186:
In
Chicago, Àjàlá decided to make a cross-country trip from Chicago to Los Angeles on a bicycle. Departing on the 12th June 1952, he arrived in Los Angeles only twenty-eight days later. The trip earned him many accolades, including coverage in the major newspapers. Upon his arrival in Los Angeles,
238:
On April 27, 1957, Àjàlá began his famous world tour on a modified Vespa scooter. He visited India, the Soviet Union, the United Arab
Republic, Iran, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Poland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Türkiye, Hong Kong, China and
218:
but was not keeping up with his studies—and was ordered to be deported to
Nigeria. Àjàlá protested the deportation order, claiming that he would be executed by his father. In protest, he climbed on an 80-foot radio tower, threatening to kill himself unless the order was rescinded. After nearly 13
31:
226:
In
December 1954, Àjàlá returned to the United States. He settled in Chicago with his wife Hermine Aileen, a New York model, although the pair divorced in 1955 on grounds of philandering and adultery which Àjàlá he did not contest. In December 1955, he remarried again, this time to a 19-year-old
213:
Later that year, after a number of run-ins with the
American immigration for petty offenses including issuing false checks, Àjàlá was sentenced to one-year suspended jail term. He had also abandoned his school work—he had supposedly transferred to
154:
Olabisi Ajala was born in Ghana in either 1929 or 1934 to a
Nigerian family. It was a polygamous family, with about thirty children and four wives. Olabisi was the twenty-fifth. When he was a child, his family moved to Nigeria. There he attended
266:
During this period, Àjàlá made money as a journalist. Over the course of his travels, he sold travel writing to newspapers and magazines across West Africa. In Papua New Guinea, he also published stories on local politics in
296:
He also suffered encounters with law enforcement. In the Soviet Union, he was accused of trying to assassinate Nikita
Khrushchev because he had walked too close to him at a public event. He was also arrested at Jerusalem's
327:, who wrote about Àjàlá with the words "You have travelled all over the world. Àjàlá travelled all over the world...". From then on, the words "Àjàlá travels" became synonymous with wanderlust and extensive traveling.
308:. The book expresses opinions on how people lived in the places he visited, explains the political situation in many of the countries he visited, and shares anecdotes about the various world leaders he met.
341:
To this day, Àjàlá is known today as
Nigeria's most famous traveller. His name is equated to travel and adventure and his children continue to live in many parts of the world. His autobiography,
289:'s African service. His broadcasts from Cairo were consistently anti-Israeli, warning listeners about the nation's "continuous propaganda against the Arab countries" and its mistreatment of
285:
to produce programmes for their broadcasts to West Africa. However, he broke this contract to move to the United Arab
Republic, where he appeared as a guest announcer on
316:
Afterwards, Àjàlá returned to
Nigeria, where he became a famous socialite. He also became an entertainment promoter and publicist, who worked with artists like
816:
409:
996:
200:, a film based on the 1950 novel of the same name by Louise A. Stinetorf. According to Àjàlá, he found out about the part through a social connection to
981:
301:, at that time the border between Israel and Jordan, where he was almost shot by Jordanian security forces for speeding across without permission.
607:
387:
671:
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513:
435:
134:, was a Nigerian journalist, travel writer, actor, and socialite. Between 1957 and 1963, Àjàlá trekked across Asia, Africa and Oceania on a
174:. There, he was the first black student in the Delta Upsilon Pi ‘fratority’, a co-educational Greek-letter organization. He later moved to
750:
539:
461:
279:Àjàlá also had a brief career as a radio broadcaster. In 1960, he claims to have signed a contract with the Israeli state broadcaster
219:
hours, he jumped down from about fifteen feet and sustained a sprained back. He then began a hunger strike, which he termed a 30-day
976:
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991:
239:
Australia. The journey attracted the attention of several world leaders, and Àjàlá met and conducted short interviews with
777:"Broadcasting Brotherhood? Interactive Diplomacy and Postcolonial Identity in Kol Yisrael' s African Services, 1960-1966"
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While living in Lagos, Àjàlá suffered a stroke in the early days of 1999. He died on February 2, 1999.
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817:"The Story of Olabisi Ajala, The Popular Nigerian Traveller Who Toured The World On A Vespa"
410:"The Story of Olabisi Ajala, The Popular Nigerian Traveller Who Toured The World On A Vespa"
956:
951:
608:"Olabisi Ajala, the Traveller: Of Fame and Penury, By Femi Kehinde - Premium Times Opinion"
388:"Olabisi Ajala, the Traveller: Of Fame and Penury, By Femi Kehinde - Premium Times Opinion"
330:
In Nigeria, he married Alhaja Ṣadé, and was reputed to have children by a few other women.
175:
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204:, whom he had met three years earlier. He was also signed up to act in the 1953 film
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143:
146:, with songs and sayings commemorating his adventurous travel across the world.
