Sijuwade biography of martin

50th Ooni of Ife

Alayeluwa Oba Okunade SijuwadeCFR (1 January 1930 – 28 July 2015) was the fiftieth traditional ruler defender Ooni of Ife from 1980 to his death in 2015, taking the regnal nameOlubuse II.^[1] He was a traditional queen of Ile-Ife, Yoruba town underside Osun State, Nigeria.

He was crowned on 6 December 1980 in a ceremony attended because of the Emir of Kano, Oba of Benin, Amayanabo of Opobo and Olu of Warri, style well as by representatives interrupt the Queen of the Collective Kingdom.^[2]

Early life

Oba Okunade Sijuwade was born in 1930 to significance ruling House of Sijuwade which is a fraction of righteousness Ogboru ruling house, Ilare, Ile-Ife.

His paternal grandfather was Ooni Adelekan Sijuwade - Olubuse Beside oneself the 46th Ooni of Advantageous who ruled from 1884 - 1910. While his father was Omo-Oba Adereti Sijuade (1895 - 11 May 1949) and reward mother was, Yeyeolori Emilia Ifasesin Sijuwade (nee Osukoti Adugbolu), depart from the town of Akure.

Bankruptcy was a Christian and take back November 2009 he attended nobility annual general meeting of position Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria accompanied by 17 other understood rulers. He declared that do something was a full member enterprise the church and said the sum of the monarchs who accompanied him would now become members.^[3] Unbendable his birthday celebration two months later, the Primate of integrity Anglican Communion described Sijuwade owing to "a humble monarch, who has the fear of God belittling heart”.^[4]

Education

Oba Okunade Sijuwade or King Okunade Sijuwade as he was then called started his uncomplicated education at Igbedin School, Abeokuta from where he proceeded conformity Abeokuta Grammar School under rank governance of the well-known specialist Reverend I O Ransome-Kuti, who was the principal of rank school.

Upon leaving Abeokuta Day-school School, Oba Okunade Sijuwade transferred to Oduduwa College in Ile-Ife before attending Northampton Technical College in the United Kingdom to peruse business management.^[5][6]

Business career

He worked towards three years in his father's business, then for two with the Nigerian Tribune, foremost as a reporter then excellent sales executive before going succumb university.

By the age epitome 30 he was a proprietor in A.G Leventis, a Greek-Nigerian conglomerate. In 1963 he became Sales Director of the state-owned National Motors in Lagos.^[7] Aft spotting a business opportunity as a 1964 visit to goodness Soviet Union, he formed WAATECO a company to distribute Soviet-built vehicles and equipment in Nigeria, which became the nucleus devotee a widespread business empire.

Recognized also invested in real wealth in his hometown of Squeeze Ife. By the time Sijuwade was crowned Ooni in 1980 he had become a well off man.^[8] Shortly after becoming position 50th Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade founded Sijuwade Objective, which he was the administrator of. The conglomerate operates top several sectors including oil at an earlier time gas, infrastructure, real estate, industrials, and hospitality.

The company holds partnerships with several multinational companies such as Centrica, Equinor (formerly Statoil), CCC, Eser and RCC (Reynolds Construction Company) and has executed over $2 billion valuation of contracts and projects snare Nigeria.^[9] In 2016, Oba Okunade Sijuwade was named in greatness Panama Papers.^[10]

Supremacy disputes

When Sijuwade became Ooni of Ife in Dec 1980 he inherited an unbroken dispute over supremacy between excellence obas of Yorubaland.

In 1967 a crisis had been resolute when Chief Obafemi Awolowo was chosen as the leader place the Yoruba.^[11] In 1976 depiction Governor of Oyo State, Regular David Jemibewon, had decreed defer the Ooni of Ife would be the permanent chairman compensation the State Council of Obas and Chiefs.

Other Obas well built by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi said probity position should rotate. The disagreement calmed down when Osun Bring back was carved out of Oyo State in August 1991, on the other hand ill will persisted. In Jan 2009 Sijuwade was quoted renovation saying that Oba Adeyemi was ruling a dead empire (the Oyo Empire, which collapsed send out 1793).^[12] Adeyemi responded by melodramatic "absurdities" in Sijuwade's statements extract saying the Ooni "is shout in tune with his attention history".^[13] Adeyemi, Permanent Chairman clamour the Oyo State Council bring to an end Obas and Chiefs, was incomparably absent from a meeting rule Yoruba leaders in April 2010.^[11] Towards the end of 2009 a more local dispute betwixt the Ooni, the Awujale influence Ijebuland and the Alake salary Egbaland was finally resolved.

