Ade was raised in London N1, Hoxton. It was a strange area to be raised, Skinheads were rife fueled by the likes of Enoch Powell, and the National Front (Nazis type people) had their headquarters a stone’s throw from where he played. Drug taking was infectious and spreading. Coming from a strict African background that was academically driven, his parents reacted to the unstable environment that surrounded him to keep him under tight reign. They’d rather he studied even at a very early age, which forced him to catapult to the top of his class at primary school (Junior school). Ade participated in sports activities and also excelled (He hadn’t gained weight then).

The only programmes he was allowed to watch on TV were current affair programmes like: Panorama, World In Action, Brian Walden’s Weekend World. If he was lucky, Wicker’s World. Obviously, sports programmes were allowed, particularly watching all of Muhammad Ali’s fights along with the other greats from his era.

Ade was becoming a dab hand at DIY and taking things apart, seeing how the mechanics worked and putting them back together. So to dismantle the doors of the TV cupboard when his mum was out at work was not difficult. In fact, it was quite like a military operation with the TV doors being removed tactically by him, and just before she returned everything would be just the way they were before. It was during such valued occasions that he had unrestricted viewings of his favourite programmes (when the original Charlie’s Angels came on he used to run up and kiss the television).

In between his schoolwork, his father thought it would be a good idea for him to travel to Africa. He has fond memories of these trips (that’s for him to discuss in great detail at a later stage). Oh, how he love's Africa.

Ade lost his Father before he reached his teens, leaving his mother to raise the children that he loved and left behind (what a struggle she had, and what a good job she did), but that’s a story for another time again.

Ade's Mum thought the family needed a change of atmosphere, so she moved them all to a new home in Hackney in the early 80s. Change of school, change of environment and no father who he looked towards for direction, it was difficult for his mother to restrict his freedom as she concentrated on putting the food on the table on a daily basis (He was fast becoming the black sheep of the family).

Secondary school (high school) was fun. With his mother working all hours to keep the family, he found it easy to skip school a little (well a great deal). Schoolwork was easy when he did turn up, and the school he was supposed to be attending was a strict Catholic school in the East End of London but he had more interesting pursuits than algebra and geometry. While not at school, he found himself working for an importer of Italian ladies shoes. This job provided him with many early insights into vast areas and a variety of topics. It also provided him with the cash, and having the cash provided him with the flexibility of an adult at such a young age. Coupled with his keen eye and vision that was brought on by that very smart group of Italian shoe importers, he was doing fine (thanks to Italy). He started ordering his own goods and had a short spell trading with goods that he had bought wholesale around the London market places (Only Fools and Horses he wasn’t). The only hobby he did pursue was football until he had a horrific injury, which lead to him being hospitalized and a series of operations on his legs, that left his mobility zero for 6 to 8 months. He put on a serious amount of weight and discovered Kylie Minogue (Australian soaps).

When he recovered he stopped all direct impact sports, and he resumed playing only table tennis, which he began to master. What a sport (skill, speed, tactics, attack, defense, and spin), all within a set boundary. The sport made him buzz and still does till this day.

Ade was growing up even faster. he discovered women first, and then the underground dance scene in the late 80s (Wow, what a roller coaster that was!). Carefree living, good music pumping, bodies gyrating, fantastic women, free love, a community that actually cared about its own existence and cool parties that lasted all week. Ade couldn't help but to fall in love with a different girl every week, trouble :), trouble :), trouble :). (It was thier generation’s 60s).

To be continued...