[There is one thing I know about guilt. When someone is caught, the person's mind is always the first to pass judgement. I know Tolu's mind must have sentenced him long before the US government did. Tolu was my best friend in school. Adedapo Muyiwa]

PLEASE READ, and if you think you’d like to help this young man whose case is being pushed by an Old Boys’ group, I’d appreciate it even though the young man is not known by me. He is of us and deserves a second chance.
Thanks, as always, TOLA.

TOLULOPE AKINROSOTU was born on February 17, 1970, in Washington, D.C. He was
the first of four children produced from the union of Samuel 0. Akinrosotu, Jr., and Florence 0. Akinrosotu, both now sixty-nine years of age and residing together in Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa. Tolu’s siblings include his brother Folajimi (Jimmy) Akinrosotu, currently age thirty-five, address unknown; Rotimi Oluwaseun (Seun) Akinrosotu, currently age twenty-nine, and his sister Oluwatosin (Tosin) Funke Akinrosotu, currently age twenty-eight. Seun and Tosin both reside with their parents in Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa.

Tolu’s parents, both working students from Nigeria studying in the United
States, were married in the District of Columbia in 1969. As excited as they
were when Tolu was born, they also found it difficult to continue their
education, work, and raise a child. As a result, when Tolu was two years old,
they sent him to reside with his paternal grandmother, Ruth, in Nigeria. This
allowed them to focus on their studies and employment. Each year, they brought their son back to the United States to stay with them for the summer.

In 1976, they brought Tolu back to America permanently. Now six years old, Tolu was enrolled at Victory Villa Elementary School in Baltimore, Maryland. Later that year, a second son, Folajimi (“Jimi”) was born to the family. Soon after, both parents earned their Master’s degrees, and Samuel became a faculty member of the Accounting Department at Bay College in Baltimore, Maryland.

After having a cross-burned on their front lawn in the fall of 1977, the family relocated to Nigeria. Tolu’s father accepted employment at the United Bank for Africa (UBA), and his mother went to work for Standard Bank of Nigeria. The family settled into a middle class life in the then Nigerian capital and city of Lagos.Tolu completed his elementary education at the Army Children School. Contrary to its name, this was not a military academy, but rather an elite public school for children of military officers and select civil servants.

The curricula was rigorous. Tolu excelled at all his studies, but was
particularly strong in social studies, language, and arts. In his fourth primary year, a teacher who recognized his exceptional skill level encouraged him to try out for the Debate Society. He did so, and was accepted on the spot. His natural analytical mind, articulation, and animation made him a favorite with fellow debaters, yet a dread to the inter-school debating circuit. He quickly earned the nickname “Terror Americana”.

His father strongly supported Tolu’s debating efforts, and the two spent
countless hours discussing various subjects, researching topics, and working on enunciation, phonetics, and the timing of delivery. A confirmed loyalist of the “American Way”, his father taught Tolu to speak earnestly from the mind and heart and avoid the Nigerian method of reading from hard copy. His father’s rigorous yet loving support paid off; Tolu never lost a debate.

A precocious child and adolescent, Tolu had a sponge-like mind and was a
voracious reader. By age twelve, he was reading through his parents library
which was filled with text books and classical novels. By age fourteen, Tolu had a personal library of over one hundred (100) novels.

His greatest love, however, was music. He had a passion for all genres of music, and at one time aspired to become a musician. His father quickly dismissed those aspirations, saying music was a fine “hobby” to have, but was not a career to pursue. His father believed only dropouts became musicians and entertainers, and advised his son that if he wanted to be a musician, he could stop his education at any time and start singing on street corners. He added that Tolu would have to make his own way, and find a new place to live. This caused a private rift in Tolu’s relationship with his father. Publicly, he followed his father’s guidance and wishes, but privately he secretly nursed his musical ambitions. He spent almost all his pocket money on musical cassette tapes, and he filled countless notebooks writing his own song lyrics.

In May 1982, his brother Oluwaseun (Seun) Akinrosotu was born, and in December 1983, a fourth and last child, a daughter, Oluwatosin (Tosin) Akinrosotu joined the family. Tolu doted on his siblings. His father, Samuel Akinrosotu, personifies Tolu’s love for his brothers and sister, sharing in his letter:

“…It was his habit to take the blame for the wrongdoings of his junior
ones…he was ever playing games with them, reading to them, playing music for them, teaching them new dance steps, correcting their grammar, helping them with assignments.. .and habitually, for no reason, he would buy them all toys or snacks….”

