The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has a senior brother he loves so much. Though he has 2 older brothers, he is closer to this particular one. He is called Prince Adegboyega Abimbola Ogunwusi. On Saturday 8th October 2016, he was installed the Sooko Laekun of Ile-Ife. The title is a very powerful position.
It makes him the head of the princes of Ife and the right-hand man of the Ooni. The conferment will take place at the Oonirisa Palace, Eruwa, Ile-Ife and going by the plans which City People is privy to, it promises to be a grand event. Why did the Ooni choose this easy going gun? Who is Prince Adegboyega Ogunwusi? Why has he been quiet all these while?
Not long ago, City People spent quality time with the Ife Prince and for the very first time he spoke about his life. He told us how his journey started from his days on old Ife Road, Agodi Gate in Ibadan to the early years at 7th Day Adventist School, to his days at Fatima College and Oscas in Ile Ife. He also reviewed his Khaki Days to the Blue Days, and the merry-go-rounds with the Reverends, to coping with the nitty-gritty of VI’s Geography, to the beautiful days at Romford.
Though the road was rough sometimes, though there were travails at some of the turns, he learnt to live and love life “Emi O M’ayele Ni Temi” “Modesty is my watch word because Bintin Laye” Bintin Laiye even when there is much to savour.
This is because he was never forgotten the days of his small beginnings in Ibadan. Below is his story. He celebrated his birthday a few days ago.
How has it been for you since your brother became Ooni, in terms of the role you play and that has impacted on the family?
God has been so kind on Oonirisa and people has been very happy with him, because he has been able to unite the Yoruba people, most especially the Yoruba Kingdom, the Obas. Apart from that, his legacy has come in place, in the empowerment of youths. From that, we have gained so much. He has showcased the family and the entire Oduduwa race. He went to America, I went with him. He went to Ghana just to showcase the Yoruba as a culture and Nigeria entirely. President Buhari is so happy with him.
Concerning the family, he has been God sent. We appreciate him and we will continue to support him because he has been destined to be the King and God has been giving him wisdom and knowledge.
Your family has been quiet. You are not known for public and flamboyant lifestyle. But suddenly, your brother position has put you in public, how have you adjusted to this new role?
I give glory to Almighty God and I would thank my parents because that is the way we are all brought up. That is the way we were brought up. So, coming to limelight has not changed us. Anytime you go to Kabiyeesi he would say “Uncle Kehinde”. Nobody has changed because that is the way we were brought up by our parents, by my late mum, SidikatAbegbeOgunwusi. We were brought up to love each other, to love people and to trust God. Coming to this time, when we are now at the limelight does not really change us.
Can you tell us about your life, the school you attended and how it all started?
I was born over 50 years ago in Ile-Ife, to Geesi ruling family. I spent some few years in Ife. I'm the first born of OluropoOgunwusiand MadamSidikatAbegbeMagret Ogunwusi (she is late now). I am the first born of six children, follow by my younger brother, Adetunji, follow by Folashade, follow by Adeshola, Kabiyeesi Oonira, and our last born, Adebimpe.
I went to Seventh Day Adventist PrimarySchool, Ibadan. I went to Fatima College in Ikire, where I graduated. Then I went to Oscas in Ile-Ife to do my A-level, from there I went to the University of Ibadan where I graduated and went for Youth Service in Enugu State. It was called Anambra State then, Enugu was the capital. I did Geography Science. After I graduated, I did a couple of works. Within that period I worked in a bank, during my school day, they called it a vacation job.
So, when I graduated I did ICAN. I worked in some few places before I travelled. We were the ones that started Access Bank. We started in Apapa then. I worked in Mortgage Finance, which was the final place I worked in Nigeria before moving to the UK. I did my Professional Education and ICAN before I travelled, when I got to the UK with my late wife I had to re-educate myself because no matter your certificate in abroad you still need to get familiarize with the way of living.
So, I did IT, I did Programming and Microsoft and some few software texting. That was what I did until I came back when I lost my wife in 2009. I joined the business of my brothers, Adetunji and Kabiyeesi, Adeyeye. So we were doing the property business together before we branched out and I was looking after the quarry in Ibadan. I have been doing all sorts of job, property, mining construction works. Now, I am into big farming in Ile-Ife and Lalupon, just on the way to Iwo. I have a big farm there.
Have you left property business?
During the time I was doing the property business I wasn’t doing it on a large scale because my two other brothers, Prince Adetunjiand Kabiyeesiwere really involved in it and I didn't want to upset anybody. I didn't want to do what they were doing. There may be a class of interest. I have been doing my own underneath, renovate the property, and sell it off, which I did abroad. That is what I have been doing.
How has it been carrying the responsibility of being eldest and taking care of your siblings?
