Otunba Peter Adewale Adegbesan, KSS, ICMA, was born in 1937 at Ijebu Imusin, Ogun State, into the, Catholic family of Pa Joseph Banjo Adegbesan (a.k.a. Alebiosu) and Madam Cecilia Aderibigbe Adegbesan (nee Gboteku), both of blessed memory. He attended St. Peter Claver’s Catholic School, Esure, Ijebu Imusin, and the famous St. Leo’s College, Abeokuta.
He started his career as a teacher at St. Martin’s Secondary Modern School, Ijebu- Imusin, where he rose to become the first headmaster of the school from 1957 to 1959. He left teaching and joined the Nigerian Tobacco Co. Ltd. (NTC) in October 1959. He passed through a Selection Board for Management Trainees and after his training, held various Accounting positions in the company before he was promoted to top management. He worked with NTC in various parts of the country and in various capacities before officially retiring as an Executive Director. After retiring, he was appointed West African Consultant to his former employers, British American Tobacco Company Plc. (UK) and Nigerian Tobacco Co. Plc. on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (CORA) issues for a period of seven years.
He attended various training courses and programmes locally and in Chelwood Vachery (1962-1963); Ashridge Business School (1976); and Henley Management College (1982- 1983). He made study visits to associate companies in various parts of the world. He is an alumnus of the famous Lagos Business School (LBS), having attended the Chief Executive Programme No.1 (CEP 1) in 1992.
Otunba A. Adegbesan is a member of many professional management bodies e.g. NIM, Strategic Planning Society (UK), and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors, UK. He joined the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1985 and became a Council member of the Chamber in 1986 till date. He served on various committees of the Chamber. He was appointed an Executive Committee member of the Chamber in February 2003. He is an Honorary Life Vice President of the Chamber. He served on the Board of National Directorate of Employment (NDE) from 1986 to 1989, and also on the NYSC Lagos State Board.
Otunba joined the Rotary Club of Ibadan in 1972. He was President of the Rotary Club of Lagos from 1992 to 1993. The Club’s project during his year as President was the successful surgical operation on an eight year old girl with a ‘hole in the heart’. All expenses were paid by the Rotary Club of Lagos. He received Distinguished Service Awards from Rotary International District 9110 in 1997 and 2010, and remains an active past President of the Club.
He was a founding member of Ijebu Imusin Planning Body and took notes at its inaugural meeting on 7th November 1981. He later became the first Secretary of IPB. He was a member of the Committees for Water, Electricity, and Post Office for Ijebu Imusin. He was a founding member of the Board of Directors of Ijebu Imusin Community Bank (now SAPIDA Microfinance Bank) for ten years (from inception to 2000)..
He was the 3rd President of IPB, and during his tenure as President (1986 to 1989), the following were achieved:
- A multi-million Naira Ijebu Imusin Community Centre Project was started.
- The venue of the Annual Rally was moved from the field of St. Mary’s Anglican Primary School, Imusin, to the Community Centre Complex in 1987.
- IPB Scholarship Scheme commenced from 1987 school year.
- Ijebu Imusin Community Merit Award started in 1988.
He was involved in many other community activities, and was in 1997, given the Ijebu Imusin Community Merit Award in the field of Community Development. He was conferred with the royal titles of Otunba Taiyese of Ogere, Remo (1984) and Otunba Petu of Ipodo, Ijebu Imusin (1989). He also received the Centenary Merit Award as a Distinguished Pupil of St Peter Claver’s Catholic School, Esure, Imusin in 2004.
Otunba received a deep spiritual formation while growing up at home, and learnt good religious practices. In adult life he continues to be active and served on many Committees, Councils, and Societies as Chairman, Secretary, or member in his home church and the diocese in Ijebu. The same applies in his Lagos Parish and Archdiocese. He was given a religious honour of Knighthood of St. Sylvester (KSS) by His Holiness Pope John Paul II in 1989.
He was a Scout Master and a member of the Red Cross Society in the fifties and was honoured as a Life Associate Member of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Lagos State Branch in 2001. He has been a golf playing member of Ikoyi Club 1938 since 1974 and a Life Member of the same Club since 2002. He is a member of the Metropolitan Club Lagos since 1988. He is a Life Member of Nigeria-British Association, Lagos.
Otunba is married to Chief (Mrs.) Theresa Olayinka Adegbesan, the Yeye Taiyese of Ijebu Imusin, and they are blessed with adult children and beautiful grandchildren.
