His Imperial Majesty (HIM), Oba, Dr. Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja, II. , was born 40 years ago into the family of Ropo and Margaret Ogunwusi. He is from the Ojaja ruling Compound of the Giesi ruling house of Ile-Ife.
Many years before the birth of the young Ooni, it was predicted that a child of prominence that would impact the lives of mankind would be born into the family at exactly 1pm. Indeed, Adeyeye came into this world at exactly 1pm on a Thursday, the 17th of October, 1974.
With the news of the arrival of a new born prince, he was specifically named Adeyeye by his grandfather Pa. Joseph Olagbaju Adewole Ogunwusi Jnr. The name Adeyeye in English translates to ‘A Crown Befitting for a King’; Pa Ogunwusi on setting his eyes on the new born prince began to call him Adeyeye Ooni from that very day till he passed away.
Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi is the 5th direct descendant of the Giesi Ruling Family (Ooni Ojaja Orarigba – Ayikiti ninu Aran reigned from 1878-1880, he was the 44th Ooni of Ile-Ife to rule.
He begat Adegosan Adewole Ogunwusi, who was an extremely powerful prince in Ile-Ife and a war veteran that never lost any battle for Ile-Ife and the Yoruba race. He begat Pa Joseph Olagbaju Adewole Ogunwusi (Jnr.), a very bold prince who took after his father. He begat Prince John Oluropo Ogunwusi, a radio and television anchor and star presenter that spanned the entire mid-1980s to early 21st century in the South-Western part of Nigeria. He begat Prince Adeyeye Enitan.
Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi was quietly delivered into the humble family of Prince Ropo and late Margaret Wuraola Ogunwusi (Ile Opa family compound, Ile-Ife). Like the proverb, “A golden fish has no hiding place”, Ooni Ogunwusi’s excellence and outstanding acumen would soon start to announce itself for the world to see.
Ooni Adeyeye is best described as an astute entrepreneur driven by turning impossibilities to ‘possibilities’. The Young Ooni’s power of imagination has set him aside, hence, revolutionizing his approach to creativity and innovation. He is a distinct achiever with the conscience of youthful excellence.
The ambitious Ooni with exceptional business ideas delved into Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) 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 within the last 8 years.
In Nigeria, he set up and fostered strong trade relationships through the Association for International Business (AIB) with presence in over 200 member countries across the globe. One of the laudable achievements of this body includes the trade facilitation between the United Arab Emirates (Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone Development) and the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC).
Furthermore, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi led the Government delegation to Canada in 2002 that promoted strategic alliances through a partnership with the Ondo State Government on solid mineral (Bitumen, Dimension Stones, Granite, etc.) potentials of the state, which gave rise to the formation of the ‘Amalgamated Mining and Exploration Company Limited’ – wholly owned by the Ondo State Government.
In addition, he facilitated the development of Sparkwest Steel Galvanizing Plant (the only steel Galvanizing Plant in Nigeria), National Iron Ore Mining Company Limited and Jakura Mines resuscitation projects, which has eventually become the major limestone feedstock to Obajana Cement Plant in Kogi State, Nigeria.
Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi was involved in the trading and marketing of commodities as the main facilitator for Dangote Group’s break into the ‘up-country supply chain consortium’ between 1996 and 1999. To mention a few, he also traded for Dohagro Allied, Global Apex, Olam, Clemco, Stallion Group and Milan Group at about the same period. This was where he gained his expertise in marketing which till date is one of his core strengths. He also facilitated the biggest Lead and Aluminum recycling plant set up in Nigeria by the National Steel Company of India in Ota, Ogun State.
In 2002 Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi was able to revitalize the processing of rice and setting them into different groups and sub categories. In addition he was able to donate rice and tilling equipments to the Oyo and Ogun State chapters of the “Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria”.
The Young Ooni was a major force in propagating the Ofada rice production; which was made possible under the chairmanship of Alhaji Abubakar Wodi of the “Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria”.
The industrious Prince began his strides in the Real Estate sector with various dredging and land reclamation projects in Lagos State. Ooni Adeyeye is the initiator of Essential Homes, a real estate product launched in January 2014, formed to deliver affordable upscale homes to middle and low income earners.
