Oba Lateef Adams: As Fashion Designer, I Made Clothes for Presidents Babangida, Obasanjo, Jonathan

His Royal Majesty, Oba Lateef Adams, the Onikate of Ikate Kingdom in Surulere, Lagos State embodies an uncommon blend of entrepreneurial excellence, family values and purposeful traditional leadership. Long before ascending the throne in 2016, he had built a formidable reputation as one of Nigeria’s pioneering fashion entrepreneurs. Through Latris Fashion, his fashion house, he helped redefine indigenous menswear, earning national recognition as Fashion House of the Year award in 1990 from the renowned Daily Times. As he celebrates 10 years on the throne and sets out to empower his subjects this coming weeks, Oba Adams speaks to Bennett Oghifo on life, childhood, fashion, ascension to the throne, legacy and accomplishments:

What was your background like growing up and the transition you can point to in your journey to eventually ascending the throne of your forebears?

I come from a normal background, definitely not from a wealthy family. I am from a middle-class family at the time and my father worked at the Nigerian  Railway  Corporation (NRC) and he was the kind of father who wanted all his children to be educated. I didn’t know I was from a royal family back then. That’s the truth. I was only aware that on the side of my mother, who is from Shagamu in Ogun State, they were of royal blood. You know a typical mother who loves her son would be protective of him and guide him as much as possible. So, when we went to her hometown, she went to make efforts for me to be protected spiritually and she was told by the people that they saw a crown on the head of her son. I was in my twenties at the time but I didn’t know where that was going to come from, because I didn’t know my father was from a royal family. So, my life just continued from there normally, I wasn’t looking for royalty or chasing a crown. I always cherished working hard to make a living and forge a good reputation. Before I became king, people knew me as the Founder and Chairman of Latris Fashion and I was known to many journalists back then.

 Your name was known everywhere through the years of running Latris Fashion. Did it ever occur to you at that time that you could become king one day?

Just as I said, I didn’t have it in mind. I only believed in myself and my job. And I was fully focused on that. I didn’t think about becoming king and definitely didn’t campaign for it. My kingship came from God and despite the prophecy I spoke about regarding a crown on my head, I never held onto that thought.

 Did you begin to trace your background or position yourself for the throne after you heard that, since many people would become fixated and start working towards it once they are told such?

No, I didn’t dwell on it. I didn’t have time for it. My job made me happy, it gave me a name, and put me in the company of important people. It was my job in fashion that connected me to people like MKO Abiola, and later to notable Nigerians like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I made clothes for President Babangida, President Obasanjo, President Goodluck Jonathan, the only one I didn’t make clothes for was the late President  Buhari.

Looking back at your years in the fashion industry, would you say that prepared you for the role you play now?

I really wouldn’t say anything about the fashion industry preparing me for kingship today. I just had to prepare myself, essentially, making up my mind to do what is necessary for this community so they would not just have a king but one they would be proud of. My fashion background only taught me how to serve customers well; it didn’t teach me how to be a king.

 At what point did the process towards the throne of Onikate of Ikate Surulere actually begin?

It started before my 50th birthday, over 20 years ago. I’ll be 73 years by December this year. I was called, although I didn’t seek it myself. The family that called me didn’t personally know me; only the Oloriebi (family head) knew my father, because I used to drive my father to the Palace of the Onitire. My father was a chief from the ruling house; not just an ordinary chief, but an important chief who was also from the ruling house of Ikate. He was the Mayegun of Itire at the time, he handled land documentation for the town and served, in effect, as the Secretary to the palace. I used to drive him there whenever he had no one else to take him. But years later, in the year 2016 destiny played out. I was appointed the Onikate of Ikate and a Staff of Office was presented to me by the Lagos State Government. My rise to the throne took 13 odd years and I eventually had the last laugh because Ikate was elevated; Ikate Surulere was under a Baale from time immemorial. But to my  credit, the support of my lovely wife,  my subjects and people, it was  elevated  to beaded crown status.

 But you met a lot of influential people through your fashion business. Has that network helped you in your role as a traditional ruler?

