The spiritual head of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Most. Rev. Professor Adebayo Dada Akinde is a good example of the truism that God invariably has His way in the affairs of men. What God ordains for each of his children ultimately supersedes all human calculations and disposition. In time, each man and woman whom God created for a specific role must succumb to that, willy-nilly. God rules in the affairs of men and those who understand this truism are the happier for it. Bishop Akinde evidently is.
For a man who had distinguished himself so eminently in academics, not many had imagined for him a full time commitment to the service of God. If anyone had told him some 35 years ago that he would some day be the pioneer bishop of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland, he would probably have dismissed it as an empty joke. Having pioneered many projects in the academia, he thought he had had enough of pioneering work. Born in Kaduna, northwest of Nigeria on August 25, 1946, he lived the early part of his life in the city, thus acquiring the predominant language of the north, Hausa, even though his parents were of Egba (father) and Sierra Leonean (mother) extractions.
Bishop Akinde, a registered Electronic Engineer and Computer Scientist, earned a B.Sc. degree in Electronics from the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), at Ile-Ife, in the present Osun State of southwest Nigeria. He then went on to obtain an M.Sc and Ph.D in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Hardware) from the University College, London, and University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, respectively. While on the faculty of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife he pursued an academic career, first in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, and then in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. At different times between 1983 and 1993, he served as Acting Head and Substantive Head of Department of Computer Science and Engineering for 11 years. He also served as External Examiner at both Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels to many universities in Nigeria, Africa and Europe.
Professor Akinde’s career trajectory has been an enviable one. A foundation member of the Computer Association of Nigeria (COAN) [now Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), the major computing group involved with professional and educational computing issues, he has held the following positions within the group at different times:
For a man who had distinguished himself so eminently in academics, not many had imagined for him a full time commitment to the service of God. If anyone had told him some 35 years ago that he would some day be the pioneer bishop of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland, he would probably have dismissed it as an empty joke. Having pioneered many projects in the academia, he thought he had had enough of pioneering work. Born in Kaduna, northwest of Nigeria on August 25, 1946, he lived the early part of his life in the city, thus acquiring the predominant language of the north, Hausa, even though his parents were of Egba (father) and Sierra Leonean (mother) extractions.
Bishop Akinde, a registered Electronic Engineer and Computer Scientist, earned a B.Sc. degree in Electronics from the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), at Ile-Ife, in the present Osun State of southwest Nigeria. He then went on to obtain an M.Sc and Ph.D in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Hardware) from the University College, London, and University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, respectively. While on the faculty of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife he pursued an academic career, first in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, and then in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. At different times between 1983 and 1993, he served as Acting Head and Substantive Head of Department of Computer Science and Engineering for 11 years. He also served as External Examiner at both Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels to many universities in Nigeria, Africa and Europe.
Professor Akinde’s career trajectory has been an enviable one. A foundation member of the Computer Association of Nigeria (COAN) [now Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), the major computing group involved with professional and educational computing issues, he has held the following positions within the group at different times:
Chairman, Education Committee
Chairman, Publications Committee
Chairman, Conferences Committee
Vice President and,
President of COAN
Chairman, Publications Committee
Chairman, Conferences Committee
Vice President and,
President of COAN
Professor Akinde also happens to be the First Registrar of the Computer Professionals (Registration Council of Nigeria), a government body established by Decree No. 49 of 1993, and latter served as its Vice President / Vice Chairman of Council. His views are widely sought in the industry and he has served as a Consultant to both National and International bodies including: the MOD, UNDP, Commonwealth, UNESCO, WHO, Federal Ministry of Education, DFRRI, NA ADP (Bonny Camp) etc.
He served as Postgraduate Research Engineer, Radio and Space Research Station, Dutton Park, Slough UK, Assistant Lecturer at the University of Ife, 1973-74; Lecturer 1, 1975-83; Senior Lecturer, 1983-92; Reader, 1992-94. He worked as a Professor from October 1994 to April 2002. He is a Fellow of the Computer Association of Nigeria, which he served as President, 1997-99; and the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria. He served on the Federal Government Committee on Computer Policy, 1987-88. He was Chairman, Federal Government Computer Training Committee, Kaduna, 1988-89. From 1999-2000, he was an IT Consultant to the Ministry of Defence, Abuja. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of CHAMS Plc, one of the leading Information and Communication Technology firms in Nigeria.
