WS Chronicle

By Todd Luck

The Chronicle

Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi the king of the city of Ikorodu in Nigeria is dedicating his crown to Robert Brown of North Carolina for helping him get where he is today.

Shotobi, who is king of Ikorodu in Lagos State, Nigeria, visited Winston-Salem on Wednesday, Oct. 21, stopping by the offices of The Chronicle. He’s visiting the United States to solicit support for his city, whose 1.5 million people have great needs in infrastructure and education. He plans to also visit Chicago, Ill., Maryland and London, England during his trip.

He said one place he also planned to visit in North Carolina was N.C. A&T State University, where he graduated with a degree in electrical engineering in 1983. He planned to visit A&T Chancellor Harold Martin, who was one of his professors.

Shotobi was chosen as king this year and credits the education he got in the states as a big factor in that. He said that education wouldn’t happened without Robert Brown, owner of  global business management consulting firm B&C International of High Point. Brown was staying in a hotel in Lagos where Shotobi worked when the two meet. Brown took him to the states and provided for him so he could go to A&T.

Shotobi said one reason for his visit was to thank Brown for his kindness.  He said he wanted to dedicate his crown to Brown.

“Without him, I don’t know where I would be today,” said Shotobi.