I am Tadese Ismael Obaloluwa FAFORIJI, Muslim, Yoruba, a student of History, tourist, presenter, and budding writer. I established TADEXPROF on April 6, 2021, to basically serve as a platform to develop my emerging skills by documenting and publishing history-related articles. I’ve since then transitioned to writing about historical sites, visiting attractions and encouraging local tourism through content creation. (search categories)
Contents
Tadese Faforiji: Early Life
I was born on May 31, 2000, to a royal family of Clement Oyebode Faforji of Amuye-Faforiji. I was born in Ayinrin Alamuye, a satelite of Amuye-Faforiji in Atakunmosa East Local Government, Osun State, Nigeria. My father, then the Loja of Alamuye, was a father and mum used to be a farmer, and a petty trader also. I attended Toluwani Nursery and Primary School in Ayinrin Alamuye before the school later folded around 2007. I then joined a new thriving school in the village, For Better Tomorrow Group of School (FBTS). I formally had my primary education at FBTS iand graduated in 2011
I began my secondary education at Ayinrin Adedeji Grammar School in 2011, where I completed my Junior School levels. I later transferred to Igangan Community Grammar School, Igangan-Ijesha, for my senior secondary education and graduated in 2017.
My life changed drastically in JSS 2 when I lost my father on August 17, 2012, at the age of 12. His death was the most devastating experience of my early years. Before then, I had enjoyed the stability and financial support he provided. I was often among the few students able to buy the required textbooks in my class. But after his passing, everything became difficult. I quickly felt the need to stand on my own so that my mother would not feel overwhelmed. I began supporting myself by working on the farm and, whenever possible, contributing small amounts at home. This part of my journey remains an untold story for many.
I officially relocated to Igangan on January 31, 2014, and started senior secondary school the following year. During my time at Igangan Community Grammar School, I had the opportunity to serve with Volunteers Service Overseas (VSO) teams from Britain, Germany, and Canada. They partnered with Igangan-Ijesha on a developmental initiative known as “Agrarian Togetherness.”
Under the Igangan-Canada programme, I served as one of the Community Citizens Service Volunteers. I worked alongside fellow students such as Timothy Ojo and Kunle Fasansi, as well as international volunteers like Teddy Searight, among others.
As at the time of writing, I am an undergraduate student of History at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.
Tadese Faforiji: Career
I have a deep passion for blogging, and my approach is quite different from the way most people understand blogging. I describe myself as a Reality Blogger because I focus strictly on what is real, factual, and verifiable. I have zero tolerance for falsehood. My commitment to truth, writing, and historical accuracy forms the backbone of my work on TADEXPROF.
My desire to become a strong writer, a competent historian, and a committed fact-finder is what drew me to blogging in the first place. By the time I reached 200 level at the university, I began to notice steady improvement in my writing. That growth inspired me to confront the problem of misinformation online, particularly in the area of history. I chose to write simple, clear, and credible articles to counter the spread of false information.
Focus on African and Nigerian History
I love Africa, and over time, my writing naturally gravitated toward African history, especially Nigerian history. I have such a strong connection to Nigeria’s past that I once considered removing every other category on my website just to focus exclusively on Nigerian History.
I travel frequently to local communities and prefer to document their histories directly from oral traditions rather than relying solely on what is already available online. I believe every community in Nigeria deserves to have its story preserved and accessible for posterity.
History Article
My first local history article was on the history of Igangan-Ijesha. I visited the palace of the Loye of Igangan-Ijesha, Oba Adetomiwa Lucas, through the help of a brother. After some effort, I was able to meet him and he shared many important details. At that time, my understanding of historical inquiry was still developing, so I could not ask all the professional follow-up questions that I later realized were necessary. I knew there was more to uncover, but I lacked the experience to probe further.
Here is one of the articles I wrote in my part 1:
Ōgūn Òkúta (Stone War) of 1931: Summary and Facts by Tadese Faforiji
Even with that limitation, I continued writing. I knew my work was still rough, but I believed in constant practice. I never waited for the “perfect time” before writing; I simply kept improving through consistent effort. I later published the Igangan-Ijesha story on July 24, 2020, on Ayomite Media, before I eventually launched my own blog.
The article drew significant attention. Many people contacted the publisher, Ayomiotan Ojo, to ask about family lineages and chieftaincy titles in Igangan-Ijesha. Some University of Ibadan history lecturers even approached the Kabiyesi for a hard copy of my work. He redirected them, telling them the piece belonged to “a small boy in the community.”
Once I started my own blog, I locked the original post on Ayomite Media and republished it on my platform, fully aware that my earlier version needed improvement. But I value the fact that I preserved that history online at a time when almost nothing existed about it.
Today, my articles still appear prominently in searches related to Igangan-Ijesha across different websites and social media platforms. My long-term goal is to document the histories of communities across southwestern Ijeshaland up to the Olode-Ife axis. This will support researchers and help local people preserve their heritage.
My Varsity Story
Getting into the university remains a remarkable part of my journey. After finishing at Igangan Grammar School in 2017, I felt completely uncertain about my future because I had no financial support. I lived with my sister in Igangan-Ijesha from 2015 to 2018, which remains a home to me.
From Struggle to Success: My Path to Earning a First Class Degree – Tadese Faforiji
I worked as a teacher at Ben Nursery and Primary School in 2018, and the salary I earned there enabled me to pay for my JAMB registration. Even though I did not know how everything would work out, I trusted in Allah and prayed earnestly for guidance.
Today, at the time of writing this, I am a 300-level student of History at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko. I consider this a special blessing from Allah. I often reflect on how far I have come, from a village boy who had never left home until gaining admission, to a university student chasing his dreams. Indeed, believing in oneself is the foundation of success.
I am grateful for the friends I have made along the way, including Dhikrullah Obansa, Victor Precious Omolusi, Abdul-Azeez Muhammed, Dayo Michael Olowolafe, Adedokun Boluwatife, Islamiyah Badmus, and many others.
Tadese Faforiji: Faith
My religion is Islam; I am a Muslim. My family, however, is religiously diverse. My late father was a Christian and my mother was a Muslim. Because of this background, religious belief has always been flexible in our home. I have both Muslim and Christian siblings, and despite our different faiths, we live together in unity and mutual love.
Because there may be a distant view to present perspective on image and art work, I once considered to be associated with works of art.
Epe Lagos – Tadese Faforiji – Why I Don’t Like Taking Pictures with Sculptures and Statues
Goals
My goals are so simple: to be an educated person with innumerable achievements, an impactful Reality Blogger, and a philanthropist with the largest philanthropic scheme in Africa which will simply be aimed at helping students and the aged in our society. May Allah make it easy for me!
Quote
- Ironu ni Ibere gbogbo nkan (It all starts from thinking)
