His Royal Majesty, Oba Olufemi Adewunmi Ogunleye, Towulade Akinale, Owu Kingdom, Abeokuta clocks 78 years today, September 23, 2022.
Born in Awaye Compound, Totoro, Owu Abeokuta on September 23, 1944 to Baale Akinale Chief Johnson Oguntoye and Olori Efundiran Adebisi Ogunleye, Oba Ogunleye, named Okesooto Bokuote, as a presumed “Abiku” who was the only survival of 14 siblings of the parents, had early childhood growth in Akinale and Abeokuta for both primary and secondary education.
Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, is a veteran journalist who cut his teeth as a versatile newspaper Reporter in the Middle Belt Herald in Jos in 1965, the New Nigerian Newspaper in Kaduna (1966-1969) and the Daily Times, Lagos (1970-1976) before venturing into public relations practice as the chief spokesperson for the defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways between 1976 and 2000 when he voluntarily retired.
Besides being a graduate of the Daily Times Institute of Journalism, Oba Ogunleye read Mass Communication at the University of Lagos with training exposures in aviation journalism and public relations in many international airlines and aircraft manufacturers in Europe, Asia and America.
As a community person, Kabiyesi Ogunleye was installed as the 15th Baale (Village Head) of Akinale, an Owu satellite settlement, 23 kilometers south of Abeokuta on the Abeokuta-Lagos axial road in 2004.
Subsequently on October 31 2006, Oba Olusanya Adegboyega Dosunmu, Olowu Kangunere, Olowu Abeokuta elevated Baale Akinale as the first coronet in Akinale and named him TOWULADE AKINALE.
Today, Oba Olufemi Ogunleye is a member of Egba Traditional Council and Permanent Member of Ogun State Council of Obas, contributing to the development of traditional jurisprudence in modern democratic governance in Nigeria.
Oba Ogunleye, while on the throne, studied and obtained LLB at the Crescent University, Abeokuta, attended Nigerian Law School Lagos and becomes a Barrister at Law after which he proceeded to Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo where he obtained an LL M degree and now viewing PHD.
With specialty in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Oba Ogunleye is a Chartered Mediator and Fellow of the Chattered Institute of Mediators and Conciliators in addition to his fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, the combination of which he adopts into settling series of civil conflicts in his domain and beyond.
To mark this occasion, Oba Ogunleye has published a book titled “OWU AKINALE IN CONTEMPORARY ABEOKUTA” as reflections of his multi professions and natural rulership.
The book contains historical anecdotes on the Owu people from their ancient existence to date and the roles played by the Owu bands who migrated into Abeokuta after the conspiratorial internecine that destroyed their homestead in sustaining the peaceful existence of Abeokuta as a common domicile for Egba and them.
The book also accounts for Oba Ogunleye’s exploits in journalism, particularly in newspaper reportage at different beats in Jos, Zaira, Kaduna, Kano and Lagos.
His experience as Public Relations chief in the defunct Nigeria Airways as narrated in the book is a lesson in corporate management while his dissection of the roles of traditional rulers in a constitutional democratic government is instructive.
The book with a foreword from Balogun Owu and former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo will be presented to the public in due course.
