Meet Kayode Raphael Adegboye

Kayode Raphael Adegboye, a native of Ikirun from the clan of Balogun Olayemi Ojaoke in Osun state Nigeria was born and bred in Lagos to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Olusegun Tayelolu Adegboye.

The fourth born from a family of six - three men and three women, Kayode grew up, like his other siblings, under the prayerful watch of his dad and committed entrepreneurial-mindedness of his mum to scale through all manners of hurdles to be where he is today.

A 2002 graduate of the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Kayode holds a Bachelors degree in Agriculture (Animal Science), a Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Management from the Strategic Business School, Lagos, two Advanced Certificates in MIS and Sales and Marketing Management from the Federal College of Education (Tech.) Lagos and a certificate in Organizational Leadership. He is presently rounding up his Masters degree in Agricultural Science and Resource Management at the University of Bonn, Germany.

Having worked for over five years with various top-notch organizations like The Candel Company Limited, an international agribusiness outfit involved in developing agricultural solutions to small and medium-scale farmers, marketing agrochemicals and providing broad-based agricultural supports and presently with GlobalGAP, the reference organization for Good Agricultural Practice certification globally, Kayode has gained wide-range experiences covering operations in Africa, Europe and the rest of the world in various aspects of agribusiness management and consultancy.

His other volunteer and leadership experiences are also highly impressive. He has volunteered for the African Youth Foundation (AYF), the IHDP/UNU, Mount Sinai Church, BIMUN/SINUB e.V amongst many organizations and has led various youth groups and initiatives at different times. He was a Vice President of one of the most remarkable youth fellowships on campus while he was studying for his Bachelor degree and he held the position of a zonal coordinator for the NCCF during his NYSC. He has also collaborated at top levels with a lot of local and international academic, social, religious and professional initiatives as project team member.

Kayode has a cosmopolitan nature and has travelled extensively and interacted widely with people from various beliefs, creeds and experiences while on academic, professional and personal engagements.

An agribusiness strategist and an Associate Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management NIM (Chartered) and the Institute of Strategic Management Nigeria ISMN, Kayode is an intellectual enigma that soundly articulates and succinctly comment on issues when and where he needs to.

His communication, presentation and diplomatic competencies have placed him as a three International Model United Nations award winner in Bonn, Geneva and in Milan and he continues to bring valuable insights to the table of international development and the various spheres of multilateralism.

He has a couple of published writings to his credit and has featured twice in the 'Forsh' magazine of the University of Bonn. He was also recently granted a Bundesministerium Stipendum to complete his study programme.

Kayode thinks he has a contribution towards building sustainable systems that would promote youth development, SME management and wealth creation throughout the world and is poised not to rest on his hoax until the various ideological, infrastructural and systemic gaps that divides humanity and prevents them from maximizing their God-given potentials are considerably bridged.

Meet Kayode Raphael Adegboye.

Bits and Pieces.

A friend once joked that the best way to buy a car is to buy each part separately and then couple everything together later. Well, to some this might sound stupid but to some others, this is wisdom.

We do not all have the same resources, opportunities and challenges; hence the hurdles we would all cross and the strategies we would need to deploy in achieving our goals might not be the same.

My first computer was a ‘cloned’ desktop computer. Each of its components came from different makers. Dell, IBM, Compaq and several other less popular brands all contributed one part or the other into this ‘single’ unit. It really looked patchy but I saw beyond the look and improved my competencies with it in a lot of ways. It however did work for quite a while until it became the repairer’s dilemma and I had to plough my savings into buying another one.

Life sometimes looks fragmented. Some aspect of it might appear nice and some other aspect might look terrible. The ability to put the ‘bits and pieces’ of life together and make meaning out of them is what makes a true man or woman.

In the last few weeks

Modelling with Olivia during the 2009 International Charity Fashion Show at Bethovenhalle.

On the Golf Course trying out some Golf tricks.

With GlobalGAP Staffs during the 2009 Team Meeting.

With Prof. Dr. Adebooye, Humboldt's 2009 Alumni Award Winner - The first African and Nigerian to win the award.

Still with Dr. Adebooye at Bonn Hauptbahnhof.

Hey! God is still in Charge

I hear there are ‘forces’ responsible for the different crisis we have faced across the world in recent times. I mean the 4F CRISIS (Food, Fuel, Financial and Flu).

I understand our present world is in the hands of a few powerful and influential elements and that our Mr. Presidents, Mr. Prime Ministers, Madam Chancellors and Her Excellencies ‘blow the tunes’ dictated by these behind the scene voices and hands.

Well, I have read Sidney Sheldon’s Best Laid Plan and I know that there could be scripts handed out by god-fathers to be read by their stooges. What makes me uncomfortable however, is how man has now so elevated himself to the point that he scorns God and uses the life, resources, opportunity and time given to him by God to mess up God’s beautiful work and world.

I think of these things and I wonder if God can ever be overthrown as the creator and Lord over all humans, systems, structures, organizations and governments.

I observe the privileged trampling on the hope and integrity of the disadvantaged. I listen to ‘dust’ boasting for example of how he would blow up the world with nukes; I get fascinated at the instances of finite challenging the authority and existence of the INFINITE.

Hmm! Can God not change fame to shame? Can he not deliver the oppressed like He did in Egypt? Does he not have the power to silent the haughty and over-confident as the story of Nebuchadnezzar as well as that of the Rich Man depicted? Should man ever be so full of himself that he distrupts what God took time to create and delights in?

Well, for me, I have seen God move. I have felt His touch, I am dead convinced that ‘the earth is his’ and the fullness thereof...’ I am in awe of his incredible and indescribable abilities. I am mindful of what I do and say because I know he is still in charge.

Someday soon!

Nothing happens on its own. No door opens by itself. With paying the price, the prize might be won.

I have always dreamt of being great. I have always known greatness comes with a cost. A cost that sometimes might be somewhat challenging to bear.

I remember my Dad's story, how he couldn't raise one shilling to complete the procedures that would have earned him a study aid to pursue his academics and how life since then has being with all forms of twists and turns.

Left for my mum’s tenacity at petty trading and her ‘skills’ at borrowing from and paying back local money collectors that complemented my dad’s meagre earnings from the Railways, schooling would have being impossible.

I have long known i would have to do more than wishing to live my dream.

Yes, folks from poor homes do dream. I have a dream.

I have made some progress with my dream. I am not where i used to be. I am daily working and praying as the Bible proposes and i am confident that someday soon, the name Kayode Raphael Adegboye will be listed where it matters.