540:"For the Record: The Story of Olabisi Ajala, Africa's Most Legendary Traveller"
462:"For the Record: THE STORY OF OLABISI AJALA, AFRICA'S MOST LEGENDARY TRAVELLER"
286:
945:
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324:
201:
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672:"Between fame and penury: Life and times of Olabisi Ajala- the traveller"
582:"Between fame and penury: Life and times of Olabisi Ajala- the traveller"
514:"Between fame and penury: Life and times of Olabisi Ajala- the traveller"
436:"Between fame and penury: Life and times of Olabisi Ajala- the traveller"
281:
142:
in 1963. To this day, Àjàlá remains a significant figure within Nigerian
244:
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630:"Tourism: Ajala the greatest African Traveller of all times"
488:"Tourism: Ajala the greatest African Traveller of all times"
304:
In 1963, Àjàlá published an account of these travels titled
869:"Tourism: Ajala the greatest African Traveller of all time"
178:(then called "Roosevelt College") to study Psychology.
751:"Afro-Asianism on Tour? The Travels of Olabisi Ajala"
138:
scooter, publishing an account of his experiences as
230:
194:Àjàlá then briefly became an actor. He was cast in
899:The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
366:The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
166:At the age of eighteen, In 1952, he moved to the
943:
223:fasting. Eventually, he was deported to London.
922:"OlongoAfrica to Republish "An African Abroad""
895:"Ajala The Traveller: The Man And His Journeys"
843:"Ajala The Traveller: The Man And His Journeys"
698:"Ajala the Traveller: The Man and His Journeys"
570:. Johnson Publishing Company. 11 December 1952.
362:"Ajala The Traveller: The Man And His Journeys"
181:
660:. Johnson Publishing Company. 25 August 1955.
149:
997:Nigerian expatriates in the United Kingdom
323:He was also praised in songs - notably by
29:
982:Nigerian expatriates in the United States
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345:was republished by OlongoAfrica in 2022.
159:in Lagos and Ibadan Boys’ High School in
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227:British actress named Joan Simons.
13:
16:Nigerian journalist, travel writer
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920:Túbọ̀sún, Kọ́lá (9 March 2022).
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210:but never started work on it.
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977:Nigerian expatriates in Ghana
794:10.1080/07075332.2021.1950807
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170:to study pre-medicine at the
987:University of Chicago alumni
775:White, Alex (4 March 2022).
187:Àjàlá was received by Mayor
7:
992:Roosevelt University alumni
749:White, Alex (24 May 2021).
216:Santa Monica Junior College
182:Travel in the United States
128:Moshood Adisa Olabisi Ajala
48:Moshood Adisa Olabisi Ajala
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847:The Guardian Nigeria News
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108:Journalist, Travel Writer
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1002:Nigerian autobiographers
972:20th-century journalists
150:Early life and education
967:Nigerian travel writers
318:Sikiru Ayinde Barrister
1007:Baptist Academy alumni
249:Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
38:Background information
172:University of Chicago
962:Nigerian journalists
176:Roosevelt University
1012:Nigerian socialites
58:Ajala the traveller
755:Afro-Asian Visions
678:. 17 December 2018
588:. 17 December 2018
520:. 17 December 2018
442:. 17 December 2018
343:An African Abroad,
253:Gamal Abdel Nasser
197:White Witch Doctor
730:. 25 January 2016
610:. 1 December 2018
546:. 22 January 2020
468:. 22 January 2020
390:. 1 December 2018
312:Return to Nigeria
306:An African Abroad
261:Nikita Khrushchev
233:An African Abroad
140:An African Abroad
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241:Jawaharlal Nehru
130:, also known as
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132:Ọlábísí Àjàlá
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105:Occupation(s)
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73:April 3, 1934
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54:Also known as
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23:Olabisi Ajala
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929:. Retrieved
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114:Years active
96:(1999-02-02)
957:1929 births
952:1999 deaths
702:guardian.ng
287:Radio Cairo
282:Kol Yisrael
946:Categories
760:30 January
544:PENPUSHING
466:PENPUSHING
372:12 January
349:References
245:Golda Meir
207:Killer Ape
69:1934-04-03
44:Birth name
803:0707-5332
118:1957-1999
86:, Nigeria
873:ATQ News
821:OldNaija
634:ATQ News
492:ATQ News
414:OldNaija
931:29 July
853:10 June
614:10 June
592:10 June
472:10 June
394:10 June
221:Ramadan
905:18 May
879:18 May
827:18 May
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734:18 May
728:Litcaf
708:18 May
682:18 May
640:18 May
550:18 May
524:18 May
498:18 May
446:18 May
420:18 May
259:, and
161:Ibadan
80:Origin
136:Vespa
84:Lagos
75:Ghana
933:2022
907:2020
881:2020
855:2021
829:2020
799:ISSN
762:2024
736:2020
710:2020
684:2020
642:2020
616:2021
594:2021
552:2020
526:2020
500:2020
474:2021
448:2020
422:2020
396:2021
374:2022
91:Died
63:Born
789:doi
657:Jet
567:Jet
270:The
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