Robert Adeyinka Adebayo^[4] (General) was the former Governor of the now defunct Western State of Nigeria,1966-1971.

He became Governor after Late Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi's death in the 1966 coup d'etat.

[edit] Early life

Adeyinka Adebayo was born on the 9th, March 1928, in Iyin Ekiti, near Ado Ekiti, (present day Ekiti State), Nigeria. He attended Christ's school in Ado-Ekiti. He later completed the Officer Cadet Training Course in Teshie, Ghana from 1950 to 1952. After passing the War Office Examination for Commonwealth Cadets in 1952 as well as the West African qualifying examination in 1953, he was commissioned in the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) as the 23rd West African military officer with number WA23 and 7th Nigerian military officer with number N7 after completing the War Office Cadet Training in Eaton Hall, England. He later attended the Staff College course in Camberley (Surrey) in 1960 and the very prestigious, Imperial Defence College, London in late 1965 where he was the only African officer.

[edit] Career

Adeyinka Adebayo became an Officer in 1953

• He was the first Nigerian to be an aide-de-camp to a British Governor-General (the last British Governor-General of Nigeria- Sir James Robertson-1957^[5]
• First Nigerian General Staff Officer, Grade 2 (Intelligence) at the United Nations Headquarters in 1961
• First National General Staff Officer, Grade 2 Nigerian Army Headquarters 1961 - 1962
• First Nigerian to be appointed General Staff Officer Grade 1 1962 - 1963
• Commander, Nigerian Contingent in the Congo, 1963
• He served as staff officer in the United Nations Peacekeeping force during the Congo crisis,1961-1963
• Chief of Staff, Nigerian Army Headquarters Feb 1964 - Nov 1965 [He was the first indigenous Chief of Staff of the Nigerian Army]
• Chairman, Organinization of African Unity (OAU) Defence Planning Committee 1963 - 1965
• Head of Nigerian Delegation to the OAU Summit in Ethiopia, November 1966
• Military governor, Western Nigeria, 1966 to 1971
• Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy 1971 - 1972
• Ceremonial Military Duties 1972 - 1975
• Retired from the Nigerian Army in July 1975 with the rank of Major-General
• One of the Founders of and Vice Chairman of the National Party of Nigeria(NPN) 1979 - 1983

[edit] Biafra War

Adebayo advised against the use of force in resolving the Biafran crisis.In one of the most prescient and articulate quotations of the war, he declared:

Block quote

	'I need not tell you what horror,what devastation and what extreme human suffering will attend the use of force. When it is all over and the smoke and dust have lifted, and the dead are buried,we shall find, as other people have found,that it has all been futile, entirely futile,in solving the problems we set out to solve'[6].

At the onset of war, the then Colonel Adebayo, then the Governor of the then Western State ordered all bridges into the West be demolished to prevent the Biafran rebels from reaching Lagos the then capital of Nigeria via the his state. The rebels went as far as Ore in present day Ondo State about 100 kilometres from Lagos.

After the war, he was appointed by the Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, as the Chairman of the Committee on the reconciliation and integration of the Ibos (Biafrans) back into the Nigerian fold.

[edit] Farmers Revolt

Major General Adebayo was the Governor during the infamous farmers' "Agbekoya" revolt over taxation which was eventually resolved peacefully and harmoniously.

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Preceded by First Indigenous Chief of Staff of the Nigerian Army]	Chief of staff Army Headquarters 1964; 1965	Succeeded by Colonel Kur Mohammed
Preceded by Late Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi	Military governor, Western Nigeria 1966 – 1971	Succeeded by Brig. Oluwole Rotimi
Preceded by Brigadier General D. A. Ejoor	Director Nigerian Defence Academy 1971 – 1972	Succeeded by Major General EO Ekpo

Robert Adeyinka Adebayo retired from the Nigeria Army as a Major General in 1975.

[edit] Later life

Adebayo is currently the Chairman of the Yoruba Council of Elders. His eldest son Otunba Niyi Adebayo was a Governor of Ekiti State in Nigeria from 1999 to 2003. Another son, Adedayo Adebayo played rugby for Bath and for the England National team winning 6 International caps between 1996 and 1999. Another of his children, Leke Adebayo is an actor, writer and producer in London and has appeared in and scripted various productions.

[edit] References

1. ^ Col Mohammed was killed in Jan 15 1966 coup
2. ^ Col Fajuyi was killed in July 29 1966 coup
3. ^ His students include Gen Ibrahim Babangida, GenMamman Jiya Vatsa,Gen Ike Nwachukwu.
4. ^ Political Conflict and Economic Change in Nigeria,Henry Bienen, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Center of International Studies,Routledge, 1985 ISBN 071463266X
5. ^ (who was God-father to his eldest son, Niyi Adebayo
6. ^ http://www.kwenu.com/biafra/nowa_may30.htm

v • d • e Governors of Western State This is a list of administrators and Governors of Western State, Nigeria, including the former Western Region. In 1976-02-03, Western State was divided into Ogun, Ondo, and Oyo states. Western Region Title Took Office Left Office Party Notes John Rankin Governor 1954 1959 Obafemi Awolowo Premier 1956 1959 Adesoji Aderemi Governor 1960 1967 Samuel Ladoke Akintola Premier 1960 1966 A.M.A. Majekodunmi Administrator 1967 1967 Odeleye Fadahunsi Governor 1963 1966 Adekunle Fajuyi Governor 1966 1966 (Military) Western State Robert Adeyinka Adebayo Governor 28 May 1967 1 April 1971 (Military) Brig. Gen. Christopher Oluwole Rotimi Governor 1 April 1971 July 1975 (Military) Akintunde Aduwo Governor July 1975 March 1976 (Military)