Who is Nigeria's new Ooni of Ife?

Top and most popular choice Prince Adeyeye Ogunwusi has been appointed as Nigeria's 51st Ooni of Ife and successor to the late Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

Ife kingmakers pronounced Prince Adeyeye as the new Ooni after a keenly contested but peaceful selection process and his subsequent confirmation by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun on Monday.

The new Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, was born 40 years ago into the family of Ropo and Margaret Ogunwusi. He is from the Ile Opa family.His father was a radio presenter between mid 1980’s and early 21st century.

Oba Adeyeye is an engineer and a real estate developer. He has been involved in engineering, procurement and construction locally and abroad for over 12 years. He is also actively involved in the development of over 2,500 housing units with various consortia of developers/promoters over eight years in Nigeria.

He facilitated strong trade relationships in over 200 member countries across the globe using the Association for International Business presence, an orgaisation he set up in Nigeria.

One of the key achievements of this body is the trade facilitation between the United Arab Emirates (Jebel Ali free Trade Zone Development) and the Nigerian government through the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.

He was a co-organizer for Ondo State Economic Planning and Implementation Committee. He led the Government delegation team to Canada in 2002 for strategic alliances and partnership with Ondo State Government on solid mineral potentials of the state (Bitumen, Dimension Stones, Granite, etc.) which led to the formation of Amalgamated Mining and Exploration Company Limited – wholly owned by Ondo State Government.

He was involved in the facilitation and development of Sparkwest Steel Galvanizing Plant (the only Steel Galvanizing Plantin Nigeria), National Iron Ore Mining Company Limited and Jakura Mines resuscitation projects, which has eventually become the major limestone feed stock to Obajana Cement Plant in Kogi State, Nigeria.

He attended The Polytechnic, Ibadan, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy. He is currently the Managing Director of Howard Roark Gardens Limited which is undertaking multi-million naira Jacob Mews Estate project in Yaba and the Lakeview real estate development in Lekki.