The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ọjájá II), has been variously likened to the biblical great kings and prophets, whose remarkable imprints on the sands of time were foretold before their birth.
It was on that premise that his mother named him Enitan, while his grandfather named him Adeyeye, which means ‘the crown befits the throne.’ Little wonder many described the monarch as being smart from the womb.
Born as Prince Adeyeye, on October 17, 1974, he was the fifth child in the Giesi family of seven, one of the four royal families of the House of Oranmiyan. He ascended the throne in 2015 as the 51st Ooni of Ife, the traditional ruler and monarch of the Yoruba kingdom, following the demise of Oba Okunade Sijuwade.
Oba Ogunwusi exhibited astonishing brilliance and great leadership traits from his early days at Sobuola Memorial Nursery and Primary School, Ibadan, traits that grew stronger when he proceeded to the prestigious Loyola College, Ibadan in 1985 for his secondary education. He neither indulged in youthful exuberance nor did his princely garb deter him from pursuing his entrepreneurial vision.
His impact as a monarch cuts across different spheres of life. As a marketer extraordinaire, his stint with Dangote Group as a major facilitator of their cement brand took the product far and wide. As a builder, his initiatives saw to the birth of notable companies such as the Sparkwest Steel Galvanizing Plant, the first and only steel galvanizing plant in Nigeria; the Amalgamated Mining and Exploration Company Limited, a company he brokered for the Ondo State Government with strategic partnership and alliances from Canada. He also facilitated the biggest Lead and Aluminium recycling plant in Nigeria, set up by the National Steel Company of India, in Ota, Ogun State. He is also into agriculture and has aided the revitalisation of rice processing by donating multi-million naira rice and tilling equipment to farmers in Oyo and Ogun states.
The name Prince Adeyeye rings a bell in the Real Estate sector, where he has also recorded giant strides. His multi-billion naira housing/estate projects around the Lekki-Ajah and Yaba axes of Lagos, have redefined housing/real estate projects in Nigeria.
The versatile monarch has also made remarkable impacts in the hospitality and tourism industry with his Inagbe Grand Resorts and Leisure in Lagos, the first of its kind in West Africa. The investment has not only created about 300 jobs, but, also, boosted the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP).
Ooni is the Convener of Hope Alive, a humanitarian initiative through which he recently secured the release of five inmates from prison, to commemorate his fifth anniversary on the throne. His peace and reconciliation shuttles across the country have brought about understanding and mutual coexistence among Nigerians of various tribes.
A truly distinguished 21st century monarch, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi is The Sun Most Impactful Royal Father of the Year 2023.