Since the past months, Nigerians online – especially on Twitter – have been quite taken by Kunle Adeyanju, a 44-year-old biker who embarked on a brave, adventurous journey riding from London to Lagos as part of the Rotary International’s “End Polio” campaign. A widely celebrated feat, he has garnered a large fanbase and praise, including one from the Microsoft co-founder who described him as ‘incredible‘. He was also conferred with the Are Aniyikaiye of Offa Land by His Royal Majesty, Oba Mufutau Muhammed Oloyede Gbadamosi, Okikiola Esuwoye II, the Olofa of Offa.
Based in London, Adeyanju began his journey to Lagos in April, travelling for 41 days through 13 countries on his bike with the flag ‘End Polio Now’. His documentation of the journey on Twitter has earned him some popularity on social media with selfies of himself and local people and officials in the countries he drove through. On the last lap of his journey from London, he was joined by a group of bikers from Togo who wanted to support the cause. And on his arrival in Lagos, he was received in Nigeria with a lot of fanfare.
Departing London on April 16, the Nigerian biker rode over 8,000 miles to Lagos to raise funds on behalf of Rotary International’s fight against the disease. In an interview with the biker, he mentioned that the self-funded trip was motivated by a friend’s experience battling the disease. He mentioned that the journey was a way of letting people know that Polio is still a threat in Africa. In his campaign, he hoped to gain 20 million to support Rotary International’s war against polio and further raise awareness about the disease.
Recounting his ordeal in the Sahara Desert, where he almost died of thirst and heard strange voices, Adeyanju revealed that not every part of the journey was rosy and filled with smiling faces. He also mentioned how he was refused entry at the Cote D’Ivoire border. He calls it the most arduous journey he has ever taken and said he was happy that he had received so much support and made it back alive.
Adeyanju is a writer and entrepreneur and a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he bagged a bachelor’s degree. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Arizona in Business Administration, specialising in Social Entrepreneurship. When he was an undergraduate student, he joined the Rotary club and has since made humanitarian pursuits.
He is a motivational speaker and has voiced his interest in humanity’s well-being. He is the author of the book My Escapades on Kili where he gave a recount of his journey to the tallest mountain in Africa, Kilimanjaro, and Great Thinkers, a collection of the wisdom of successful world leaders. He is also known for sharing ideas on his blog, The Pelicans. He is now at work on a book about his last trip titled London to Lagos: The Journey of a Lion Heart.
Being an adventurous person, Adeyanju has toured several countries. Some of which include South Korea, Mexico, Japan, and Jerusalem. Adeyanju’s desire to travel was borne by an innate passion for exploring different cultures and peoples. He shared on Twitter that his next trip is overland from Lagos to Israel and Tibet, in a bid to climb Mount Everest.
For many that did not witness the legend of Olabisi Ajala, perhaps, the journeys of Adeyanju might be another way of understanding the feat of the famed globetrotter.