Celebrating people who are worth celebration is a norm; it cannot be overestimated. A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West, Prince Diran Odeyemi, clocked another year on Wednesday, 21st May, 2025.
Prince Odeyemi, Ibokun-born journalist, administrator and philanthropist, popularly known as D’Roy, can be described as a pillar of politics in Obokun/Oriade constituency of Osun State.
He is a philanthropist of note, giving to the orphans and sponsoring educational dreams of the needy.
Odeyemi Oladiran Mackson, a thoroughbred Ijesa man, is from Ibokun, headquarters of Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, but he was born in Ile-Ife, Osun State, in 1962.
Those who know this journalist-cum politician have attested to his antecedents, right from the time he was a pupil until he worked assiduously in the media before joining politics and engaging in philanthropic activities.
Odeyemi attended St. Bernard’s Primary School, Ile-Ife for his Primary School Certificate between 1969 and 1974. He proceeded to St. John’s Grammar School, Ile-Ife for his General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level between 1975 and June 1979.
Between 1980 and 1982, he attended the Ogun State College of Education’s School of Basic Studies, Ijebu-Ode for his GCE Advanced Level.
Also, between 1983 and 1986, he went to the University of Ibadan to acquire a B.A (Hons.) degree in Language and Communication Arts.
Being a man with strong appetite for educational attainments, he jetted out of the country in 1997 to South London University for a Post-Graduate Diploma in Information Technology and Housing Management, which he completed in 2000.
While in the United Kingdom (UK), he also acquired other trainings. These include Policy and Strategic Studies, Customer Service Relations, Staff Management and Supervision.
An award winning journalist of many decades standing, Odeyemi speaks English and Yoruba fluently. He also possesses excellent human relations qualities.
During his career as a journalist, Prince Odeyemi, between 1986 and 1987 was a Reporter with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Abuja, during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) engagement.
Between 1988 and 1989 he was a reporter with the defunct Concord Press Nigeria Limited, Ibadan Office, where he acquitted himself creditably as one of the revered newspaper’s reporters in the South-West region of the country.
Between 1990 and 1993, Prince Odeyemi was the Osun State Correspondent of the Sam Amuka owned Vanguard Newspapers.
He later became the Oyo State Correspondent of Vanguard Newspapers between 1993 and 1997. Between 1997 and 2006, he was again in the United Kingdom where he worked as Housing Officer at Richmond Housing Trust in London.
Odeyemi was to still work for Nigeria between 1999 and 2005 when he became a Columnist/Reporter of the prestigious Nigerian Tribune (England Confidential on Sundays). He was Political Editor, Focus Magazine UK; and Columnist, Nigeriaworld.com.
In January 2006, he was appointed the Special Adviser to Former Oyo State Governor, the late Adebayo Alao-Akala, on Communication and Strategy, a position he held till December 2006.
In May 2007, he was appointed as Special Adviser to Governor Alao-Akala on Special Duties. He was in that position till May 2011.
With his dexterity and deep knowledge of the South-West region, Prince Odeyemi was, in December of 2012, again made the Director of Media, Research and Strategy of the Osun State PDP and Director, Crown FM, Ile-Ife. He held those positions till 2015.
Odeyemi again returned to London in 2016. He became a student at the London School of Business Management between 2016 and 2017. Between 2018 and 2021, he was back in Nigeria and served as the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of PDP.
During his career, Prince Odeyemi won many awards. He was Reporter of the Year, 1994 (Oyo State NUJ Council). He received Award of Excellence (1996) of the Oyo State NUJ Council. He was also Nigeria Journalist of the Year 2003 of the Nigerians Resident in UK.
Odeyemi also bagged Special Merit Award of the PDP, UK in 2005, apart from winning the Excellent International Journalist of the Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (FIBAN), 2005.
He also has to his credit the Media Personality of the Year 2005 (Oasis International Promotions UK Association of Nigeria, Oyo Zone), apart from also bagging the Philanthropist of the Year, 2009 (Club 97 Ibokun) in Osun State.
Prince Odeyemi is the Outstanding Personality of the Year 2009, Radio, Television and Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) and he holds the Meritorious Award for Excellence 2010 of the Mellanby Hall of the University of Ibadan.
The man, who has been described as an Icon of Humanitarian Services 2021 by the Arewa Youth Advocacy for Good Governance, is married with children. He has deep interest in politics, philanthropic activities, meeting people, soccer and music.
Today, the Ibokun born-political enigma, a force to be recon with in the Osun Politics, the fear of Duran Odeyemi is the begining of wisdom for any political gladiator. His tutelage under, the first governor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke, Chief Alao-Akala, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and his friendly relationship with former Governors like Ayo Fayose, Wike and other governors have enriched his political mathematics. As a political editor in the defunct National Concord Newspaper and Vagurd Newspaper, he has the intellectual visualisation of politics. His integrity and reputations are adorable. Today, Prince Odeyemi is recognised as the political generalismo of Ijesa North Federal Constituency.
As Prince Odeyemi clocks 63, our prayer is that he lives longer to serve humanity the more. Happy birthday, Prince.
*Abiola, Ph.D, writes from Ilare-Ijesa, Osun State.
