The Late Chief Joseph Kosoniola Randle, Better Known as J.K. Randle: The Secret Behind How the Late I.S. Adewale Became Known as "The Boy Is Good"

Introduction

In the social and civic history of Lagos, few phrases carry as much affectionate weight as "The Boy Is Good." It was a nickname that stuck to one man for life—Chief Ishawu Adio Sanni Adewale, a lawyer, politician, and the first Commissioner of Finance for Lagos State. But the man who first uttered that phrase, the one who planted the seed of the nickname in the public consciousness, was Chief Joseph Kosoniola Randle, better known as J.K. Randle—a businessman, socialite, sportsman, and philanthropist whose brief but brilliant life left an indelible mark on Lagos. This is the story of how Randle came to name Adewale "The Boy Is Good," and why both men remain celebrated figures in Nigerian history.

The Biography of Chief J.K. Randle

Chief Joseph Kosoniola Randle, MVO MBE, was born on 28 July 1909 in Lagos, into a prominent family. His father was John Randle, a Saro medical doctor, and his mother came from the Aguda (Brazilian returnee) side of Lagos. Young Randle was educated at CMS Grammar School, Lagos, and later King's College, Lagos, where he was the School Captain from 1928 to 1929.

His father, Dr. John Randle, was a wealthy and philanthropic physician who had donated the Swimming Pool at Onikan and the "Love Garden" next door to the people of Lagos for peaceful enjoyment and recreation. However, when his father died, much of his estate was left for philanthropic purposes, and Randle—then in his senior year at King's College—found his dream of attending a university financially unfeasible. He worked briefly as a junior clerk in the treasury department, sharing an office with Adeniji Adele, before moving to Ilesha to try his luck in gold mining. When that venture failed, he returned to Lagos and engaged in trade, contract, and business promotion, where he earned his income.

Randle held the chieftaincy title of the Lisa of Lagos, conferred upon him by Oba Adeniji Adele. He was a founding member and later chairman of the Island Club, a prestigious Lagos social institution, and served as Chairman of the Lagos Racing (Horse Racing) Club. He was also a member of the Lagos Town Council and a member of the Lagos Executive Development Board.

A passionate sportsman, Randle excelled in cricket, football, boxing, athletics, and draughts. While still a student at King's College, he played cricket at the international level as a member of the Nigerian team against Ghana (then the Gold Coast) in 1929, scoring a century. He was vice president of the Nigerian Olympic and British Empire and Commonwealth Games Association and a trustee of the proposed National Stadium.

His most prominent public role came in 1956, when he served as Chef de Mission of the Nigerian Olympic team to the Melbourne Summer Olympics. He was awarded the medal of the Victorian Order (MVO) and was also a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). Tragically, he took ill on his flight back from Melbourne and died at Lagos General Hospital in December 1956, at the age of just 47.

How Randle Met I.S. Adewale

The connection between J.K. Randle and I.S. Adewale was rooted in shared institutions and shared passions. Both men were products of King's College, Lagos, and both were accomplished athletes. Ishawu Adio Sanni Adewale, born into a wealthy Lagos family, was educated at C.M.S. Grammar School and King's College, where he excelled in athletics and broke multiple records. He later trained with the Royal Air Force during World War II, qualified as a barrister in London in 1951, and returned to Lagos to practice law.

Their paths converged at the Island Club, one of Lagos's most prestigious social clubs. Randle was a founding member and later chairman of the club, and Adewale was also a prominent member, eventually becoming its chairman. It was within the walls of this club, during a formal address, that the historic moment occurred.

The Naming: "The Boy Is Good"

The exact context of the naming is preserved in Lagos social history. According to accounts, Chief J.K. Randle was the first to hail Chief Adewale as "The Boy Is Good"—and he did so in recognition of Adewale breaking all the athletic records that Randle himself had set at King's College.

In a club address at the Island Club, Randle publicly called Adewale "the boy is good," a phrase that resonated so deeply with the members and the Lagos public that it became Adewale's enduring nickname for the rest of his life. It was a generous and magnanimous gesture: Randle, the older sportsman whose records had stood for years, was acknowledging that a younger man had surpassed him—and he did so with pride rather than jealousy.

The phrase captured something essential about Adewale: his excellence, his discipline, and his quiet greatness. It was not a title bestowed by birth or office, but by merit—earned on the athletics track and in his journey of life.