Adebisi Adu was a Nigerian professor. He is also the father of a talented singer named Sade Adu. Read further to know more and find out about the life and career of this celebrity parent and discover the reason behind his fame.
Personal Life
Adebisi Adu met his first wife, Anne Haynes in London when he was pursuing his education in London. Anne Haynes was a nurse in London. The couple dated for a while and got married in 1955. They became parents to two children, Sade and Banji. However, after the birth of their second child, the couple separated. Adebisi, then married two other people, a Swiss woman and a Afro-American woman later.
Education and Career
Adebisi Adu completed his education in London, he specialised in statistics and Economics. After his studies, Adebisi moved back to Nigeria and served as a lecturer at the University of Lagos, over the years he moved up the ranks and landed himself the Head of department position before retiring in 1975.
Death and Controversy Surrounding His Burial
Adebisi Adu sadly passed away in the year 1985 in his native state Ekiti State. His funeral was a chaotic event altogether. During, the burial the pastor took hold of the microphone and started demeaning the dead professor by saying derogatory things about him. He said that despite being such a well-educated man, there was nothing that Adebisi did for his community. This enraged his daughter, Sade which caused her to never return to her paternal homeland ever again.
His Daughter
Adebisi Adu’s daughter, Helen Folsade Adu better known as Sade is one of the most successful and talented British artists of all time. She was born on 16th January 1959 in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. She is of Nigerian-British descent. Her father belongs to the Yoruba clan and her mother was British. After her parents’ separation, Sade lived in Colchester, Essex with her mother and maternal grandparents.
She completed her schooling at Clacton County High School and Colchester Institute. She then pursued further studies in fashion design at Saint Martin’s School of Art.
After her education, Sade began taking up modelling gigs, she then, began her music career with the band ‘Pride’. She is best known for her song ‘Smooth Operator’ and her album ‘Lpver’s Rock’. Sade’s music was focused on smooth jazz, quiet storm, and soul genres. Besides being the recipient of several prestigious awards, Sade was also recognised with the Office Order of the British Empire and made Commander in 2017.
Facts about Adebisi Adu
- Adebisi Adu was one of the first statistics graduates in his country to have studied at a university level.
- Izaak Theo Adu is the grandson of Adebisi Adu through Sade Adu.
- Adebisi Adu’s daughter, Sade Adu was the first Nigerian born to win a Grammy Award for Best New Artist,
- His daughter, Sdae’s middle name Folasade, means ‘ crowned with wealth’ in the Yoruba language.
Conclusion
From the above reading, it is clear that Adebisi Adu was a man of great knowledge and willpower. To have made the achievement of being one of the first to be educated in a poorly educated is truly a remarkable thing to have done.