Biography of Bode Agusto
Mubasheer Olabode Akangbe Agusto was born to Kudirat Olande Ashabi Agusto and Basheer-ud-Deen Adewale Agusto on the 14th of September 1955 at Creek Hospital, Lagos. His mother was from the Lawal-Kakawa family of Olowogbowo, Lagos. His father was from the Agusto family of Bamgbose Street, Brazilian Quarters/Popo Aguda, Lagos. He also had a stepmother, Edna May Agusto from Cambridge, England, who was affectionately known as Iya Rere. His maternal grandparents were Raliat Lawal-Kakawa and Murithalabi Lawal-Kakawa. His paternal grandparents were Hanat Agusto and the great Chief Imam Mohammed Lawal Basil Agusto, QC. His paternal great-grandmother, the mother of Chief Imam M L B Agusto, was Ajoke Aneedu.
Bode considered his grandfather, Chief Imam M L B Agusto, QC, to have had the greatest influence on his life. In his words, his grandfather “was the first generation of educated persons in our family, who worked hard to send himself to the school of pharmacy (and later on The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, one of the four Inns of Court in England). Whatever we have achieved in this family today (referring to the Agusto family), it was because of him. A man who sent himself to school and got to the pinnacle of his career. That has always been a big inspiration for me”.
At the time of his birth, Bode had three older siblings: his brother Basheer Adetokunbo Agusto; his sister Harrisat Carole Atinuke Agusto; and his sister Mudafiat Olanrewaju Agusto-Brown.
Later on, he gained four younger siblings: his sister Olufunlola Kafayat Aderinokun née Agusto; his brother Oluwatofarati Najmudeen ‘Papai’ Agusto, his brother Obafunmilayo Shakirudeen Agusto and his youngest brother Abdulrahman Olaonipekun Agusto. He also had a sister-aunt, Mubarakat Abiola Agusto-Agoro.
Bode also grew up with many of his cousins including Dr. Tajudeen Ayodele Kekere-Ekun, Akin Kekere-Ekun, Kafayat Olabenjo née King, Gboyega Ademola, Busola Olotu née Ademola and Toyin Anifowoshe. In later years, he forged a close relationship with other cousins such as, Bisade Biobaku, Lekan Biobaku, Idunnu Oyebolu, Biola Ogunbiyi, Ade Odutola and Olubi Johnson.
Bode received his primary education at St. Peter’s Faji School, Lagos from 1961 to 1968. Some of his friends and classmates at St. Peter’s include the late Rotimi Otubela, the late Akin Osho, the late Prince Ademola Adeniji-Adele and notably his future wife, the late Adetoun Adebowale Adeyemi. While at St. Peter’s, he was a member of the Wolf Cub club – the junior Boy Scouts. He was also active in various sports such as football, table tennis and swimming. Bode was an outstanding scholar in primary school.
After his primary education, he went on to Methodist Boys’ High School (MBHS), Broad Street, Lagos for his secondary education. He attended MBHS for five years from 1968 to 1972, when he passed out with his O-Levels. While at MBHS, he was an active member of the Boy Scout Movement and the Historical Society. He also played football, tennis and basketball. His friends and classmates at MBHS include the late Rotimi Otubela, the late Tayo Kamson, Akin Akintoye, Stan Adeyemi, Tokunbo Famoroti, Aboaba Adeoye, Bolaji Ipaye, Tajudeen Animashaun, and notably Fola Adeola, with whom he walked the journey of life until the very end.
After MBHS, Bode went on to St. Gregory’s College, Lagos where he studied economics, history and English literature for his A-Levels. He played football, basketball and some chess. His friends at St. Gregory’s College include the late Tayo Aderinokun who went on to marry his younger sister, Deinde Brown who went on to marry his older sister, Nelson Bola Oyesiku – a lifelong friend who provided invaluable support to him in the final months of his life, Tosin Shobo, Jimi Agbaje, Aboaba Adeoye, Bode Karunwi, Philip Trimnell, Yemi Cardoso, Cyril Chukwumah, John Oshilaja, Bolaji Ipaye and Taiwo Soares amongst others. He passed out with his A-Levels in June 1974.
After St. Gregory’s College, Bode was admitted to the University of Lagos to study accounting, which was a bit unusual at the time, for someone who was considered an arts student in secondary school. He graduated from the University of Lagos with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting in 1977. Some of his friends at the University of Lagos were Lekan Belo and Diji Fashoro.
Upon graduation from university, he signed up for National Youth Service during which he served at UTC Motors, Aba in the then Imo State. Bode enjoyed his time in the East during his Youth Service immensely and picked up a working knowledge of the Igbo language. Even in his sixties, he still spoke fondly about how he traversed the length and breadth of the East and could still point out places like Control Post in Owerri.
After his National Youth Service, he started his professional career as an Articled Clerk at Price Waterhouse, Lagos in 1978. During his time at Price Waterhouse, he held a variety of roles in the audit, tax and consulting departments in the Lagos and London offices. Bode qualified as a chartered accountant in May 1981, winning Third Prize in the Overall Order of Merit. He was inducted as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in 1991. His colleagues and friends at Price Waterhouse include Femi Akingbe, Yemi Adeola, Fred Ashiabor, Oluwande Muoyo, Yemisi Ayeni, Remi Odunlami, Eyamba Henshaw, Emeka Ndu, Ben Akabueze, Kenneth Odusanya, Ede Osayande and Chukwuma Okolo amongst others.