Festus Akinbusoye facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Festus Akinbusoye
Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner
In office 13 May 2021 – 8 May 2024
Preceded by	Kathryn Holloway
Succeeded by	John Tizard
Personal details
Born	June 1978 (age 47) Lagos, Nigeria
Political party	Conservative
Education	City of Westminster College University of the Arts London (BSc) University of London (MSc)

Festus Akinbusoye (born June 1978) is a British politician. He was the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner from 2021 to 2024. He was the first black British person to hold this important role.

Akinbusoye was a candidate for the Conservative Party in the 2023 Mid Bedfordshire by-election. This election happened after the previous Member of Parliament, Nadine Dorries, resigned. He came in second place in that election. The next year, he also lost his re-election campaign to continue as Police and Crime Commissioner.

Early Life and Education

Festus Akinbusoye was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in June 1978. When he was 13, in 1991, he moved to the United Kingdom with his parents and twin sister. His family settled in Canning Town, East London.

He went to St Paul's Way School and the City of Westminster College. Later, he studied at the London College of Printing and Distributive Trades. This college is part of the University of the Arts London. He also earned a master's degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.

While at university, Akinbusoye played basketball. He even played professionally in the Budweiser British Basketball League. He is also a fan of Air Jordan basketball trainers and has a collection of 40 pairs.

Political Journey

Early in his career, Festus Akinbusoye worked for several Conservative Members of Parliament. These included Mark Lancaster, Iain Stewart, and Ben Everitt.

In 2015, he ran as a Conservative candidate in the West Ham area. This area usually votes for the Labour Party. He came in second place in that election.

During the 2016 vote on whether the UK should leave the European Union, Akinbusoye supported staying. He encouraged other black Britons to vote to remain in the European Union. From 2018 to 2021, he was the chairman of the Milton Keynes Conservatives.

Becoming Police and Crime Commissioner

In the 2021 election, Festus Akinbusoye was elected as the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner. This role involves overseeing the police force in Bedfordshire. He mentioned that his own experiences growing up in London helped shape his ideas about policing. He had also mentored young people in prison.

Akinbusoye supported the proper use of police "stop and search" powers. He had used these powers himself when he was a special constable in Bedfordshire Police. He also spoke about racism in society. He said that people expect police forces to be fair and just.

Running for Parliament and Re-election

After being chosen to run in the 2023 Mid Bedfordshire by-election, some people thought he should step down as Police and Crime Commissioner. However, a public meeting showed that not everyone on the local crime panel agreed with this idea. Some members felt the request was unfair.

In April 2024, Akinbusoye was criticized for some social media posts. He had claimed that someone had misused public money. He disagreed with these findings and said he would respond formally.

Akinbusoye lost the May 2024 election for Police and Crime Commissioner. He said he was "really proud" of what he had achieved in his three years in the role.

He later announced he would not seek to become a Member of Parliament again. Instead, he decided to run for a second term as Bedfordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner. However, he was not successful in this election, losing to the Labour candidate John Tizard.

Personal Life

Festus Akinbusoye lives in Bedfordshire with his family. He has shared that he is a single father who raised his children into successful young adults. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He also runs a business that manages facilities. This business employs 50 people across England, Scotland, and Wales. Akinbusoye has said that he owes his business success to help he received from The Prince's Trust. He got this help when he was 22 and living in East London.