BARRISTER KEHINDE ADELEYE: SUCCESS STORY BUTTRESSES JOURNEY OF LIFE IS A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT.

   BARRISTER KEHINDE ADELEYE: SUCCESS STORY BUTTRESSES JOURNEY OF LIFE IS A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT.

"Out of a dozen men with bright ideas, at most only one gets them executed."

  Whatever the situation is, man has opportunities. In time of plenty there are, in time of scarcity, there are, in time oppression there are. Mention the situation, opportunity always avail us of itself. These opportunities are two fold: one is for growth and the other for stagnation. Growth or progress, whichever you choose to call it, does not come easy or cheap; it exerts and drains energy, money and time. I must not forget that in order to accomplish anything worthwhile, you have to be ambitious and determined also. On the other hand, an individual, who opts for stagnation need not worry. All he needs is to wake up, live his life without having a goal, vision or ambition. Just like animals. Thereby, he will end up becoming nothing. Why? He has not paid any price for anything to improve his life or better his lot.

   This man, Barrister Kehinde Adeleye, has become a multi-faceted individual to various people. He is a Lawyer. That is his latest cap. Before that, he has been and he is still a lecturer, he has been Press officer to the Governor and in many MDAs in the State Civil Service, he is the Director of Information Services (DIS) of the State House of Assembly. He is also a Deacon in his church. That is all to his posts and positions in the civil service and Church.

   Now to the man. Who is he? Don't forget that character is a personal credential. He is humane to the core. One, no two, three of his former subordinates painted a graphic picture of his large heart and selflessness. And if the truth is established in the mouth of three people, then Barrister Kenny deserves to be labelled a builder of men. The locale was a Relaxation Centre, where he hosted selected friends and acquaintances a week ago to celebrate his call to bar. The guys, all cameramen, took turns to divulge how the new legal practitioner was instrumental to their becoming landlords and cars owners in the various MDAs he has worked. He helped them save their dues from assignments, add to what they had or blessed them with tangible large sums. One of them even said the DIS, House of Assembly, was used by God in ensuring that his wife had a safe delivery of his first child. He created and nurtured bonds with them all. To them, he is antithesis of selfishness.
Barrister Kenny enjoyed the duty of Press Officer to the fullest. It is in record that he is the only Press Officer privileged to have travelled out to California in the USA on a State assignment with his then Commissioner for Health.

    Becoming a legal practitioner is not a piece of cake. It commands class and influence. The beauty, glamour and accomplishment in the foremost profession draws friends as bees to honey. That was manifested at the event last Sunday. However, not many will belief that the success Barrister Kehinde has come to symbolise is an irony of sorts.
That Barrister Kehinde Adeleye is even a lecturer of English language in a number of Higher institutions is also ironical. You are saying, what am i driving at? Hear me out.

  This English language is a subject he could not pass in credit when he sat for his WASC. He got P7. The P7 continued after many attempts. He  sat for it not once, not twice, not thrice but seven, yes, seven times in WASC and GCE O/L. Eventually, he settled for the College of Education, Ikere Ekiti to study Physical and Health Education. At the 8th attempt at GCE O/L, he made A3 in same English Language, which had been an albatross to furthering his education. This prompted him to read English Language and literary Studies, a subject that peppered him at the Ondo State University Ado Ekiti. It must be placed on record that Kehinde had a father, who though was an illiterate but was determined to ensure all his children acquired the best education. Late Prophet Gabriel Adeleye's zeal for Education was so strong to the extent that he established Ijo Mimo Oluwa High School, Akure all alone. He was famous for his deep insight into the future.

   In order to imbue interest in education in his children, baba made them to live with educated people. At a tender age of five, Kehinde lived with one of his spiritual sons of his father, late Justice Ayoola Ogunleye, a former Chief Judge of Ondo State. In the late Justice house, Kehinde imbibed the lessons of discipline, diligence, determination and other core values of successful living. The family has three legal practitioners. They have become four with the addition of Barrister Kehinde. He says the time he spent in the Ogunleyes house were of fond memories he cherished and unforgettable.

    With the background of having lived with the Jurist, Kehinde had developed a profound interest in becoming a Lawyer. This determination made him to sit for GCE O/L to get a credit in Mathematics as a prerequisite to read law. He was an Assistant Director on level 13. He sat for post UTME three times before he was admitted to read law in 2014 at same University of Ado Ekiti now called Ekiti State University. I need to add that at 32, his father starting calling him "lawyer mi." Baba had foreseen his future.

  Life is a race. You, I and every other person is involved in it. As the late inimitable sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo said, "blessed be all hardships, disappointment and frustration that demand courage. Blessed be those things for out of them comes the making of a man."  Attaining personal set goals is a task that must be accomplished, no matter the hurdles on the way. Failure does not exist as long one tries, for it makes the strong man wise. There is setback and it could be frustrating and discomforting. Yet, it should not be an excuse for giving up. It is not final but a detour, that must be experienced and bypassed to reach ones destination.
Barrister Kehinde Adeleye congratulations to one of the newest legal practitioners in town. You have proven beyond reasonable doubt that success is achievable if one possesses the without fail caliber. For everyone with ambition to pursue, age, situation or past experiences should not be a stumbling block. Learn one or two lessons from Barrister Kehinde Adeleye's tortuous journey to becoming a Lawyer. It should inspire and help boost your resolve.