History of Yoruba Tennis Club

The Yoruba Tennis Club, founded in September 15, 1926, is the premier, exclusive, traditional, and oldest indigenous social club in Nigeria. It is located in Onikan, Lagos.

The Yoruba Tennis Club started on 15 July 1926, as Orelodun Tennis Club. At several meetings, the Club was later renamed “The Yoruba Tennis Club”. During the inaugural meeting the club’s founders did not restrict its membership to those of Yoruba origin alone, but ensured that it has a wide variety of people from different walks of life.

Founding members

The first Chairman, Mr. V. Ade Allen, a notable social figure of his days led the Club through the early period and was the Chairman for eleven years. Other founding members as at the year 1926 are as follows:

M/No    Surname                          Other Names                                  Date of Admission

1            Allen                                 V. Ade (Adejumo)                         July, 1926

2            Adeniji                              F. Ade                                              July, 1926

3            Ariori                                Y. Saint A.                                        July, 1926

4            Cole                                   B.A.                                                  July, 1926

5            Emanuel                           Lydio Duro                                      July, 1926

6            Fagbo                               Willie O.                                          July, 1926

7            Fanu                                 A.W.                                                July, 1926

8            Fashaiye                           M                                                      July, 1926

9            Freeman                           D.A.                                                  July, 1926

10          Haastrup                          J.A.                                                   July, 1926

11          Harding                             H.R.                                                  July, 1926

12          John                                  Isaac                                                July, 1926

13          John                                  Abraham                                         July, 1926

14          Martins                             Lawale Lasisi                                   July, 1926

15          Mensah                            C.J.                                                   July, 1926

16          Randle                              R. Adewale                                      July, 1926

17          Taylor                               G. Chris A.                                       July, 1926

18          Adeleye                            F.E.A.                                               Aug., 1926

19          Awolesi                             M.S.                                                 Aug., 1926

20          Coleman-Daniel               S.A.                                                  Aug., 1926

21          Daniel                                J. St. Matthew                               Aug., 1926

22          Johnson                            Gilbert C.                                        Aug., 1926

23          Johnson                            V.E.                                                  Aug., 1926

24          Jordan                               D                                                       Aug., 1926

25          Odumosu                         Frank O.                                           Aug., 1926

26          Oduyoye                          O.                                                     Aug., 1926

27          Sagoe                                 P.K.                                                   Aug., 1926

28          Sho-Silva                          M.A.                                                 Aug., 1926

29          Sikuade                              Keyinde                                            Aug., 1926

30          Tubi                                   Agboola                                           Aug., 1926

31          Tubi                                   Jeariogbe                                        Aug., 1926

32          Williams                           Ayodele                                           Aug., 1926

33          Williams                           V. Oyewole                                     Aug., 1926

34          Ogunlana                         I.A.                                                   Sept., 1926

35          Adeliyi                               Joseph                                             Nov., 1926

36          Alli-Balogun                     Hameda Makanjuola (H.M)         Nov., 1926

37          Haniba-Johnson               T.                                                      Nov., 1926

38          Macaulay                         H.S.                                                  Nov., 1926

39          Macaulay                         J.D.A.                                               Nov., 1926

40          Macaulay                         S.A.Q.                                              Nov., 1926

41          Oni-Orisan                       G.L.                                                  Nov., 1926

42          Savage                               T.A.                                                  Nov., 1926

43          Thompson-John               C.B.                                                  Nov., 1926

The Detailed List of All Members of Yoruba Tennis Club is found in this Link

OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 2025/2026 

Our Club current executive Officers as at today are as follows:

1. BRO. ENGR. CHIEF OLAWUMI GASPER, mni                   – CHAIRMAN

2. BRO. SIR BABATUNDE SOBAMOWO, KJW                       – VICE CHAIRMAN

3. BRO. LOOKMAN KOTUN                                                        -HON GEN. SECRETARY

4. BRO. OLUGBENGA OBI                                                          – FARINDE – TREASURER

5. BRO. OTUNBA SUNDAY ADEKOLA ADEPOJU                -FINANCIAL SECRETARY

6. BRO. FRANCIS EDOSA ASEMOTA                                      – SOCIAL SECRETARY

7. BRO. CHIEF AYODEJI THOMAS ALLI EKO                      – WARDEN

8. BRO. TOLULOPE EKO                                                            – INTERNAL AUDITOR

9. BRO. WALE AKINGBOJU                                                      – GAMES CAPTAIN

10. BRO. OLUGBO ADEYEMI                                                    – ASST. GENERAL SECRETARY

11. BRO. OLAWALE KUFORIJI                                                 – ASST. SOCIAL SECRETARY

12.BRO. PRINCE ADEDAMOLA DOCEMO                            – ASST. GAMES CAPTAIN

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

1 BRO. DR.’BAYO AYO

2 BRO. OLUSOLA AKIODE

3. BRO. CHIEF TAIWO ADEOLUWA

4. BRO. HAKEEM OLAWALE SAVAGE

5. BRO. ADEMOLA ONITJU mni

6 BRO. ADEKUNLE ADEBIYI-THOMAS

7 BRO. BOLU AGBAJE AKADRI

8 BRO. HENRY A. ODUNEYE

9 BRO.BAMIDELE IBIRONKE, SAN

U.K BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2025/2026

CO-ORDINATOR                               –      BRO. OBASOLA A. OSOBA

VICE CO-ORDINATOR                    –      BRO. DANIEL BENSON

HON. GENERAL SECRETARY       –      BRO. (OYUNBA) LIKE AJAYI

HON. TREASURER                           –      BRO. DANIEL BENSON

FINANCIAL SECRETARY                –      BRO (OTUNBA) OLAWALE HARRISON-OBAFEMI

HON SOCIAL SECRETARY             –      BRO. OLADOTUN ADEWOLE

ASST. GEN. SECRETARY                –       BRO. TOLA ODUKOMAIYA

ASST. SOC. SECRETARY                 –      BRO. OLADAPO OTESILE

OUR VICE-PATRONS

His Excellency Bro. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State

His Royal Highness. Alaiyeluwa Oba Rilwan Are my Akiolu I. Oba of Lagos CFR, mni

His Imperial Majesty, Alaiyeluwa Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja ll, Ooni of fie, CFR