The 1st phase of the product (the Southpointe Estate, Lafiaji Road-Lekki, Lagos State) started in February 2014 and has been successfully delivered within a year with approximately 60% occupancy recorded.
This attests to the huge market demand and acceptability of the Essential Homes brand. He also led the team that developed the prestigious Northpointe Estate Phases I, II, III and Midland Court on Chevron Drive, Lekki, Lagos.
In addition, Ooni Adeyeye has successfully undertaken numerous multi-billion Naira projects across Lagos and its environs; Jacob Mews Estate Yaba, Lakeview Park I and II Estate Lekki, the ongoing Golden Leaf Estate, Lekki and Grand Lake Estate Ajah, Lagos.
The Lord’s Estate which is in partnership with Oba Adedapo Tejuosho, the piling of Lagos Home (a residential project powered by Lagos State Government), Ilubirin, Lagos and the upcoming Ife Grand Resort and Leisure.
Ooni Adeyeye has a clear track record of community development starting with his home town. Four years ago, during the occasion of his Mum’s funeral, the community was without any form of electricity. The Prince embarked on a ‘Power Project’ to install transformers and light poles that generated electricity which till date is serving the good people of that community.
This ‘Power project’ was also extended to the other parts of the town. The Lafiaji community, off Orchid Hotel road, Lekki – Epe expressway, Lagos also benefitted from his community development projects with the opening up and reconstruction of 6.5km road, with a 1.1km green extension without Government intervention. He also made possible the electrification of this whole stretch powered by his company, Gran Imperio Group.
Within a year, to actualize his dream of the development of one of the best resorts in Nigeria, he led a team that opened up a remote jungle called Inagbe Island in Amuwo-Odofin LGA, Lagos.
His vision and creativity transformed Inagbe Island into a whole new community offering world class relaxation and recreational facilities. The multi-billion Naira Inagbe Grand Resorts and Leisure, Lagos, Nigeria is the first of its kind in the whole of West Africa bounded by the Lagos Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. With this feat, he is set to increase the country’s GDP through tourism and reduce unemployment by providing direct and indirect employment.
At the launch of this magnificent project in December 2013, The Managing Director of First Bank plc., Mr.Bisi Onasanya, told The National Newspaper(published on December 13,2013) that tourism remain a veritable means of entrepreneurship and a source of revenue for Nigeria. Hence, it should be given necessary support.
At the unveiling of the signage of the resort, Mr Bisi Onasanya said” It is a shame to some of us that we have waited this long for a younger person to come and wake us up and show us what we are able to do.”
Ooni Adeyeye is very passionate about people and their pursuit of happiness. Alongside his vibrant personality, he is very down to earth and enjoys being in the midst of his workers. He celebrates and dances with them, dines with them, cracks jokes and of course gets on the work grind with them.
In 2015, Ooni Adeyeye disclosed his plans to take Ile-Ife to greater heights by rebranding the ancient town and replicating the Grand Resort in Ile-Ife, having already acquired a good land mass the project is ongoing. On the 7th of March 2015, Ooni Adeyeye was a recipient of the prestigious NIDSA (National Ife Descendant Students’ Association) GOLD AWARD for 2015 on the occasion of the Ife Day celebration.
He is a grassroot fellow to the core, whose humility is second to none and a lover of youths. As a philanthropist, Ooni Adeyeye has sponsored numerous less privileged children and youths in his hometown of Ile-Ife and likewise in Lagos where he lived. Many youths till date are beneficiaries of Ooni Adeyeye’s scholarship platform.
Ooni Adeyeye is currently an employer of over 300 indigenous youths at the Inagbe Cocowood Factory-Essential Homes Furniture brand, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria using 100% indigenous raw materials for production. He has over 450 direct employees across his various companies and over 3000 indirect employees.
Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi is a Director on the Board of Imperial Homes Mortgage Bank Limited, (formerly GTHomes) which is a leading National Mortgage Bank and former subsidiary of one of the biggest banks in Africa; GTBank plc. He is also a Director at Fina Trust Microfinance Bank Limited; one of Nigeria’s foremost Microfinance Banks focusing on SMEs and micro credit facilities.
He is the founder and Managing Director of Gran Imperio Group, which is the holding company of his Real Estate and Construction, Manufacturing, Facilities Management, Leisure and Tourism companies in Nigeria.
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