Ayo Aderinwale

Ayodele Patrick Aderinwale MFR is the West Africa Vice President of the African Union's Economic, Social and Cultural Council for West Africa. [http://www.africa-union.org/organs/ecosocc/LIST%20OF%20%20MEMBERS%20OF%20%20ECOSOCC%20COMMITTEES.pdf] He is the Executive Director of the Africa Leadership Forum in Ota, Nigeria.

Personal life and education

Aderinwale was born in Oshogbo, Nigeria. He attended the University of Lagos where he earned a Bachelors Degree in Political Science in 1985 and a Master of Science in Political Economy and International Relations in 1987.

He is an alumnus of the United Nations University's International Leadership Academy, and Harvard University's Executive Program for Leaders in Development. He also participated in the Salzburg Seminar, the Sixth Lisbon Youth Summit, and the Center for Advanced Studies in International Negotiation in Geneva, Switzerland.

He was the Lead Consultant for 2 years, on the Union Government Project that finally drafted the institution of having a United States of Africa. He is a close adviser and confidant of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is married to Tosin and has two sons, Damola and Doyin.

Africa leadership forum

Aderinwale became involved with Olusegun Obasanjo's NGO, Africa Leadership Forum (ALF) in the 1990s, eventually became the Executive Director. He began several programs such as the Regional African Parliamentarians Conference, the Africa Women's Forum and the Democratic Leadership Training Workshop that focused on a range of issues including capacity building programs for African Parliamentarians and Political Leaders. He helped create the Conference on Stability, Security, Development and Cooperation in Africa (CSSDCA) which was adopted by the African Union in 2002.

He has consulted for several international agencies, including the United Nations, the European Union, and the Organization of African Unity. He participated in the initial drafting of the Millennium Plan for Africa (MAP) which later became the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

He is a scholar and motivational speaker. He has published series of books and academic papers on thematic development and governance issues. Recent publications include CSSDCA: An African Agenda for Peace and Prosperity 2001 and "Value, Ideology and Nation Building" (2003).

Currently, as ALF Executive Director, he oversees the overall development and implementation of projects. He is currently the Chairman, Board of Directors, Business School Netherlands, Nigeria, and formerly Member of the Commonwealth Peoples Forum 2003 Steering Committee; Member of Board of Editors, Daily Times of Nigeria. Mr. Aderinwale MFR chaired the African Capacity Building Foundation’s Parlianet, based in Harare Zimbabwe; currently the Vice President of the Statutory organ of the African Union, the Economic, Cultural and Social Council ECOSOCC presided by Prof. Wangari Maathai, Africa’s Nobel Peace Laureate.

Mr. Aderinwale, MFR, is the Chairman Board of Governors of the Bells Educational Services, and of the Bells Comprehensive Secndary School for Boys and Girls in Ota Ogun State. He is Chairman of Docu-thrill, an indigenous company with interests in Information Technology capacity building as well data protection and retrieval. He Chairs the Justrite Limited one of the largest superstores in Lagos and Ogun States. He also functions as the Managing Director of The Temperance Hotel, Nigeria.

National honours

On the 21st December 2006, the President and Commander-in-Chief, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR conferred on him the National Honor of Member, Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In further commemoration of the National Honor, his classmates and colleagues launched a foundation, the Ayodele Aderinwale Foundation for Education and Leadership in Africa (AAFELA) in his honor.