Biography of Alhaji Jinadu Alaba Alatishe

Early Life and Education

Late Alhaji Jinadu Alaba Alatishe was born in August 1901 at Ideyin. He started attending the Quaranic School at an early age at the Olorunsogo Mosque at Ita Ntebo. He later enrolled at an elementary school, but his father made him leave as he did not want him to have Western Education. This made the young Jinadu run to his Mother's house where he enrolled at the Christ Church Porogun in 1915. He was in this school till 1918 from where he gained admission to the Ijebu Ode Grammar School under the Principalship of the late Reverend Ransome Kuti in 1919.

Career

In 1922, Alhaji Jinadu left for Ode Remo to start work as a transport Clerk. Two years later, he left for Lagos. In 1926, he entered the produce buying business under Pa Kuti. After the death of Pa Kuti in 1933, the CWS Company decided he should take over the business as produce buying agent. Alhaji Jinadu made name in the produce buying business both in Lagos and throughout the Western Region.

Leadership and Legacy

In 1959, Alhaji Jinadu was appointed by Oba Gbelegbuwa II, the then Awujale of Ijebuland as the Otun Balogun of Ijebu Ode. Because of political turmoil in Ijebu Ode and for other reasons, it was not until 1971 before he was confirmed as the Balogun of Ijebu Ode under the reign of Oba S.K. Adetona, Ogbagba II, the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland.

Alhaji Jinadu had eight wives in his lifetime, seven of them except one had children for him. As a good leader, he took pride in uniting his family. He built a family house at Ososa where all members of his family converge on the 26th of December every year. Alhaji Jinadu's insistence that members of his family converge once every year has produced the current Gbegande of Ososa, Oba (Dr.) Adetoye.