ABILOYE, OLUTADE MARTINS, an indigene of Ipe-Akoko in Akoko South-East Local Government Area of Ondo State, was born forty four years ago to Chief Jacob and Mrs Agnes Abiloye of the Iba clan in Ipe Akoko.
An MBA graduate of the Manchester Business School of the University of Manchester, United Kingdom, Martins Abiloye had previously graduated upper second with honours from the English and Language arts department of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-ife Nigeria. Prior to this, he attended the African Church Grammar School and the St. Mark's Primary School both in Oka Akoko. Today, he sits atop as the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Mart Signatures Nigeria Ltd, a business concern he founded in 2005 involved in Petroleum marketing, Dredging, equipment leasing, Imports and Oilfield Logistics based in Port-Harcourt and in business relationship with Industry giants as Oando Plc, Conoil Plc, Chevron Nig ltd, Masters Energy and so on! Mr Abiloye is a family man, happily married and blessed with children.
Martin's story is the typical African story- Raised under humble parenting with values from the heartland in a strong family where hard work and education are believed to be necessary means of getting ahead and the conviction that a life so blessed should be lived in service to others. Martins belong to a breed who are able to situate their skill, experience and knowledge within the social realities of their time especially as they concern the political economy and the overall well being of the common man.
Mr. Abiloye's knack for organizing a people towards emancipating them for better lives predates his work or ''comfortable'' years as evident in his single-handedly organizing like-minded compatriots of Ipe descent in institutions of higher learning in the early 90's into what is today known as the Federation of Ipe Students' Association. As a founder and pioneer leader of this group, he with other leaders of similar federations in Akoko land also synergized to birth the National Association of Akoko South-East Students with the sole aim of engaging the local government authorities, lobbying the State government and Encouraging Private Individuals towards supporting the education advancement of Akoko students by awarding grants and scholarships. It is on record that the group under Martins Olutade Abiloye's leadership learnt to give back to the community by organising free extra-mural classes for secondary school pupils and school leavers writing or re-writing qualifying exams of WAEC and JAMB with the attendant modest achievement of increasing the National enrolment statistics of Akoko students in Institutions of higher learning in the 90's.
Upon graduation, Martins Abiloye taught English at a community school in Lagos, had a brief stint as an admin executive in the law firm of chief Gani Fawehinmi of blessed memory before finally joining one of the nation's leading oil producing and marketing firm where he worked for 7 years as a supplies, distribution and logistics executive. It is while here that he eventually cut his teeth as a budding entrepreneur, business administrator and management expert. Martins would recall with Nostalgia that the oil firm only hired him because of a commendation letter he presented from the then Benue State governor George Akume, which was given on account of his ' unusual' community service during his NYSC days having donated all of his "allowee" – as corpers called their monthly stipends those days to stocking the Library of the school he taught for his primary assignment! He eventually got a state award as the best corper for that year.
Mr. Abiloye's regal perch as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Mart Signature Ltd has provided him with the opportunity to touch lives and impact his community.
Abiloye considered education as the most potent weapon against poverty and established a structure that has awarded scholarship worth over N100 million to over 500 students from villages across Akoko South East Local Government Area in Ondo State. He is a role model for the youths and exemplary son of Akoko land. He caters for the widowed, aged and poor with the resources entrusted to him by God. Specifically, the annual Jacob Abiloye multi-million naira social intervention scheme was instituted to empower youths and advance educational development in the local government. It was designed to benefit undergraduates from Ipe, Isua, Ifira, Ipesi, Sosan and Epinmi towns in tertiary institutions across the country.
On the annual scholarship award scheme, Mr. Abiloye, who instituted the scheme in honour of his father, High Chief Jacob Abiloye, the Olu-Odepo of Iba Ipe, a community leader, said that he choose education as the vehicle to impact the society because of its limitless powers. "You know what education can do to any human being. I choose education as a vehicle through which I can touch lives because I want a limitless impact; education will enable beneficiaries understand the philosophy behind the action and urge them to replicate it". Over the past 14 years, Jacob Abiloye Foundation has spent over N100 million on its annual scholarship scheme.
Martins' guiding principle has always been malice towards none, charity for all, firmness in the truth and the right, and as God gives us, we must strive towards service to humanity. He had said during this last Ipe day celebrations that 'I have seen, tasted and experienced poverty!, I have therefore sworn on the altar of God, eternal hostility against every form of poverty over man. For poverty of the mind, we will bring education, for poverty of the spirit, we will encourage spiritual emancipation, and for physical poverty of lack, we will bring financial empowerment and dignity of labour through the provision of smart work.
Mr. Abiloye's many strides in associating with his roots has caught the attention of all and as such has been severally recognized in the form of various awards such as
Media Award as Distinguished Role Model in Educational And Community Development by the National Support Programme Media Link, Leadership Award on Educational Development in Ondo State, by the Akoko chapel of the Ondo State branch of NUJ, Senior Advocate of the masses by the National Association of Ondo State Student(NAOSS)
Awards of Cardinal of Integrity by the National Association of Akoko South/East Students (NAASES) of various Chapters
In response to several entreaties from various groups including community/opinion leaders, youth groups, market women and Royalty, Mr Abiloye Olutade Martins has finally accepted to offer himself for further representation of his people at the platform of the National assembly and as such will be contesting for a seat at the Federal house of representatives in the Akoko South east/West Federal Constituency.
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