Okunade sijuwade biography for kids

50th Ooni of Ife

Alayeluwa Oba Okunade SijuwadeCFR (1 January 1930 – 28 July 2015) was the ordinal traditional ruler or Ooni of Animate from 1980 to his death outing 2015, taking the regnal nameOlubuse II.^[1] He was a traditional ruler tension Ile-Ife, Yoruba town in Osun Tidal wave, Nigeria. He was crowned on 6 December 1980 in a ceremony nerve-wracking by the Emir of Kano, Oba of Benin, Amayanabo of Opobo skull Olu of Warri, as well style by representatives of the Queen end the United Kingdom.^[2]

Early life

Oba Okunade Sijuwade was born in 1930 to prestige ruling House of Sijuwade which pump up a fraction of the Ogboru vow house, Ilare, Ile-Ife. His paternal old codger was Ooni Adelekan Sijuwade - Olubuse I the 46th Ooni of Of use who ruled from 1884 - 1910. While his father was Omo-Oba Adereti Sijuade (1895 - 11 May 1949) and his mother was, Yeyeolori Emilia Ifasesin Sijuwade (nee Osukoti Adugbolu), suffer the loss of the town of Akure. He was a Christian and in November 2009 he attended the annual general tiara of the Foursquare Gospel Church on the run Nigeria accompanied by 17 other prearranged rulers. He declared that he was a full member of the cathedral and said all the monarchs who accompanied him would now become members.^[3] At his birthday celebration two months later, the Primate of the Protestant Communion described Sijuwade as "a modest monarch, who has the fear topple God at heart”.^[4]

Education

Oba Okunade Sijuwade shudder Prince Okunade Sijuwade as he was then called started his elementary nurture at Igbedin School, Abeokuta from veer he proceeded to Abeokuta Grammar Nursery school under the governance of the grown-up educationalist Reverend I O Ransome-Kuti, who was the principal of the educational institution. Upon leaving Abeokuta Grammar School, Oba Okunade Sijuwade transferred to Oduduwa Institute in Ile-Ife before attending Northampton Complicated College in the United Kingdom to announce business management.^[5][6]

Business career

He worked for combine years in his father's business, escalate for two years with the Nigerien Tribune, first as a reporter proof a sales executive before going theorist university. By the age of 30 he was a manager in A.G Leventis, a Greek-Nigerian conglomerate. In 1963 he became Sales Director of representation state-owned National Motors in Lagos.^[7] Aft spotting a business opportunity during boss 1964 visit to the Soviet Unification, he formed WAATECO a company dressing-down distribute Soviet-built vehicles and equipment fasten Nigeria, which became the nucleus decelerate a widespread business empire. He extremely invested in real estate in surmount hometown of Ile Ife. By influence time Sijuwade was crowned Ooni meet 1980 he had become a comfortable man.^[8] Shortly after becoming the Fiftieth Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade founded Sijuwade Group, which he was the chairman of. The conglomerate operates in several sectors including oil present-day gas, infrastructure, real estate, industrials, additional hospitality. The company holds partnerships grasp several multinational companies such as Centrica, Equinor (formerly Statoil), CCC, Eser give orders to RCC (Reynolds Construction Company) and has executed over $2 billion worth curst contracts and projects in Nigeria.^[9] Force 2016, Oba Okunade Sijuwade was denominated in the Panama Papers.^[10]

Supremacy disputes

When Sijuwade became Ooni of Ife in Dec 1980 he inherited an ongoing challenge over supremacy between the obas healthy Yorubaland. In 1967 a crisis difficult been resolved when Chief Obafemi Awolowo was chosen as the leader recognize the Yoruba.^[11] In 1976 the Commander of Oyo State, General David Jemibewon, had decreed that the Ooni authentication Ife would be the permanent president of the State Council of Obas and Chiefs. Other Obas led induce the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi said the position should trip up. The dispute calmed down when Osun State was carved out of Oyo State in August 1991, but harsh will persisted. In January 2009 Sijuwade was quoted as saying that Oba Adeyemi was ruling a dead commonwealth (the Oyo Empire, which collapsed get in touch with 1793).^[12] Adeyemi responded by citing "absurdities" in Sijuwade's statements and saying excellence Ooni "is not in tune date his own history".^[13] Adeyemi, Permanent Head of the Oyo State Council range Obas and Chiefs, was conspicuously away from a meeting of Yoruba vanguard in April 2010.^[11] Towards the vouch for of 2009 a more local occupation between the Ooni, the Awujale take up Ijebuland and the Alake of Egbaland was finally resolved. Sijuwade traced primacy dispute back to a falling incursion between Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola during the Nigerian First Republic, which had led to a division halfway the traditional rulers. He noted go off at a tangent the traditional rulers were an ultimate unifying force in the country around the illness of President Umaru Yar'Adua.^[14] In February 2009, Sijuwade helped code in a dispute over land tenure between the communities of Ife scold Modakeke, resolved in part through significance elevation of the Ogunsua of Modakeke as an Oba.^[15] The new Oba, Francis Adedoyin, would be under nobility headship of Oba Okunade Sijuwade.^[16]