His Royal Highness Alaiyeluwa Oba (Bro.) Adedotun Gbadebo I, Alake of Egbaland CFR

His Royal Highness Alaiyeluwa Oba Babatunde Akron, OFF When Whole Menu Toyi II of Badagry

His Royal Highness Alaiyeluwa Oba Kabiru Shotobi, Anyangburen of lkorodu

His Royal Highness Oba A.A. Oguntayo, FCA – Ajalorun of ljebu-Ife

Bro. (Alhaji) Femi Okunnu, CON, SAN

Bro. (Dr.) E.A. Olufemi Bucknor Bro. (Dr.) Chief Oluyomi Abayomi Finnih

OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Bro. Alhaji (Dr.) Femi Okunnu CON, SAN CHAIRMAN

Bro. (Dr.) EA. Olufemi Bucknor

Bro. (Dr.) Chief Oluyomi Abayomi Finnih

Bro. Bolaji Cole

Bro. Peter 0. Munis

Bro. Babaseyi Joseph, SAN, FCArb. SECRETARY

OUR PAST CHAIRMEN

S/NO     NAME                                                                                                        YEARS OF TENURE                      

1            BRO. V. ADE ALLEN                                                                               1926/27/28/29/30 & 1933/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41/

2            BRO. JEARIOGBE TUBI                                                                        1930/31

3            BRO. F. ADE ADENIJI                                                                           1931/32/33

4            BRO. AYODELE WILLIAMS                                                                 1938/39 AND 1948/49

5            BRO. A. SOYOMBO ABOWABA                                                           1942/43/44/45/46

6            BRO. E. ERINOSHO SMITH                                                                 1946/47/48

7            BRO. (HON. JUSTICE) J. IDOWU CONRAD TAYLOR                   1949/50/51

8            BRO. DR. OMODELE B. ALAKIJA                                                       1951/52/53/54/55

9            BRO. E. ABIODUN FOSTER                                                                   1955/56/57/58

10          BRO. HAMEDA MAKANJUOLA ALLI-BALOGUN                            1958/59/60/61/62

11          BRO. (HON. JUSTICE) GEORGE SODEINDE SOWEMIMO C.F.R. 1962/63/64/65/66/67/68

12          BRO. DR. CHIEF C. MODUPE NORMAN-WILLIAMS                     1968/69/70/71

13          BRO. DR. A. ABAYOMI MARINHO                                                        1971/72/73/74

14          BRO. CHIEF THEOPHILUS O. SOBOWALE BENSON                      1974/75/76

15          BRO. DR. EZEKIEL OLUSOJI SMITH                                                    1976/77/78

16          BRO. WALTER A. LADIPO THOMAS                                                     1978/79/80

17          BRO. (HON. JUSTICE) ADEBAYO DESALU                                         1980/81/82

18          BRO. ARC. J.S. KOLE MACGREGOR                                                      1982/83/84

19          BRO. CHIEF FEMI OKUNNU                                                                    1984/85/86

20          BRO. DR. ERNEST A. OLUFEMI BUCKNOR                                        1986/87/88

21          BRO. CHIEF NATHANIEL FOLARIN COKER O.O.N                          1988/89/90

22          BRO. CHIEF SOBO SOWEMIMO SAN                                                   1990/91/92

23          BRO. ALADE IDRIS-ANIMASHAUN                                                      1992/93/94

24          BRO. CHIEF J. BAMIDELE DARAMOLA                                              1994/95/96

25          BRO. HON. JUSTICE (CHIEF) PAUL ATILADE                                  1996/97/98

26          BRO. DR. (CHIEF) A. OLUYOMI FINNIH                                            1998/99/2000

27          BRO. PROF. BABASOLA O. OKUWOBI                                                 2000/2001/2002

28          BRO. DR. OLUYEMISI A. KUFORIJI                                                      2002/03/2004

29          BRO. CHIEF BADRU A. OLAOGUN                                                         2004/05/2006

30          BRO. CHIEF SEHINDEMI PHILLIP                                                        2006/07/2008

31          BRO. DR. (CHIEF) A. OLUSEGUN AJAYI                                               2008

32          BRO. DR. (CHIEF) A. OLUYOMI FINNIH                                              2008/2009

33          BRO. OTUNBA E.A. SOLANKE                                                                 2009/2010/2011

34          BRO. BOLAJI COLE                                                                                     2011/2012/2013

35          BRO. BABASEYI JOSEPH                                                                           2013/2014/2015

36          BRO. AYODELE MARTINS                                                                         2015/2017

37          BRO. PROF. ADETOKUNBO O. FABAMWO                                           2017/2018/2019

38          BRO. ARC. OLAWUNMI T. AGBAJE                                                        2019/2020/2021

39          BRO. CHIEF BABAJIDE DAMAZIO                                                          2021/2023

40          BRO. CHIEFOLAKUNLE AGBEBI, SAN                                                   2023/2024

Sub-Committees –2025-2026  MEMBERSHIP

DISCIPLINARY & RECONCILIATION Sub-Committees –2025-2026