Akinde’s ministerial odyssey began on December 23, 1979, when he was made a Deacon in the Anglican Church by The Rt. Rev Jonathan Soremi Adeniyi, the pioneer Bishop of the then Diocese of Egba-Egbado. He became a Priest on December 20, 1981 at the Cathedral of St. Peter. The Diocesan then was The Rt. Rev T.I. Akintayo. On May 28, 1989, Akinde became an Honorary Canon in the Diocese of Ilesa under the then Rt. Rev Adebola Ademowo. Three years later on July 12, 1992, he became a Statutory Canon. On November 28, 1993, he was collated as a Venerable Archdeacon in the Diocese of Egba at the Cathedral of St. Peter. Throughout this period, Prof Akinde combined his priestly duties with those of an academic at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
Apart from working as a curate at Ile Ife, he was also the Priest-in-Charge of St. John’s Church, Yakoyo, Origbo in the then Diocese of Ibadan under Ven. J.D. Ajumobi, 1984-85. He acted as Chaplain of All Souls Chapel, Ile Ife, May-July 1985. From August 1985 to October 1999, he was an Assistant Priest at St. Matthew’s Church, Ijebu-Jesa in the Diocese of Ilesa and served under The Ven Adebola Ademowo (as he then was), The then Venerable M. O. Akinyemi and the Venerable D. A. Adesanmi. In between he also served as secretary to Archbishop T. O. Olufosoye’s Peace Committee to mediate in the Ife/Modakeke crisis, 1981-82. He was a member of the Proposed Diocese of Ife Planning Committee, 1987-89. He attended the Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan (2005/2006 Session)..
His tenures as Honorary Cathedral Priest at the Cathedral of St. Philip, Ayetoro, Ile Ife, 1997-2000 and as Provost of the Cathedral of St. Peter, Ake, Abeokuta, 2000-2006, prepared him well for cathedral administration. He has drawn enormously from that wealth of experience in running the Diocese of Lagos Mainland.
Bishop Akinde is married to Mrs. Bassey Ekong Akinde (nee Ewa), a pharmacist and former University don from the illustrious Henshaw family of Calabar in the present Cross River State of Nigeria. They are blessed with three grown up sons and a grandchild.
As Diocesan Bishop he has endeared himself to his flock by his generosity of spirit and open style of administration. He is bold, humble and compassionate, and treats every challenge with the seriousness it deserves. His love for God and fellow man is evident. Under his watch the young diocese has recorded tremendous spiritual and physical progress.
He served as Postgraduate Research Engineer, Radio and Space Research Station, Dutton Park, Slough UK, Assistant Lecturer at the University of Ife, 1973-74; Lecturer 1, 1975-83; Senior Lecturer, 1983-92; Reader, 1992-94. He worked as a Professor from October 1994 to April 2002. He is a Fellow of the Computer Association of Nigeria, which he served as President, 1997-99; and the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria. He served on the Federal Government Committee on Computer Policy, 1987-88. He was Chairman, Federal Government Computer Training Committee, Kaduna, 1988-89. From 1999-2000, he was an IT Consultant to the Ministry of Defence, Abuja. He is currently the Chairman of the Board of Directors of CHAMS Plc, one of the leading Information and Communication Technology firms in Nigeria.
Akinde’s ministerial odyssey began on December 23, 1979, when he was made a Deacon in the Anglican Church by The Rt. Rev Jonathan Soremi Adeniyi, the pioneer Bishop of the then Diocese of Egba-Egbado. He became a Priest on December 20, 1981 at the Cathedral of St. Peter. The Diocesan then was The Rt. Rev T.I. Akintayo. On May 28, 1989, Akinde became an Honorary Canon in the Diocese of Ilesa under the then Rt. Rev Adebola Ademowo. Three years later on July 12, 1992, he became a Statutory Canon. On November 28, 1993, he was collated as a Venerable Archdeacon in the Diocese of Egba at the Cathedral of St. Peter. Throughout this period, Prof Akinde combined his priestly duties with those of an academic at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife.
Apart from working as a curate at Ile Ife, he was also the Priest-in-Charge of St. John’s Church, Yakoyo, Origbo in the then Diocese of Ibadan under Ven. J.D. Ajumobi, 1984-85. He acted as Chaplain of All Souls Chapel, Ile Ife, May-July 1985. From August 1985 to October 1999, he was an Assistant Priest at St. Matthew’s Church, Ijebu-Jesa in the Diocese of Ilesa and served under The Ven Adebola Ademowo (as he then was), The then Venerable M. O. Akinyemi and the Venerable D. A. Adesanmi. In between he also served as secretary to Archbishop T. O. Olufosoye’s Peace Committee to mediate in the Ife/Modakeke crisis, 1981-82. He was a member of the Proposed Diocese of Ife Planning Committee, 1987-89. He attended the Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan (2005/2006 Session)..
His tenures as Honorary Cathedral Priest at the Cathedral of St. Philip, Ayetoro, Ile Ife, 1997-2000 and as Provost of the Cathedral of St. Peter, Ake, Abeokuta, 2000-2006, prepared him well for cathedral administration. He has drawn enormously from that wealth of experience in running the Diocese of Lagos Mainland.
Bishop Akinde is married to Mrs. Bassey Ekong Akinde (nee Ewa), a pharmacist and former University don from the illustrious Henshaw family of Calabar in the present Cross River State of Nigeria. They are blessed with three grown up sons and a grandchild.
As Diocesan Bishop he has endeared himself to his flock by his generosity of spirit and open style of administration. He is bold, humble and compassionate, and treats every challenge with the seriousness it deserves. His love for God and fellow man is evident. Under his watch the young diocese has recorded tremendous spiritual and physical progress.
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