Tolu’s caring is also exemplified in his brother, Oluwaseun Alcinrosotu’s,
letter:

“…I did not learn to read quickly…I confessed to Tolu my difficulty…Tolu laughingly responded ‘There is nothing wrong with your ability, you are just wired differently’…he taught me to break down syllables and sound out words…I am now successful thanks to my brother’s loving care….”

In 1982, his father received a promotion on his job which required the family to relocate to Oshogbo, a boom-town two and a half hours from Lagos. Tolu was
enrolled at Saint Charles Grammar School, where, after easily scoring a
succession of debate victories for his new school in his first year, he was
elected Captain of the Debating Society. At age thirteen, he was the youngest
student to reach this position. He held the title, unchallenged, for the
duration of his years at Saint Charles.

In his third year at Saint Charles, he was elected as the school’s Social
Prefect, one year earlier than the norm. His responsibilities included
organizing various intra- and inter-school social events such as symposiums,
debates, dances and staging plays. He was also a member of the Drama Society and was a featured actor in most of the school plays. Normally, Tolu spent summer vacations with family, either in America or in England. However, during the summer of 1986, he chose to prepare for his next year’s graduation by taking the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Examination, as a practice measure. He passed all tests, earning “A”s in economics, government and literature. This allowed him the option of skipping his final year of high school and directly entering college. However, his parents decided that he should finish regular high school courses and gain an extra year of maturity. In 1987, following his graduation, he was accepted to
the University of Lagos. His intent was to major in economics and business
administration.

Somehow, Tolu convinced his parents to instead let him pursue his university
studies in America, and in August 1987, he arrived in Washington, D.C., moving in with a relative. Within three weeks of his return to America, he landed employment at Up Against the Wall, a clothing retail boutique, and later worked various part-time jobs including fast-food service and waiting tables in restaurants. He enrolled at the University of the District of Columbia as a part-time student. It did not take long, however, before he decided the student body was not to his liking. He found it difficult to fit in, and as a result, he dropped out before completing the semester.

Tolu moved to Baltimore, Maryland in the summer of 1988. He worked, sometimes
simultaneously, at MCI, Citicorp, and retail sales and cashiering jobs at
department stores. He enrolled in Essex Community College, majoring in
communications and music. Frustrated with the lack of progress toward his musical aspirations, in 1990, Tolu moved to New York City. He rented an efficiency apartment in Gramercy Park (Manhattan), and continued to pursue a career in music, earnestly writing songs, recording his music, and taking voice lessons.

It was in a clothing store in New York City that Tolu ran into Melvin Jones,
Jr., who was working as a sales clerk. The two men had been in the same social circle in Baltimore, Maryland, and quickly rekindled their friendship. Jones had many artistic friends who introduced Mr. Akinrosotu to the “downtown” art and club scene. Tolu fit right in with this crowd. Though he did not engage in any drug use or heavy drinking, he used his new friends to make relevant music industry contacts in an effort to advance his musical career. He remained very
focused on networking.In 1992, he moved to Jamaica Estates (Queens), and enrolled at Saint John’s University.

However, his social environment remained in Manhattan where his outgoing
personality allowed him to find informal employment as a party organizer in
various clubs. His younger brother, Jimi, now sixteen years old, was sent to
live with him so that Jimi could finish his high school education in America in order to more readily gain admission into a university.

Although their parents sent money to help with the upkeep of their two sons,
Tolu continued to work in order to support his dream. He was frequently engaged as a personal shopper for some elite clientele who generally paid him in cash. Almost all his earnings went into his recordings, or toward activities related to his pursuit of a musical career. Occasionally, he talked club deejays into playing his records, hoping to catch the attention of a club patron who was connected to the music industry.

Tolu had never been actively or personally involved in any illegal activities
before he met Oscar (Sam) Izeko, in 1991. Mr. Izeko lured him into the life of “fast, easy money” through drug trafficking conspiracy activities. This was his first real introduction to the world of crime. Between 1991 and 1993, Tolu was periodically involved in activities that led to his conviction of one count of Conspiracy to Import Heroin, one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, and three counts of Importation of Heroin.

Mr. Akinrosotu expresses great remorse over his involvement in these crimes. He
is devastated by the shame his actions brought to his family. Still, he has a
very strong support system in family and friends who are praying for his
release. He knows he has let those closest to him down, and vows that he cannot, and will not, fail them ever again….God bless you all