By Gbenga Osinaike
Today, April 25, the Ajalorun of Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State, Oba Afolorunso Adesesan Oguntayo, turns 89. While it may not be a “landmark” birthday in the traditional sense, the circumstances of his birth and life make every year a significant milestone worth celebrating.
And this is so because he started being a fighter from the moment he drew his first breath at Isapodo, Ijebu-Ife where he was born. He fought against death, being the only surviving child of his mother who had lost eight children before he was born.
His survival, however, was preparatory for the battles ahead.
Born with royal blood in his veins, Oba Oguntayo traces his genealogy to all the three ruling houses in Ijebu-Ife. Yet, he never carried himself with an air of entitlement. He started life with a clear goal: to carve a niche for himself and excel.
Early education
As a young boy, he balanced Islamic and Western education. In the early morning hours, he attended the Quranic school, known as Ile Kewu, before heading to Christ Anglican Primary School, Ijebu-Ife where he had his primary school education. He then attended St. Michael School, Owu-Ijebu for his standard school education.
It was from Owu-Ijebu that he gained admission to Ijebu Ode Grammar School—the premier and only secondary school in the entire Ijebuland at the time. Oba Oguntayo proved his academic brilliance there.
He qualified for a special elite class of 18 students in his set at Ijebu Ode Grammar School and thus became one of the first set of students in Nigeria to sit for the West African Examinations (WAEC). Prior to that, students sat for the Cambridge exams.
His set was also the first to experiment with a five-year duration in secondary school instead of the traditional six. By the time he sat for WAEC, he had Grade 1, a rare feat in those days.
Tertiary education
Shortly after secondary school, Oba Oguntayo worked at the Federal Audit Department for one year. This experience inspired him to study accountancy at the Ibadan campus of the Nigerian College of Arts, Science, and Technology (which later became the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University).
It was while in that college that he became a Christian and got baptised. He explains, “I was born into a Muslim family. I studied the Quran and could recite many verses from the book but I did not understand what I was reciting. But I found the Bible in a language I could relate to. That was what made me change my faith.”
His parents, reflecting the typical Yoruba attitude of religious tolerance, did not oppose him.
Apart from that, it was at the college he began to demonstrate his leadership trait. He was a unionist on campus and became the first president of the college’s Students’ Union after a keen contest. By implication he was the first president of the students union of University of Ife.
He was also the Vice President of the National Union of Nigerian students and was part of those who led one of Nigeria’s landmark protests, known as the “Great Trek,” The protest was against the Anglo-Nigerian Pact.
During the protest in 1961 students trekked from Ibadan to Lagos to demand that the Nigerian government reject the pact. They resisted attempts by colonial masters to maintain a military foothold in a newly independent Nigeria. And they won. That pact was not signed.
It was while in the college that he secured a federal government scholarship to continue his studies abroad. He then attended Leeds College of Commerce in Britain, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
Exploits in Nigeria
He did not stay more than necessary after his education in the UK. “There was no attraction then. After I finished my course, I returned home immediately,” he told Church Times.
But he said he was surprised to see students working while studying in the UK. As a government scholar, that was quite strange to him because he was getting government support for his studies.
His generation truly experienced the “best” of Nigeria. He returned to the country around 1964 and married his childhood friend, Mrs. Ruphina Olayinka Oguntayo—a teacher trained at St. Agnes College, Lagos. That marked the beginning of his lifelong stay in Nigeria. He has had no cause to regret this decision
He worked both in the federal civil service and the private sector rising to the position of Chief Internal Auditor of the defunct British Petroleum before establishing his own accounting firm and several other businesses.
As an entrepreneur, he distinguished himself across various sectors, including finance, trade, and oil. He is the owner of the famed Fowobi Petroleum Company. He had a technical partnership with both Ogun and Oyo states during the second republic to establish paper mills, an experiment that went sour.
Love for Ijebu-Ife
Despite his professional success, his love for Ijebu-Ife remains his priority. In 1975 he was conferred with the title of Oraderemo, making him the head of the princes, princesses and a kingmaker. This role made him a pillar of the community, before the throne beckoned.
Ascending the throne however proved to be one of the longest journeys of his life. Although he was qualified to be king when the stool was vacant being a descendant of the next ruling house, he did not ascend the throne on a platter.
Some chiefs felt that, as a kingmaker, he could not become the king. However, when the then Ajalorun, Oba Alfred Oyenuga, transited, the kingmakers voted more for Oba Oguntayo. He received four votes, while his opponent received two.
His opponents however would not give in. They insisted that a kingmaker could not be the king. This led to a protracted legal battle up to the Supreme Court. But as soon as the case was won at the high court, the then military administrator of Ogun State, Lt Col. Daniel Akintonde, approved his installation.
Today, that case is a landmark in Nigerian judicial history, cited as a precedent that a kingmaker can indeed become the king.
By June, Oba Oguntayo will celebrate 30 years on the throne, a milestone that will be marked with great pomp and ceremony.
Looking back he says, it’s good to have good dreams and aspirations. ‘As a young boy I used to believe in the aphorism that it’s better to be the head of a village than the tale of a city, quoting a philosopher.
“Today, that dream has not only been a reality, it has subsisted for 30 years and still counting.” He said.
But Oba Oguntayo is not just a king. He is a first class king in Ijebu land overseeing a vibrant community of people in a vast landscape.
The town, Ijebu Ife has experienced tremendous transformation during his reign. “The transformation started with the building of the modern palace and injection of various developmental projects into the town.
Guiding principles
One of his guiding philosophies is to live within one’s means. Despite being a businessman who took many risks, he maintains that the most “unreasonable” risk is using one’s primary residence as collateral for a loan. “I tell my children never to try it. It often does not end well,” he advises.
He also believes in the principle of hard work. In the Ilupeju estate in Lagos where he lived as a young family man, he was always the first to leave the estate to go to work and often the last person to return.
Even at 89, Oba Oguntayo still has capacity for work attending to people and papers that have to do with the progress of the town he oversees
A father of seven, he shared with Church Times that the loss of his wife about a decade ago was his most painful experience. “She stood solidly by me throughout her life. It’s painful she is not here today, but my joy is that she lived a great life and I believe she is resting in the bosom of the Lord.”
As Oba Oguntayo approaches 90, he finds his greatest peace in his integrity. “One thing that gives me joy is that I am not owing anybody on earth. That gives me unprecedented joy. I can go to rest in peace whenever the Lord calls me home.”
This birthday, indeed, is not just a celebration for Oba Oguntayo, it’s a thanksgiving note for a life that has impacted humanity and still counting.