Adebayo Salami facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adebayo Ayoade Salami
Olorunda Local government Chairman
In office Dec 1990 – Sep 1991
Senator for Osun Central
In office May 1999 – May 2003
Succeeded by	Felix Kolawole Ogunwale
Personal details
Born	26 July 1951 (1951-07-26) Osun State, Nigeria
Died	7 January 2021 (aged 69) New York, United States
Political party	AD (Alliance for Democracy) APC (All Progressive Congress)
Spouse	Ayisat Abosede Salami Muslimat Folasade Salami
Children	5

Adebayo Ayoade Salami (born 26 July 1951 – died 7 January 2021) was an important Nigerian politician. He was chosen to be a Senator for the Osun Central area in Osun State, Nigeria. He started his job on 29 May 1999, as part of the Nigerian Fourth Republic. He was a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) party.

When he became a Senator in June 1999, he joined several important groups called committees. These included committees for Public Accounts, Labor (where he was vice-chairman), Power & Steel, and Water Resources. In 2001, there was a discussion about buying beans from another country, Burkina Faso. Bayo Salami believed it was important to do whatever was needed to make sure Nigerians had enough affordable food.

Early Life and Education

Adebayo Ayoade Salami was born on 26 July 1951. His family home was in Osogbo, Nigeria.

Parents

Adebayo's father was Busari Oladiti Salami. He was a respected sanitary inspector, which meant he helped keep public places clean and healthy. Later, he became known as a smart political planner in Osogbo. Adebayo's mother, Rafatu Ayinke, was a very hardworking woman. She was a trader and also worked as a contractor for power companies like ECN (Energy Commission of Nigeria) and NEPA (National Electric Power Authority).

Early Schooling

As a child, Adebayo was called "Amusa." This is a common Yoruba way to say the Islamic name Hamzat. He went to Saint Michael's Primary School in Ilobu, which is in today's Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State.

For high school, young Amusa Adebayo Salami attended Ife-Olu Grammar School. After that, he went to Akinorun Grammar School Ikirun. He earned his West African School Certificate there in 1969. Then, known as Adebayo, he studied at Oduduwa College in Ile-Ife from 1970 to 1971.

Higher Education

Adebayo Salami studied accounting at Kwara State College of Technology in Ilorin. He was there from 1972 to 1974 and earned an OND. He then went to the well-known Yaba College of Technology in Lagos for his HND (Higher National Diploma) between 1976 and 1978. Later, in the early 2000s, Adebayo earned his Master of Business Administration degree from Imo State University.

National Youth Service

In 1978, Adebayo joined the National Youth Corps. This is a program where young Nigerians serve their country for one year. He worked as an accountant in the old Kaduna state. Adebayo Salami served at the Federal Government-owned National Freight Company in Kaduna from 1978 to 1979. He worked so hard and was so good at his job that the company offered him a permanent position. He started as a young accountant and quickly became the company's main accountant.

Starting His Own Business

Adebayo was an ambitious young man. He decided to leave the National Freight Company to start his own business. He created Aolat Nigeria Limited, a company that focused on civil engineering and construction in Kaduna. Soon, he became a very successful businessman in the city. Friends and business partners often called him "The Young Millionaire."

Political Journey

Local Government Chairman

Adebayo Salami started his political journey in Nigeria in 1990. He ran for the position of Local Government Chairman for Olorunda Local Government. He won this election on 8 December 1990, as a member of the National Republican Convention party.

At that time, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was very strong in the old Oyo State. When the new Osun State was created in 1991, Bayo was one of only three Local Government Chairmen from his party. The other local governments were led by SDP chairmen.

Running for Governor

Adebayo Salami was chosen to be the NRC party's candidate for Governor of Osun State. He ran in the governorship election on 14 December 1991. He lost by a small number of votes to Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke of the SDP. Isiaka Adeleke became the first Governor of the newly formed Osun State in January 1992.

Even though he lost, Bayo Salami became a well-known person in Osun politics. He realized that if he could come so close to winning with a less popular party, he could do even better if he joined a stronger political group.

In 1998, Bayo Salami joined a group of politicians known as the "progressives," led by the late Bola Ige. His hard work and loyalty made him popular with the leaders of this new group. He was then chosen to run for Senator in the Osun Central area.

Serving as Senator

Adebayo won the senatorial election in January 1999. He became a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in June 1999. He served in the 4th National Assembly from 1999 to 2003. He was the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor. Later, he became the chairman of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism. He also served on other important Senate committees, including Public Accounts, Oil and Gas, Defense, Population, and the Federal Capital Territory.

All Progressives Congress

Before he passed away in January 2021, Senator Adebayo Salami was a key leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party, representing Osun State.

Family and Beliefs

Bayo Salami was a very dedicated family man. He spent a lot of time with his close family and his wider relatives. He had two wives, Ayisat Abosede and Muslimat Folasade. He was a father to 5 children and had many grandchildren. Bayo Salami was a very religious Muslim. He worked hard to support and spread the teachings of Islam. He lived by a strict rule of "Malice to no one," meaning he held no ill will towards anyone. The Senator had many friends from different religions, tribes, political groups, and backgrounds.