That has not been easy but I give thanks to God where we are now. I will say it in Yoruba “taa ba ni olori to da, gbogbo e ma’dara”. We have a good leader in Kabiyeesi. If there is no good foundation the whole things will crumble. I will give kudos to myself because I have been able to bring all my siblings together. My mum used to tell me something that, we should hold ourselves like a broom. She gave us an example that if you remove one stick from a broom that it can easily be broken. She said we should always remain together, love each other, call each other if you have any grievances and sort it out.
Tell us a bit about your dad, I know he is a disciplinarian?
My dad, Prince John Oluropo Ogunwusi, I thank God for his life. I believe God has a purpose for everything in life. He is a very disciplinary man. He believes in never say fail. I remember when I was trying to get admission to the University. I didn’t have cut off mark because I wanted to do Medicine. All parents then wanted you to do Medicine but I didn’t get the cut off mark but he said you were going to do it again. My dad used to say you have to have education, you have to respect people, don’t look down on people. My dad is a wonderful man and my mum to both of them would not tolerate indiscipline
What can you say about yourself, how do you assess yourself?
I don’t really do my own assessment, I prefer people from outside to access me. But I will say I am an easy going person, I mind my own business. I don’t like cheating. I don’t tolerate rubbish. That is just me. I don’t have many friends but the little I have I trust them.
Are you sociable?
I can adapt to any situation I found myself. If you say don’t rock, don’t party, fine but if you say let’s party down its also fine. You have to adapt to every condition you find yourself.
What life has taught you at over 50?
Life has taught me to be patient. We all have roles to play in life. Things don’t come easily, you have to struggle and work hard, and you have to be lucky at times. Don’t believe in people, people might want to help you but something might come up, don’t place all your hopes in people.
You mean in your few years you have seen a lot in life?
I have seen a lot but thank God for where I am today. What can I say! I have seen so many things, wealth, sadness, happiness and that is part of life, and you have to go through that in life. I lost my wife a couple of years back, I lost my mum a couple of years back. I lost a couple of friends, but thank God, they have legacies. I thank God I came through them. Life has been good because you should give thanks to God.
How do you relax?
I travel a lot. I listen to music, old-school, jazz, Davido, D’Banj. Nigerian artistes are very talented. I do sports, I played tennis. I love driving, I love cars, and I drive a lot. The main thing is I travel a lot.
How do you cope with helping your brother in terms of talking to people, how he handles event?
I am used to doing everything when I was still in the industry, I used to do meetings and when I was abroad I used to do meetings. I do a meeting every morning. But this one is more cultural things.
Has that changed your fashion style?
That has really changed my fashion style. Before, I don't travelling abroad in native dress and I hardly wear Agbada, but I have to go to market to shop for materials.
I am a very simple person. Most of the time I am back from abroad to the airport, once they open my passport and see my name they will say Kabiyeesi. I am not really a public guy compared to my other siblings, I just keep to myself, do my things underground.
How come you didn't show interest in the throne and we didn’t hear your name during the period your brothers showed interests?
I said, that kind of lifestyle is not for me. Somebody that has all that kind of lifestyle is not me. Somebody that is going to do that kind of lifestyle should be somebody that is destined to do it. I thank God, God chose the right person and God has been wonderful to Kabiyeesi. God has been able to help him, guide him and we just need to support him.
Coming back to your question, I was working underground because 2 of my brothers were contesting. We thank God, we are victorious, and the Obaship came to our family and to our compound.
Would that also explains you are contented with what you have in life?
One is to be happy with what you got today because you never know what will happen tomorrow. Who knows that one day I am going to be SookoLaekun. Things come to good people at the right time. When there is life there’s hope. But whatever we have in life just be happy with it. Be content, be prayerful and leave the rest to God. We have our destiny, what belongs to you will surely come to you, in one way or the other.
As the eldest, what were the things/signs you noticed in Oonirisa while growing up?
The good thing is that, we all have our various talents, I know where I am good at, but we also have our shortcoming, we have where we are good at. We knew right from the time that when you are born a Prince you can become a King, so, once you go to any Church or Mosque to pray, once you are from a ruling family they just said one day you will become King, but only God chooses a King. All of us can not be a King. When Kabiyeesi was young, he was very inquisitive. He wants to know what is behind something. I will tell you a story. There was a time when he was young, there were wall sockets, and he (Ooni) usually saw people go there, one day, he went there with screwdriver, trying to lose it and see what was inside. He removes the socket, put his hand and got shocked, he shouted! We had only one TV then, he would go to the back, trying to dismantle and he would get beaten. Then that showed the promise he was going places. Thank God for his life. There are so many things to talk about when he was young.
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