Political Family: The Akande’s three decades in government

Few Nigerian political families have stayed as continuously present in government as the Akandes of Osun State. What started with Chief Bisi Akande’s rise through Oyo State’s civil service in the late 1970s has stretched, through his children and their spouses, into federal agencies still running today a span of well over three decades. Here’s a look at four members of the family who’ve held office.

1. Adebisi Akande : The Patriarch

Chief Adebisi “Bisi” Akande’s career in government began long before he became a household name. He served as Secretary to the State Government of the old Oyo State, then became Deputy Governor of Oyo State from 1982 to 1983 under Governor Bola Ige. After a long stretch out of office during military rule, he returned to elected politics as Governor of Osun State from 1999 to 2003 on the Alliance for Democracy platform. His political career didn’t end there: he went on to chair the Alliance for Democracy, then the Action Congress, then the Action Congress of Nigeria for eleven consecutive years between 2003 and 2014, before becoming the founding Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress.

2. Femi Akande: Attorney-General, Osun State

Bisi Akande’s son, Femi Akande, carried the family’s presence in Osun State government into the next generation. He was sworn in as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Osun State, serving under the administrations of Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola.

3. Bolaji Akintola: Federal Inland Revenue Service

Bisi Akande’s daughter, Bolaji Akintola, built a career in Nigeria’s federal tax administration. She rose to Coordinating Director of the Corporate Services Group at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and continues in a senior executive role — now as Executive Director, Medium and Emerging Taxpayers — at the agency’s successor, the Nigeria Revenue Service.

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4. Clement Akintola: National Pension Commission

Bisi Akande’s son-in-law, Clement Oyedele Akintola, was confirmed by the Senate in 2020 as a National Commissioner at the National Pension Commission (PenCom), representing the South-West zone, and later served as Executive Commissioner overseeing the Inspectorate function. He held the role until his death in 2024.