondary school, Alhaji Abass gained employment with the Regional Tax Corps, Ibadan, an agency in charge of the ‘Pay As You Earn’ system for civil servants. He was transferred to Abeokuta, Ogun State, from Ibadan in 1962. In 1964, he had the chance to travel to London but decided not to after considering his family’s welfare without him. Then, he pursued a correspondence course, which typically entails an instructor sending course materials to students to complete at their own pace. He studied a course at the Chartered Institute of Secretary until the intermediate level, which was enough for him to be a secretary in the civil service.
It was in Abeokuta he met his darling wife, Alhaja Risikat Adeola Abass, who was in the School of Nursing at the time. They married in 1967. It was the same year Lagos State was created following the civil war. In 1968, Lagos indigenes like Alhaji Abass were asked to return home, prompting him to transfer his service in Abeokuta to the Centre of Excellence.
Once he was in the Lagos State Civil Service, he served under the Office of Secretary to the Military Government (SMG) at City Hall. He resumed as a senior clerk. Later, in 1976, he was transferred to the Lagos State Pilgrims Board as secretary.
In the Radio Lagos interview, he narrated how his training as a secretary bore the most fruits during his time with the Lagos State Pilgrims Board. By early 1977, he left the civil service, taking the risk of retiring early as a civil servant to become a government contractor. He set up his company Alhaji Tolani Abass and Sons, which he used to supply various items, including fish, to government offices.
By 1979, the late Lateef Jakande was elected the governor of Lagos State. Alhaji Abass noted that Jakande’s administration favoured him due to the many citizen-friendly policies it enacted. He recounted how it was easy to win contracts on merits under the Jakande administration without paying bribes.
Alhaji Tolani Abass
Alhaji Abass’s touch of excellence made him a favourite for government contracts. The Lagos government usually preferred to award him contracts because he guaranteed fine results. The former president of the Epe Development Association enjoyed and continues to enjoy the benefits that come with honesty and trustworthiness.
Alhaji Abass is a typical Lagosian who loves having fun. He likes listening to Apala musicians; Yusuf Olatunji and Haruna Ishola, and Fuji music legend Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, during his leisure time. However, when it comes to dancing on stage at parties, he prefers moving his body to the rhythm of juju music by Ebenezer Obey and Sunny Ade.
Happy Birthday to Alhaji Tolani Abass, the Mogaji of the Abass Dynasty. We wish you continued peace and good health. May you continue to age gracefully by God’s grace. Cheers to many more years in perfect health!
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