[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 185 (Wednesday, December 10, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2365-E2366]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO MR. JAMES BABATUNDE ADEGBOYE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CORRINE BROWN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 10, 2008

  Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize a man who stood in the forefront of helping to propel his 
countrymen to a sense of moral and ethical courage through the giving 
and sharing of one's talents for the good of the society in which he 
lived On behalf of the people of the great State of Florida, I stand 
today to recognize the personal and professional accomplishments of a 
man who loved his country and his family, and gave unselfishly of his 
time and talents to make a better place for all.
  Mr. James Babatunde Adegboye, a great family man and a financial 
expert passed on November 26, 2008, at the University of Florida & 
Shands Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida.

[[Page E2366]]

Mr. Adegboye studied accountancy in England in 1979, and qualified as a 
chartered accountant in 1981. For the love of his native land he turned 
down offers to work in England and went back to his native Nigeria to 
contribute to the development of the accounting profession in his 
country, at a time when the Government of Nigeria was clamoring for 
indigenous participation in the Nigerian economy. He worked in various 
firms to include Colgate Palmolive, Smurfit Cases, Associated 
Breweries, and West African Breweries as accountant and later as 
financial controller. These are companies that are either American 
firms or are affiliated with American firms. In 1988 he joined Hull 
Blyth Nigerian Limited, the parent company for Elder Dempster Shipping 
Agencies, African Steamship Company, and Blue Funnel Nigerian Limited. 
During his sojourn at the company, he developed the company's IT 
capabilities and facilities through the computerization of the 
invoicing processes, introduction of secured and efficient e-mail and 
container tracking applications. He also raised the company's staff 
pension funds. James Adegboye also served on the boards of various 
philanthropic organizations, and he provided scholarships for children 
of poor families.
  Mr. Adegboye was an extremely successful businessman and with his 
family, operated a family business named Jimland Investments Limited, 
with corporate headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. Jimland Investments is a 
general trading company and business house offering substantial trading 
opportunities to local, regional, national, and international 
organizations on partnerships, consultancy, and joint ventures.
  James Adegboye will be missed not only by members of his family, but 
by many in the Nigerian community. He was a great humanitarian, and a 
role model for business and political leaders throughout the African 
continent. Mr. Adegboye is survived by his brother in the United 
States, Adekunle Sogbesan; two wives, Simisola Adegboye and Oluwatoyin 
Adegboye, as well as six children; Olajide, Mayaowa, Adekunle, Olawole, 
Yetunde, and Enitan Adegboye.

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