Meet High Chief Kasali Yusuf, the New Abese of Ogbomoso Land
Ogbomoso- High Chief Kasali Oladipo Yusuf was born in the early 1960s to the family of Alhaji and Alhaja Ayinla Oladipo Yusuf of Abese Royal House, Oke Agbede Ogbomoso.j
Like other children in his community, Kasali’s parents insisted on him gaining formal education, he was enrolled into Masifa DC Primary school, Ogbomoso in 1969.
In primary school, the young Kasali showed flashes of academic brilliance, intellectual prowess and the knack to succeed hence, he passed with flying colours in 1974 and received First School Leaving Certificate. In fact, he was made the Headboy of the School.
He enrolled into Anglican Secondary Modern School Ogbomoso and later went to Ahmadiyya Seconday School, Kano, where he obtained Grade1 in O’ Level School Certificate in 1980.
He proceeded to Federal Government College, Kano, for his A’Level and left in 1982. He was elected as a Prefect in Federal Government College, Kano as a mark of his fledgling leadership quality.
Thereafter, he was admitted at the University of Ibadan where he bagged B. A. (Hons) History/Political Science in 1986. He was elected as a member of Students Representatives Council(SRC) 1984/85 session.
He was also the Secretary of Ogbomoso Students Union, University of Ibadan Branch 1984/85. He did his national youth service in Kwara State.
He was again, admitted to University of Ibadan for a Master’s degree in Political Science (Public Administration). He graduated in 1988. In fact, his research works was on Bureaucracy and Political Development in Nigeria (1966-1979).
On the 27th of October, 1989, he was enlisted into the Nigerian Prisons Service as a Deputy Superintendent. He worked in various capacities across Nigeria such as in Kano state, Ile-Ife in Osun state, Ado-Ekiti, Ilorin in Kwara state, Daura in Katsina state and Kuje Abuja.FCT
The maxim that a golden fish has no hiding place sufficed when in 2006, he was appointed to the Office of the Controller General of Prisons as Special Assistant and Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to the Controller General of Prisons, until 2012 when he was posted to the FCT command as the Controller in Charge.
In 2014, he was redeployed to Anambra state until 2015 when he was deployed to take charge of Deradicalization Programme under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
In 2016, he was redeployed to Oyo state command as in-charge of the state; and in 2018, he was posted to Zone F in Ibadan as Assistant Controller General of Prisons (covering Oyo, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States).
In 2019, he was confirmed and moved to Headquarters as Acting Deputy Controller-General.
Kasali’s career progression in the Nigerian Prisons Service was meteoric.
Aside NPS, he attended numerous courses both local and international. Some of which are the Counter-Revolutionary Warfare Course in the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna state; Military-biased course at the Nigerian Army Infantry Centre and School, Jaji, Kaduna state; Command course at Prison Staff College, Kaduna; and Advanced Command Course at the Prison Academy, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun state.
He was part of a delegation on study tour of North Carolina State Department of Corrections and Prisons in the United States of America in 2008.
Also in 2009, he was part of another study tour of Public Private Partnership in managing prisons in Her Majesty Prison in Artcourse, Liverpool, United Kingdom and Mangun Prison in South Africa.
He also attended numerous workshops and seminars organized by the ICRC, Department for International Development (DFID), on administration of criminal justice act which was held in Ibadan, Uyo and Abuja in 2015, among others.
Kasali has won numerous awards among which are the exemplary award for leadership at the Command Course 2007 at Prison Staff College; Leadership award at the Advanced Command Course at Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun state; Rotaract District 911 Award on good example to youth in 2012 and many others.
He is a member of the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) which took him to Singapore in August,2011 and the African Correctional Services Association (ACSA).
He eventually disengaged from Federal Government Service as Acting Deputy Controller General in 2021.
Having assessed his love for his home town and commitment to the Royal family household through the positive impacts he has made by empowering the youths both at home, State and Nigeria, he was so identified and recognized.
The late Soun of Ogbomoso land, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi CON,CFR, AJAGUNGBADE III, through Abese Royal family nomination, installed him as High Chief Abese of Ogbomoso land on 15th November, 2019 in an elaborate traditional ceremony in Soun’s Palace.
Subsequently, he received the graciousness of The Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Engr. Seyi Makinde, MNSE, who gave his approval and sealed the appointment with the presentation of staff of office, with the Royal support and blessings of His Imperial Majesty, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, ORUMOGEGE III, in a modest ceremony today, Wednesday, 31st of January, 2024.
Chief Alhaji Kasali Oladipo Yusuf, ACG (rtd.) therefore, got initiated into the tradition of Kingmakers being the primary responsibility of the title.
He now manages business outfits dealing with hospitality, General Contracts and estates management.
He is married to his heartthrob, Olori Serifat Gbemisola Yusuf and blessed with children.