Yes, of course. The destiny is there. The royal blood is there.  I’ll always give credit to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the role he played in my journey to becoming king. I believe God had already prepared the way, but there are people who help push you toward your destiny in good time.

 Looking back over these 10 years on the throne, what would you say are achievements recorded for the Ikate community?

I thank God for choosing me to be king here, because this place was in a difficult state. Anyone in this community can testify to what I have done and what I continue to do.  As a King, it is my mandate to not only be the traditional ruler and father figure to the Surulere community, but my desire is to bring about effective development and welfare of the community. I am very  active in the community by constantly representing and engaging all stakeholders on how to continuously improve the affairs of Surulere Ikate. One of the many key developments introduced by me is the new residential Palace befitting of a king representing the distinguished indigenes of Surulere. My belief is that when you are king over a community, you must ensure your people benefit from your presence, you must provide facilities for them so they can be happy. Look at the roads here now; they weren’t like this before. We made sure the roads in this area were fixed, because good roads make people happy and protect their vehicles. And look at how that has positively impacted the value of landed property unlike what obtained before I became king. A plot of land here sold for maybe N8million and the most expensive plots were about 20 million. Go and check what property goes for in this area today.

 You spent about 13 years pursuing the stool before you were finally crowned. Those must have been difficult years. What kept you motivated?

When they first approached me about becoming king, I initially turned it down. By the time they called me, everything had already been arranged, my ruling house, the Omo Lamina Akinwunmi ruling house, had signed documents in support of my candidacy, following directives from our Oloriebi, the Wahabi Irawo. But when I asked whether there was even a palace structure in place, there wasn’t one, and I decided to hold off and continue with the Baale title to avoid unnecessary stress. What changed my mind was a conversation at a party between the son of Alhaji Wahabi Irawo, Fatai Irawo, who is the Oba of Odi Olowo Mushin and popular musician, King Sunny Ade. We were talking with King Sunny Ade before the party began and after he was told, he told me Baale wouldn’t give me much but that I would be superior if I became a king. That conversation was what pushed me to pursue it seriously and despite the fact that there was no opposition to my candidacy, it still took time. It was even published in The Punch at the time without objection after appearing at the Tribunal and nobody raised any objection and the process began under our current President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The process moved forward under Governor Raji Fashola with whom I was always in close contact, even at Bourdillon and he encourage me to keep going while assuring me of his support.

Has becoming a king meant stepping back from the day-to-day running of your fashion business?

No, I am still very much involved. I moved the business from Ikeja to a new location, so people can see that I’m still active in it. We have an office and I still go there from time to time. I won’t leave the business that made me who I am and I still follow the trends of what is happening in the industry in Nigeria and beyond.

You mentioned that the government doesn’t fund projects, including those relating to empowerment. How then is fund generated for empowerment programmes, including the one planned to mark your 10th anniversary?

We are marking the 10th Coronation Anniversary on July 23rd and my wife and I sourced the funds for it ourselves; there’s no government involvement. Beyond this specific event, I’ve always supported this community with food and provisions. We usually do that about two to four times a year. For this particular one, marking 10 years on the throne, we set out to do something that gives people the means to work and provide for themselves, other than food and clothes. As such, we are giving out work tools like industrial sewing machines, grinding machines, modern hairdryers, deep freezers and so on, to help others start or expand their own small businesses. We are also supporting people who what to go into pure/sachet water business with a capital about N100,000 each.The funding comes from my wife and I mainly, along with support from about seven people I approached personally. I made a decision a long time ago not to hand out chieftaincy titles carelessly to people who would become chiefs and never return. By God’s grace, I don’t need excessive wealth for myself, what I have always focused on is to live well. This is only the second of such chieftaincy affair since I became king. The first was for my 70th birthday in 2023 and this one for the 10th Coronation Anniversary. I deliberately chose people I consider serious and presentable, not just anyone looking for a title.

 Can you talk briefly about marriage?

I have been married to my lovely wife, Olori Iyabode Risikat Adams for over 40 years. We are blessed with successful kids who are doing very well in their respective occupation. As a family man I didn’t compromise on family values and welfare, I  ensured all my kids received a formal education to the highest level  because I invested heavily in their lives to become successful and productive members of the community.