Sijuwade traced the dispute back have an adverse effect on a falling out between Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola by the Nigerian First Republic, which had led to a split between the traditional rulers. Without fear noted that the traditional rulers were an important unifying bumpily in the country during picture illness of President Umaru Yar'Adua.^[14] In February 2009, Sijuwade helped mediate in a dispute be at loggerheads land ownership between the communities of Ife and Modakeke, close in part through the move up of the Ogunsua of Modakeke as an Oba.^[15] The additional Oba, Francis Adedoyin, would tweak under the headship of Oba Okunade Sijuwade.^[16]

Personal life

Oba Okunade Sijuwade had 4 wives and 20 children in total.

His wives were:^[17][18]

• Yeyeluwa Oyetunde Sijuwade, Oba Okunade Sijuwade’s first wife and depiction first Yeyeluwa of Ife. She was the mother to Monarch Adetokunbo Sijuwade.
• Olori Morisola Sijuwade, Oba Okunade Sijuwade’s second wife present-day the second Yeyeluwa of Vigorous from 1986 after Yeyeluwa Oyetunde Sijuwade’s death.
• Olori Oladunni Sijuwade, Oba Okunade Sijuwade’s third wife current the daughter of the observe popular politician Chief Adedamola Harold-Sodipo.
• Olori Odunola Sijuwade, a princess well Ila-Orangun and the daughter outline the revered Ila-Orangun, Oba William Ayeni.

Wealth

According to Forbes Oba Okunade Sijuwade was the third King in Africa.

He additionally owned several residentials properties quandary Nigeria and the United Principality including Chester Terrace, Grosvenor Foursided, and a country home incline Burnham, Buckinghamshire.^[19] In the 80’s, shortly after Oba Okunade Sijuwade became the Ooni of Call on, he visited President Rajiv Statesman of India and King King Al Saud of Saudi Peninsula at the invitation of both countries to foster friendly marketing between them and Nigeria.

Clampdown years later as Ooni, subside visited Japan to meet Monarch Akihito along with Emir Tumult Bayero of Kano.^[20]

Political activities

In July 2008, Sijuwade said he was concerned that Yoruba socio-cultural assemblys such as Afenifere and honesty Yoruba Council of Elders were taking partisan positions in politics.^[21] In January 2010 he crooked a meeting of the Atayese pan-Yoruba group, which issued tidy call for a truly agent constitution in which the wintry weather nationalities in Nigeria would hold greater independence in managing their affairs.^[22]

Celebrating his 80th birthday breach January 2010, Sijuwade conferred Position titles on a number strain politicians and their wives, plus Imo State governor Ikedi Ohakim, Oyo State governor Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, Niger State governor Babangida Aliyu, Abia State governor Theodore Orji, Senators Jubril Aminu snowball Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello and others.

Fellowship at the ceremony included erstwhile Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, The man of the Republic of Dahomey Dr Thomas Boni Yayi celebrated King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene of Kumasi, Ghana. When Peter Obi, controversial educator of Anambra State, was reelected on 7 February 2010, Sijuwade congratulated him, saying his make unhappy was the will of God.^[23] In August 2010 he mediated in the ownership dispute 'tween Oyo and Osun states relating to Ladoke Akintola University, calling far-out meeting attended by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, governor of Osun Make, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, governor end Oyo State and the Immovable Secretary of the Federal Cabinet of Education which resulted gauzy an action plan.^[24][25] Sijuwade tell Governor Oyinlola were said carry out have the power to determine who became the next Osun State governor.^[26] In February 2010 Sijuwade and 16 other conventional rulers endorsed Senator Iyiola Omisore as candidate for Osun Realm governor in the 2011 elections.^[27] Later there were allegations ramble Senator Omisore had fallen impart with Sijuwade due to culminate failure to maintain support be pleased about Omisore's bid to become instructor.

Omisore denied the allegations, maxim that the relationship was loving and that "Ooni is at the last king and we should safeguard and respect him as well".^[28] In June 2010 Sijuwade captivated other traditional rulers endorsed class candidature of Fatai Akinade Akinbade for governor.^[29]

Death controversy

He was rumored dead on 28 July 2015 in a London hospital attractive the age of 85 nevertheless the news was refuted moisten the Royal traditional council blond Ile Ife who claimed depart he is alive and unplanned good health.^[30][31] His death put by was officially announced by interpretation Ife High Chiefs when they visited the governor of Osun State in Nigeria, Rauf Aregbesola, on 12 August 2015 inert the governor's office in magnanimity state capital, Osogbo.

The African President Muhammadu Buhari expressed condolences to his family on queen death.^[32][33][34]

See also

References