A Diamond Reign: Oba Ajibade Ogunoye at 60

Owo, an ancient town in Ondo State, turned into a hub of royalty and culture as His Imperial Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Ajibade Ogunoye III clocked 60 on July 6, 2026.

As the Olowo of Owo, he is the 32nd paramount ruler of the Owo Kingdom, a monarchy with centuries of Yoruba history behind it. But his path to the throne looks nothing like the typical royal story.

Before he became king, Ogunoye III spent decades in Ondo State’s civil service, rising to the very top as a Permanent Secretary after serving as the state’s Director of Finance. That bureaucratic grounding is rare among Nigerian monarchs.

He also holds a Law degree and a Master’s in Public Administration from Adekunle Ajasin University, and is a qualified Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, giving him legal weight most traditional rulers do not possess.

The Oba’s 2019 ascension to the throne stood out for a different reason: peace. In a region where royal successions often spark years of litigation and rivalry, his emergence was widely praised as one of the most consensus-driven in Yoruba history.

Today, he chairs the Ondo State Council of Obas, making him the formal leader of every traditional ruler in the state. He also serves as Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Babura, in Jigawa State, bridging tradition with modern academia.

Under his reign, Owo’s Igogo and Ulabi Festivals have been revived and modernised, pulling in cultural tourism the town had not seen in years.

The diamond jubilee celebrations brought dignitaries, fellow monarchs, and well-wishers from across Nigeria to Owo, honouring a reign built on an unusual mix of civil service discipline, legal precision, and cultural revival.