Celebrating Oba Oladunni Ajagungbade’s Outstanding Achievements at 95

It was Prof Femi Osofisan, an acclaimed literary giant, who aptly titled one of his award-winning plays ‘Birthdays Are Not For Dying.’

Indeed, birthdays are supposed to be occasions for the celebration of life by the living. Birthdays are also a period when the celebrator takes stock of his or her life and feels like climbing the mountaintop to shout Hallelujah.

Undoubtedly, if any human is currently experiencing the proverbial seventh heaven, typical of a woman safely delivered of a baby, it is no other than the revered monarch Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III.

As the Royal Majesty celebrated his 95th birthday last Thursday, not a few shared in his joy. The reason is that the “birthday boy” means many things to many people in and outside the country.
Although the king opted for a low-key celebration due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many could not but celebrate the well-respected and renowned first-class monarch, who has used his financial resources and network of contacts to attract robust connections over the years for the development of his domain.

A good number of his loyal chiefs, subjects, friends, including Otunba Funsho Lawal, an oil and gas top player, and Maaye of Ogbomoso sponsored congratulatory adverts celebrating the birthday of the eminent king. It is clear that the sponsors of the respective adverts had spent a fortune to appreciate the man while also celebrating his outstanding feats in life.

Indeed, the contents of the adverts speak volumes of his enviable place in the Nigerian royalty. Known for his humility and selflessness, Oba Oyewumi, said to have politely declined gestures by his subjects, friends, and associates to throw a lavish party in commemoration of the occasion, stressed that he appreciates their show of unconditional love and kind gestures.

Society Watch gathered that the birthday was celebrated by his children at the private residence of the nonagenarian monarch.

Born on May 27, 1926, to the Gbagun ruling house of the royal family of Soun of Ogbomosoland, his father and grandfather, Oba Bello Oyewumi Ajagungbade II, reigned from 1916 to 1940 and Oba Gbagungboye Ajamasa Ajagungbade I, reigned from 1869 to 1871, respectively. His great grandfather, Oba Oluwusi Aremu, also reigned from 1826 to 1840.

The Oba, many years ago, cut his business teeth by trading in woven textiles, which took him on trading trips to many locations across the West African countries. He operated under a limited liability company in 1967 called J.O. Oyewumi and Co. Nigeria Ltd, which specialised in wholesale and retail trading.

The business that started on a shoe-string budget later expanded to include real estate and hospitality. He established the famous Terminus Hotel and El-Duniya Hotel in Jos. Through hard work, continuous self-improvement (including enrolment in evening educational schools to improve his education), he was appointed as a distributor for the French-owned trading firm CFAO in 1954.

Prince Oyewumi, as he was popularly known, made his inaugural business trip abroad in 1958. The trip took him to Hamburg and Bremen in then West Germany; Paris and Marseille in France and London, United Kingdom. During his stay in Europe, he explored opportunities for expanding his business by meeting business people and visiting factories.

Oba Oyewumi ascended the throne of his forefathers as the 20th Soun of Ogbomosoland in 1973. Under his historic and remarkable reign, Ogbomoso has witnessed various development, including Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Federal Polytechnic, Bowen University Teaching Hospital, and additional local government areas.

The Oba’s imprints manifest boldly in infrastructure development, socio-communal harmony, and general peace that pervades the town. Blessed with many great-grandchildren, grandchildren, and children, who are doing well in their professional endeavours, Oba Oyewumi remains a source of inspiration and rallying point for Ogbomoso sons and daughters.