Chief (Surveyor) Olukunle Akinola, former Surveyor-General of Lagos State, has died. He passed peacefully on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at the age of 94.
Chief Akinola was a pioneer public servant whose professional excellence and integrity helped shape modern land administration in Lagos State. His life was defined by service, humility, and a deep commitment to community and family values.
A tribute posted by his grandson, Dr. Oluwaseun Akinola, on forevermissed.com described him as a “patriarch, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend,” celebrating his enduring legacy of love and kindness. “Our grandfather lived! His legacy will never die,” the tribute read in part.
His eldest son, Professor Oluwarotimi Akinola, an eminent obstetrician and gynaecologist, also reflected on his father’s impactful life, describing him as “ever so unassuming, meticulous, gracious, loving, kind, and accommodating.” He added: “You have lived a good life, run your race, and fought the good fight with all your might… to live in the heart of those you loved is not to die.”
Born on October 31, 1931, in Ipaja, Lagos, Chief Akinola’s life journey reflected dedication to excellence and public service. Educated at St. Andrew’s Primary School, Ipaja, and CMS Grammar School, Lagos, he earned a government scholarship to study at the Federal Survey School, Oyo, and later advanced his studies at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Enugu, the South-West Technology College, London, and the Geographical Survey Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
In 1964, he became one of the first Nigerians to qualify as a Chartered Surveyor through the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), after which he taught at the Federal Survey School, Oyo. Following the creation of Lagos State in 1967, he joined its public service and rose to become the first substantive Surveyor-General of Lagos State (1975–1983). He later served as Supervisory Councillor for Works and Housing, Ikeja Local Government, and retired in 1987 as Coordinating Director, Lands and Survey Services.
Beyond public service, Chief Akinola was deeply involved in community development. He chaired the Ipaja Community Development Association for six years and served as Director, Ipaja Community Bank Limited (1994–2004).
He is survived by six children, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other relatives. The family expressed gratitude for his long and impactful life, describing him as “a man who touched countless lives with love, kindness, and wisdom.”
Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family in due course.