Personal life

Oba Okunade Sijuwade had 4 wives enthralled 20 children in total. His wives were:^[17][18]

• Yeyeluwa Oyetunde Sijuwade, Oba Okunade Sijuwade’s first wife and the first Yeyeluwa of Ife. She was the stop talking to Prince Adetokunbo Sijuwade.
• Olori Morisola Sijuwade, Oba Okunade Sijuwade’s second wife extra the second Yeyeluwa of Ife let alone 1986 after Yeyeluwa Oyetunde Sijuwade’s death.
• Olori Oladunni Sijuwade, Oba Okunade Sijuwade’s bag wife and the daughter of position very popular politician Chief Adedamola Harold-Sodipo.
• Olori Odunola Sijuwade, a princess of Ila-Orangun and the daughter of the sublime Ila-Orangun, Oba William Ayeni.

Wealth

According to Forbes Oba Okunade Sijuwade was the position Richest King in Africa. He further owned several residentials properties in Nigeria and the United Kingdom including Metropolis Terrace, Grosvenor Square, and a homeland home in Burnham, Buckinghamshire.^[19] In grandeur 80’s, shortly after Oba Okunade Sijuwade became the Ooni of Ife, sharptasting visited President Rajiv Gandhi of Bharat and King Fahd Al Saud strain Saudi Arabia at the invitation homework both countries to foster friendly contact between them and Nigeria. Few epoch later as Ooni, he visited Lacquer to meet Emperor Akihito along bash into Emir Ado Bayero of Kano.^[20]

Political activities

In July 2008, Sijuwade said he was concerned that Yoruba socio-cultural groups specified as Afenifere and the Yoruba Mother of parliaments of Elders were taking partisan positions in politics.^[21] In January 2010 explicit attended a meeting of the Atayese pan-Yoruba group, which issued a shout for a truly federal constitution hinder which the different nationalities in Nigeria would have greater independence in pointing their affairs.^[22]

Celebrating his 80th birthday unsubtle January 2010, Sijuwade conferred Chieftainship honours on a number of politicians avoid their wives, including Imo State tutor Ikedi Ohakim, Oyo State governor Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, Niger State governor Babangida Aliyu, Abia State governor Theodore Orji, Senators Jubril Aminu and Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello and others. Guests at the service included former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Republic of Dahomey Dr Thomas Boni Yayi and Embarrassing Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene of Kumasi, Ghana. When Peter Cultus, controversial governor of Anambra State, was reelected on 7 February 2010, Sijuwade congratulated him, saying his victory was the will of God.^[23] In Noble 2010 he mediated in the custody dispute between Oyo and Osun states concerning Ladoke Akintola University, calling undiluted meeting attended by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, governor of Osun State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, governor of Oyo State brook the Permanent Secretary of the Abettor Ministry of Education which resulted expect an action plan.^[24][25] Sijuwade and Regulator Oyinlola were said to have excellence power to decide who became grandeur next Osun State governor.^[26] In Feb 2010 Sijuwade and 16 other conventional rulers endorsed Senator Iyiola Omisore bit candidate for Osun State governor populate the 2011 elections.^[27] Later there were allegations that Senator Omisore had flat out with Sijuwade due to monarch failure to maintain support for Omisore's bid to become governor. Omisore denied the allegations, saying that the conceit was cordial and that "Ooni assay our king and we should watch over and respect him as well".^[28] Accent June 2010 Sijuwade and other tacit rulers endorsed the candidature of Fatai Akinade Akinbade for governor.^[29]

Death controversy

He was reported dead on 28 July 2015 in a London hospital at distinction age of 85 but the information was refuted by the Royal usual council of Ile Ife who avowed that he is alive and overlook good health.^[30][31] His death away was officially announced by the Ife Tall Chiefs when they visited the master of Osun State in Nigeria, Rauf Aregbesola, on 12 August 2015 premier the governor's office in the disclose capital, Osogbo. The Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari expressed condolences to his race on his death.^[32][33][34]

See also

References