Born at Ilesha (Oshun State) on August 11, 1921, Obimakinde (as he preferred to be called) attended Otapete Methodist Primary School for his early education, proceeding from there to Government College Ibadan (1937-1942).
While at GCI he developed a wide range of interests in sports becoming an avid swimmer, tennis, cricket player and was also on the school’s soccer team. He became life-long friends with many classmates eg. Late Chief Albert Apara & Late Chief S.O. Fadahunsi, to name a few, and as a matter of fact became co-brother in-law with the latter. His interest in piano classics was birthed during those years.On leaving college, he enrolled in the Civil Engineering program at Higher College, Yaba (now known as Yaba College of Technology), graduating with honors in National Diploma of Civil Engineering in 1945.
Thereafter, he took up employment with the Production Works Department (Lagos Colony) and served as Civil Engineer until 1950. During this period he met his beloved wife, the late Comfort Ebun Jonah, getting married to her in July 1949. The couple are blessed with 7children (5 boys & 2 girls).
In 1950, he proceeded to McGill University, Montreal, Canada graduating with B. Eng degree in 1952. Subsequently enrolled in the newly introduced Master of Applied Science Program at Canada’s Ivory League University, University Of Toronto, he earned his M.A.Scin 1954 being one of two graduating in a class of nine pioneering students.
Coming from such humble background, Obimakinde’s education had all along been financed through scholarships and while studying abroad still found time to hone his musical skills, playing the Piano-Accordion in Mundinger’s Accordion Orchestra.Returning to Nigeria after about a 6-year hiatus, he took up employment as Civil Engineer with the Production Works Department (Lagos Colony)transferring later to Western Region’s Production Works Department (PWD) as Assistant Chief Engineer in 1956. In 1959, Obimakinde left the Civil Service to establish the first indigenous Civil Engineering Consultancy in Nigeria, Obi. Obembe & Associates.
He provided internships to many, trained and employed others and took the position that while many employers demanded “experience” as pre-requisite for employment, he was willing to take the risk by employing “greenhorns” and make available the opportunity for acquisition of”experience” to budding indigenous engineers. Obi. Obembe & Associates successfully executed many major civil engineering projects in Nigeria, notably the 37-story NITEL building, Palm House (Benin City), Queen’s Hall (University of Ibadan), Fajuyi Hall (University of Ife), Nigerpools (Ijora), to mention a few.
Obimakinde along with others pioneered founded the the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, and subsequent became it President. He was registered with the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria (COREN). A Fellow of Nigerian Society of Engineers, he was also a Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (MASCE) and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Engineers (FICE).
He provided scholarship to many promising but less privileged individuals and did other philanthropic such as the supervision (sans fee) of construction work at CAC (Ketu). He was very generous at heart, his motto being “Trust in God and do the right”. In recognition of his commitment and dedication to the service of God and mankind, Obimakinde was ordained a Pastor of the Christ Apostolic Church (1993)