HON. BARRISTER (DR) OLUMUYIWA SYLVESTER ADU: A Beacon of Compassion in a Cabal World That Neglects The Poor
on February 07, 2026
By Sunday Ajibola
Some ways of life are common to people everywhere. Go to Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, or Oceania, and the thoughts and attitudes of the rich and wealthy toward the poor are largely the same. The less privileged are hardly given any thought. Most of the well-to-do regard the poor as lazy and unfortunate people who should be kept at arm’s length.
The situation is even worse in this part of the world. While people in other regions provide infrastructure for all to enjoy, such privileges are neither available nor accessible to everyone here. The poor are often regarded as the scum of the earth and are treated accordingly.
However, in the last century, there were men and women who did not conform to this norm. They treated the less privileged as human beings, accorded them respect, and used their wealth to make life meaningful and worth living. We had M. K. O. Abiola, who became legendary on account of his generosity to the poor and needy. Baba Adedibu of Ibadan was a first-class giver. In Akure, Dayo Komolafe, alias Expensive, became the darling of men, women, and the young alike because of his free-giving disposition. These lovers of the people were famous not through the media, but the chorus of gratitude from their beneficiaries.
In recent times, however, there has been a void—a vacuum. The poor have been neglected and left to carry their cross alone. There has been a dearth of men whose hearts overflow with compassion for the less privileged. The rich have chosen to ignore the poor, to their own “misfortune.”
However, an individual has taken it upon himself to champion the cause of the poor and needy. The most gratifying aspect of this individual’s habit is that he has never—I repeat, never—held public office in his life. When I first started hearing his name, as a helper of the masses, I thought it was a flash in the pan, so I kept watching to see how long he could sustain it.
Three years ago, I called a fastidious and censorious acquaintance of his and asked, “This guy people are hailing as being caring—how real is he?” He responded, “Egbon, the guy is the real deal. Ó ń tọju àwọn aláìní. Ó ń ná owó bí ẹni pé óńi ero to nte owo.”
(He cares for the poor. He spends money as if he prints it.)
Barrister Olumuyiwa Adu has become a household name in this area. His fame is not derived from misdeeds, politicking, or any form of notoriety. The neglected, the poor, and the needy are his image makers. They are telling the world about the rich man, who is caring for them. He treats them with the faithfulness of one bound by oath. Adu’s commitment to caring for the people is second to none.
I have heard numerous stories about his large-heartedness. There was a young man to whom he gave ₦2.5 million for his education. A good number of other students are on his scholarship. I also learned that his house has become a Mecca of sorts for the suffering. As long as he is in town, he attends to all, doling out hundreds of thousands of naira in cash.
A young man once described Barrister Adu, whom people have given the appellation Cubana on account of the depth of his riches, thus:
“Adu Cubana is a philanthropist, no doubt about that. That is his calling. It comes naturally to him.”
Another man I encountered during my civil service days said, “Cubana enjoys giving to the people. I am sure that if he does not give, he cannot be happy.”
Barrister Olumuyiwa Adu is of Akure origin, one of those upon whom fortune has smiled outside the state. He is among the men changing the narrative surrounding the wrong perceptions of Akure sons and daughters. The traits to excel had always been there in him. Since he left Akure in the mid-1980s to join the Army, he has been building equipping himself for the future. He emerged as the best overall graduating cadet of the NDA Set of 1987 and later became a lawyer before venturing into the business world. The heavens have indeed favored him.
Barrister Adu has carved a niche for himself, raised the bar of compassion, and surpassed it. Through his charitable disposition, numerous individuals have become homeowners, university graduates, and successful businessmen and women. He is expending his God-given wealth to wipe away the tears of many and replace their sadness with smiles. Barrister Olumuyiwa Adu is the real deal when it comes to assisting the poor and needy.
At a time when compassion seems to have taken flight from the hearts of many, it is gratifying to have Barrister Olumuyiwa Adu, alias Cubana, as a symbol of compassion.
The poor and less privileged are fortunate to have him. Barrister (Dr.) Olumuyiwa Sylvester Adu is a blessing to this generation—his generation. May God bless him.
Sunday Ajibola writes from Akure, Ondo State.
