1. Chief Akinola Maja was a Nigerian medical doctor, businessman, philanthropist and politician who was president of the Nigerian Youth Movement from 1944 to 1951.
14 Facts About Akinola Maja
1. 2.
Akinola Maja later became president of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa in 1953.
3.
Chief Maja held the chieftaincy titles of the Baba Eko and the Jagunmolu of Orile-Ijaiye.
4.
Akinola Maja briefly worked for the colonial government before going into private practice to set up his own clinic.
5.
Akinola Maja's father, James Adaramaja Pearce, was a carpenter, while his mother was a bread seller.
6.
Akinola Maja's father died young, and he was picked as the one child to be extensively educated and look after the rest of the family thereafter.
7.
Akinola Maja's mother saved enough money to send him to school overseas.
8.
Akinola Maja had excelled academically and was due to be awarded a prize for best student at the graduation ceremony.
9.
Akinola Maja was made to wait as the faculty confirmed that he had indeed won the prize for his academic results.
10.
Akinola Maja took an oath that none of his descendants would have non-Nigerian surnames, a tradition which is still carried on today by the male members of the Maja family.
11.
Akinola Maja was a director of the National Investment and Properties Company used by the Action Group as a source of campaign finance.
12.
Akinola Maja was married to Chief Comfort Obasa Akinola Maja, a daughter of Prince Orisadipe Obasa.
13.
Chief Obasa Akinola Maja was the Erelu Kuti of Lagos, a chieftaincy title that made her the reigning queen mother of that kingdom.
14.
Akinola Maja's son, Dr Oladipo Maja was a well-known doctor and philanthropist who set up the Maja Eye Hospital, whose charitable arm recruited the services of prominent ophthalmic surgeons to carry out free surgery for the blind and visually impaired.