Rotimi Adelola

A Psychologist in Business and Consulting

Adelola studied social sciences at the University of Ife, psychology at the University of Lagos and organisational psychology at the University of Ibadan, and says he has worked across academia, manufacturing, consultancy, financial services, oil and gas and the public sector. A published profile lists lecturing posts at Ondo State University and the University of Ibadan, and later work as a personnel psychologist, management consultant, bank executive and oil and gas chief executive. It also lists executive training at Harvard Kennedy School and several other institutions. Those career details come from the profile and were not independently confirmed here, so no dates are given for them.

Secretary to the State Government, 2009 to 2017

Mimiko appointed him Secretary to the Ondo State Government on March 19, 2009, succeeding Isaac Kekemeke, and he held the post until February 24, 2017, when Ifedayo Abegunde succeeded him. He was reappointed after Mimiko’s re-election. The Secretary to the State Government is the senior civil-service post in a state’s administration. Specific policy decisions he took in office were not found in the reports reviewed, so none are described.

From Government House to Film

After leaving office in 2017, Adelola trained as a film producer at the Mainframe Film and Media Institute in Abeokuta, a school run by the veteran filmmaker Tunde Kelani, and set up Number 9 Film Studio. His first film, Kedere (No Hiding Place), directed by Adebayo Tijani, launched the studio, and Mimiko was guest of honour at its premiere. The film’s themes include the effect of careless statements parents make to children, the danger of jealousy and the need for care in workplace suggestions. Explaining the move, he said, “I believe that the most effective tool for social change now is movies.”

The New Patriots

His second film, The New Patriots, is a political action drama set in a fictional country, the Republic of Aruguna, where young people answer a corrupt political order with what the film calls a positive and nonviolent revolution. It was co-directed by Adebayo Tijani and Terry Ayebo, with a cast including Akin Lewis, Lateef Adedimeji, Bimbo Oshin and Dele Odule, and was screened at his studio on May 15, 2021, before going into cinemas in June 2021. It was also officially selected in the drama feature category for the Five Continents International Film Festival in Venezuela, where it was described as the only African feature chosen for that edition; no award was reported.

Psychology of Success

His 2026 book argues that people can develop their capacity to respond to hardship even when they cannot control their circumstances. He defines success broadly, to include psychological well-being, relationships, ethical conduct and contribution to society, and lists five requirements for success in Nigeria: adaptive thinking, competence development, resourcefulness, social capital and ethical resilience. Each chapter ends with a workbook. These are the author’s claims, and the book’s effect on readers has not been assessed.

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