His Imperial Majesty, Arole Oodua, the Ooni Babatunde Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, in commemoration of the 5th year anniversary on the throne of his forebears reflected on his journey to stardom; while admonished Nigerian youths on the impact of mentorship in the wheel of success, the philanthropist cum properties mogul declared that his ascension to the throne traverses conventional roles of a king, described his kingship as a calling to serve humanity as he dedicated his reigns to the youth. He spoke with SOLA AKINGBOYE led the top echelon of RegentAfrica Times in his Ile-Oduduwa Palace, Ile-Ife.
Your Majesty, it has been mixed feelings of joy in the palace as the newborn prince, Prince Tadenikawo Aderemi Inioluwa Ogunwusi, came to declare open the celebration of his dad’s 5th anniversary on the throne of his ancestors. We congratulate you, sir.
Various reports had it you also had your fare-share gory tales to tell as a boxed youth, who rigours through the thick and thin to become. Can you tell us more about your journey to stardom?
To the glory of God, before I ascended the throne of my forebears, I have the privileged of being a youth, because I ascended the throne at the age 40th. Before then, in my own little way, I have been very successful in my private sector. I started business in my private ventures in my early 20s, very bullish, very resilient at that age, and very determined. God really helped me so far. I became a very well-known young individual in the area of Engineering Procurements, APC Ventures, and turned key setting up industries.
You mean all of this at that age?
At 21, I muted the idea of buying a bank. I assembled a very powerful team. We bought in a portion of GTBank, the mortgage bank aspect, an arm of GTBank called GTHomes. We were able to raise a lot of money with a consortium of investors. At a very tender age, I was able to help put that together, and that is one of the best mortgage banks, run in Nigeria. So I became a banker, and very active in banking especially in the area of mortgage banking because I am a real estate developer, that is my core basis. All these happened to me at a very tender age, which actually endeared me to youth agenda; that yes indeed if you set your mind to somewhere, yes you can make it. This is because I didn’t cut any corner at all, so it is very possible for them to excel and get to that greater height, and not cut any corner. So what is critical is mentorship.
Who then can you identify as your mentor?
I have loads and loads of mentors. I follow suit their behavioural pattern and it really worked for me.
How has ascending to the throne being in all this?
My ascending to the throne is all I have always loved to do, to serve humanity. It is the very best platform for me to serve humanity and do a lot of youth emancipation programme and initiatives. So I have a very clear vision of being a traditional ruler close to my people, one who is much fulfilled every day of my life, and I dedicate the throne to the youths. So to the Glory of God, my life has been embedded in doing it.
“This Throne Is the Best Platform for Me to Serve Humanity”
How would you juxtapose your freedom and social engagements in the corporate world to your present status as a King?
It is not possible. This is not possible, because I am fully not in control of my life. My life is being channeled and control by 100% dedication to humanity. Emancipation of the youths, dedication of the great things to the youths, and also my life is streamlined to what’s belonging to everybody. We no longer have ample time for ourselves and the life of our own.
With your exemplary leadership just in five years as a King, where do you see yourself in ten years?
Ten years from now, I will be fifteen years on the throne. I believe God will keep my life to His glory, In good health and vitality.
(cut in) Amen.
I know, that a lot would have been achieved in terms of letting the youth takes their rightful position. I would have created a lot of very successful youth in various field of their endeavour and uphold our cultural heritage, which is key, knowing full well who we are and our values in terms of culture, tradition and our common patrimony, uphold the heritage of we, the Yoruba people. This is because we are the oldest in terms of genetics globally and we need to uphold that and come up with a lot of great things. For me, in ten years’ time and in fifteen years’ time, it is achievement galore. Especially in the areas of youth emancipation and our cultural values.
As a custodian of traditions, don’t you think modernity has dealt blows on Yoruba cultural values?
We have to blend culture and modernity because we are at a digital age. As a Yoruba people, what is critical is the ethos of who we are. Yoruba will say ‘ranti omo eni ti iwo n se’; and when you blend it, don’t forget the core values of our culture that must be blend properly, our mannerism in terms of our actions, thoughts and what have you. That is the only way we can curb moral decadence in our society. If we lose our cultural value, we are in trouble, because we have lost who we are.
On this throne, I will be able to blend modernity and tradition, using a modern technique to spread the core values of our heritage and our tradition, and to the glory of God, that is what we have done in the last five years.
Experts at different fora admitted that Yoruba among major indigenous languages might go into extinction in the scheme of things. What is your view?
Our language is our identity, we have a lot of programmes designed for that, ‘so ede Yoruba si omo re’, very popular all over the world, people know me as an advocate of that and is working to the glory of God.
That Yoruba language going into extinction is a wake-up call, but we still have our core value in the rural communities, which will uphold our heritage. All we need to do is to continue to support them. To uphold what is being upheld in the rural communities. In urban, some of them are going into Yoruba lessons and having Yoruba teachers. Even all over the world, the Yoruba language is being taught online, which is part of blending modernity and tradition as far as language is concerned. We will still use the technique to educate the younger generations, especially the children, born or yet unborn once they are of this generation.
That Yoruba language going into extinction is a wake-up call, but we still have our core value in the rural communities, which shall uphold our heritage. All we need to do is to continue to support them.
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Is the political class doing enough in all this?
Not really, but we keep talking to them to instill the issue on the school curriculum; that could be an oversight on their part. It should be part of us. We should use Yoruba to teach our children mathematics. Use Yoruba to teach them science, they will grab it easily.
Agitation for the Oodua Republic is gaining momentum, especially among the youth, triggered by social media. In your view, sir, is Nigerian entity not threatened?
Our greater asset is our diversity, but it is becoming a liability now. Agitations are meant for us, but it is for us to understand what is fundamentally wrong with our coexistence as a nation.
How?
We are not addressing what is fundamentally wrong. If you have a computer, you must reboot. If you have a computer, you have to refresh. So a system that is not working, we must look for a way to refresh and start all over. So for the Nigerian system, something is not right, hence the call for agitations. All stakeholders must seat down together, renegotiate the terms of our coexistence before it is too late. So for the youth to be clamouring now for the Oodua Republic shows they are tired. I don’t blame people, what matters is to address the fundamental issues, and God helps us.
“For the youths to be clamouring for Oodua Republic shows they are tired; all stakeholders must seat down together, renegotiate terms of our coexistence before it is too late,”
Youth restiveness has become one but too many. What is your advice to the political class in view of the #ENDSARS crisis?
My advice is that let those in authority just listen to the youth. This is very important, irrespective of the agitations. Don’t throw away whatever they say, listen to them, and borrow from their positivity. Our youths are young, full of energy. I will advise the government to set up a very strong panel of inquiry on how to look into the positive side of what the youth have to offer. It will go a long way for our country, not condemning them all the time.
On #ENDSARS Protests, they have a point; unfortunately, it was hijacked. May God help us as a nation.
Did you ever have it in mind that you will ever become the Ooni of Ife even at the time?
Naturally, leaders are born to the glory of God. As a leader, you don’t have to get angry, be patient, you have to have what it takes to be a leader. You must have some taste of stewardship before you can become a leader. For me, it has always been a natural thing. I have a great passion for it before I became Ooni, I have it like that irrespective of what is foretold, I have always been a people’s servant and I’ll always be, because of who I am. God is love, nobody can see him. The best bet is to continue to love God and let people continue to express love, to bring a smile to people’s faces.
RegentAfrica Times