•A great industrialist and boardroom giant
His longevity was accompanied by enduring business success. Otunba Adekunle Ojora, who passed on January 28 at age 93, left a lasting mark across Nigeria’s corporate landscape as a boardroom titan, investor and industrialist.
Remarkably, he began his career in journalism before venturing into the business world. After studying journalism at Regent Street Polytechnic, London, he had a distinguished stint at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) where he rose to the position of assistant editor.
He joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) as a reporter in 1955, and was subsequently posted to Ibadan as an information officer in the office of the Regional Premier.
His move to the United Africa Company (UAC) as public relations manager in 1961 catalysed his transition into the commercial sector. He rose rapidly within the organisation, becoming an Executive Director of UAC by 1962.
He further broadened his leadership scope in 1966 through his nomination to the Lagos City Council, gaining vital experience in grassroots governance. By 1967, his proven competence led to appointments in two government agencies.
In that same year, he was appointed Managing Director of Wemabod Estates Limited, a major regional property and investment firm. Simultaneously, he assumed the chairmanship of the Nigerian National Shipping Line, marking his entry into the highest echelons of national corporate leadership.
He later became an investor in various firms, including AGIP petroleum marketing, and technology company NCR Nigeria. He was notably chairman of the board of AGIP Nigeria Limited from 1971 until it was acquired by Unipetrol in 2002. He also founded the private firms Nigerlink Industries, Unital Builders, and a holding company, Lagos Investments.
The introduction of the Nigerian Enterprise Promotion Act led to his expansion as an investor. He acquired equity interest in some foreign companies operating in Nigeria, including Bowring Group, Inchcape, Schlumberger, Phoenix Assurance, UTC Nigeria, Evans Brothers and Seven-Up.
The range of his investments included oil and gas, food, insurance, office equipment, pharmaceuticals, real estate, ICT and financial sectors in Nigeria and abroad.
As a giant boardroom player, his activities extended to his advanced years. For instance, at an event to mark the 50th anniversary of Evans Brothers (Nigeria Publishers) Limited in Ibadan, Oyo State, in 2016, Ojora, who was then 84 and board chairman, noted that despite Nigeria’s large population, the publishing industry was still struggling to remain profitable in the face of overwhelming challenges, including piracy.
Also, in 2017, when Insurance Brokers of Nigeria (IBN), a major insurance broking and risk advisory firm, unveiled a new brand identity in its 62nd year, Ojora, who was its chairman, observed that “one thing that has never changed is our commitment.”
A member of the Ojora and Adele royal families of Lagos, he was a prince who nearly became king. He lost the succession battle for traditional rulership that followed the death of Oba of Lagos Adeyinka Oyekan in 2003.
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He was a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management, the Institute of Directors (UK), and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, as well as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. These decorations illustrated his professional achievements. He received an honorary doctorate from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, USA, in 1992.
He was a recipient of both the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), which he received in 1982, and the even higher rank of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). These Nigerian honours signified recognition of his laudable national service.
He also held the traditional titles of Otunba of Lagos and Lisa of Ife.
President Bola Tinubu, in a posthumous tribute, noted his “significant contributions to both the private and public sectors, particularly his role in advising governments – national and subnational – on best practices for safeguarding the future of institutions.”
Interestingly, he maintained a deliberate distance from party politics. “I will never go into politics,” he declared in a 1990 interview. Instead, he chose to focus on boardroom politics, and corporate governance.
His exit reignited a broader discourse on the role of personal wealth within the social fabric. For a man of such immense resources, his legacy invites reflection on how private success can—and should—interact with the public good.
