Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the new Onirisa of the Source, is a Pathfinder Entrepreneur

Forty years ago in the ancient city of Ile-Ife, born into Ojaja Royal Compound of Agbedegbede, Giesi Ruling House in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Ogunwusi Adeyeye, the 5th direct descendant of the Giesi family was quietly delivered into the humble family of Prince Ropo and Late Mrs. Margaret Wuraola Ogunwusi (Ile Opa family compound, Ile Ife).

His father was a radio and television anchor and presentation star that spanned the entire mid-1980s to early 21st century in the South-Western part of Nigeria. Like the Proverb, “A Golden Fish has no hiding place”, Young Ogunwusi’s excellence and outstanding acumen would soon start to announce itself for the world to behold.

Adeyeye, a chartered accountant by profession, is best described as an astute entrepreneur driven by turning ‘impossibilities to possibilities’. His power of imagination has set him aside hence revolutionizing his approach to creativity and innovation. He is a distinct achiever with the conscience of youthful excellence.

The business savvy Adeyeye delved into Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) locally and abroad for over 12 years. He is also actively involved in the development of over 2,500 housing units with various consortia of developers within the last 8 years.

In Nigeria, he set up and fostered strong trade relationships through the Association for International Business (AIB) with presence in over 200 member countries across the globe. One of the achievements of this body includes the trade facilitation between the United Arab Emirates (Jebel Ali free Trade Zone development) and the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC).

Furthermore, he led the Government delegation team to Canada in 2002 that promoted strategic alliances through a partnership with the Ondo State Government on solid mineral potentials of the State (Bitumen, Dimension Stones, Granite, etc.) that gave rise to the formation of the ‘Amalgamated Mining and Exploration Company Limited’ – wholly owned by Ondo State Government. He facilitated the development of Sparkwest Steel Galvanizing Plant (the only Steel Galvanizing Plant in Nigeria), National Iron Ore Mining Company Limited and Jakura Mines resuscitation projects, which has eventually become the major limestone feedstock to Obajana Cement Plant in Kogi State. He was involved in the trading and marketing of commodities as the main facilitator for Dangote Group’s break into the ‘up-country supply chain consortium’ between 1996 and 1999. To mention a few, he also traded for Dohagro Allied, Global Apex, Olam, Clemco, Stallion Group and Milan Group at about the same period. This was where he gained his expertise in marketing, which till date is one of his major strengths. He also facilitated the biggest Lead and Aluminum recycling plant set up in Nigeria by the National Steel Company of India in Ota, Ogun State.

He began his strides in the real estate sector with various dredging and land reclamation projects in Lagos State. With his EssentialHomes, a real estate product launched in January 2014, Oba Adeyeye reached out to deliver affordable upscale homes to the middle and low-income earners.

The 1st phase of the product (The Southpointe Estate, Lafiaji Road, Lekki, Lagos State) started in February 2014 and has been successfully delivered within a year with approximately 60 percent occupancy recorded. This attests to the huge market demand and acceptability of the EssentialHomes brand. He also led the team that developed the prestigious Northpointe Estate Phases I, II, III and Midland Court on Chevron Drive Lekki Lagos.

In addition, he has successfully undertaken more multi-billion Naira projects across Lagos and its environs including Jacob Mews Estate Yaba, Lakeview Park I and II Estates Lekki, the ongoing Golden Leaf Estate Lafiaji Lekki and Grand Lake Estate Ajah, Lagos. The Lord’s Estate, in partnership with Oba Adedapo Tejuosho, the piling of Lagos Homes, Ilubirin, Lagos and the upcoming Ife Grand Resort and Leisure.

The new Ooni, has a clear track record of community development starting with his hometown. Four years ago during the occasion of his mother’s funeral, the community was without electricity. He embarked on a ‘Power Project’ to install transformers and light poles that generated electricity, which till date is serving the good people of that community.

This Power project is also being extended to other parts of the town. The Lafiaji community, off Orchid Hotel road, Lekki-Epe expressway, Lagos also benefited from his community development projects with the opening up and reconstruction of a 6.5km road, with a 1.1km green extension without Government’s intervention. He also made possible the electrification of this whole stretch powered by his company, Gran Imperio Group (GIG).

Within a year, to actualize his dream of developing one of the best resorts in Nigeria, he led a team that opened up a remote jungle called Inagbe Island in Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos. His vision and creativity transformed Inagbe Island into a whole new community offering spectacular world-class relaxation and recreational facilities. The multi-billion Naira Inagbe Grand Resorts and Leisure, Lagos Nigeria is the first of its kind in the whole of West Africa bounded by the Lagos Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean.

With this feat, he is set to increase the country’s GDP through tourism and reduce unemployment by providing direct and indirect employment. At the launch of this magnificent project in December 2013, The Managing Director of First Bank Plc., Mr. Bisi Onasanya, told The Nation Newspaper (published on December 13 2013) that tourism remains a veritable means of entrepreneurship and a source of revenue for Nigeria, hence it should be given necessary support. At the unveiling of the signage of the resort, Onasanya said: “It is a shame to some of us that we have waited this long for a younger person to come and wake us up and show us what we are able to do.”

Earlier this year, he had expressed plans to take Ile – Ife to greater heights including plan of rebranding the ancient town and replicating the grand resort in Ile-Ife, having already acquired a good landmass for the project. On the 7th of March 2015, Prince Adeyeye was a recipient of the prestigious NIDSA (National Ife Descendants Students’ Association) GOLD AWARD for 2015 on the occasion of the Ife Day celebration.

He is very passionate about people and their pursuit of happiness.

Alongside his vibrant personality, he is very down to earth and enjoys being in the midst of his workers. He celebrates and dances with them, dines with them, cracks jokes and of course gets on the work grind with them. He is a grass root fellow to the core whose humility is second to none and a lover of the youths.

As a philanthropist, he has sponsored less privileged children and youths in his hometown of Ile-Ife and likewise in Lagos where he lives. Many youths till date are beneficiaries of the monarch’s scholarship platform. He is presently an employer of over 300 indigenous youths at the Inagbe Cocowood Factory – EssentialHomes Furniture brand, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria using 100% indigenous raw materials for production. He has over 450 direct employees across his various companies, and over 3000 indirect employees.

Ogunwusi is a Director on the Board of Directors of Imperial Homes Mortgage Bank Limited, (formerly GTHomes), which is a leading National Mortgage Bank and former subsidiary of one of the biggest banks in Africa; GTBank Plc. He is also a Director at FinaTrust Microfinance Bank Limited; one of Nigeria’s foremost Microfinance Banks focusing on SMEs and micro credit facilities. He is the Founder, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Gran Imperio Group, which is the holding company of the real estate and construction, manufacturing, facilities management, leisure and tourism companies in Nigeria.

The new king, attended Sobuola Memorial Nursery and Primary School, Ibadan and completed his primary school education at Ibadan District Council (IDC), Akobo, Ibadan. He then proceeded to the prestigious Loyola College, Ibadan in 1985, led by Reverend G. B Daramola, the Principal of the college.

He later proceeded to Ile Ife at Saint Peter’s Secondary School, Omi Okun, Ile Ife led by Late Johnson Adebisi. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, where he started cutting his teeth in outstanding entrepreneurship, even as a student.

He is a member of dignified professional bodies, namely, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), an Associate Accounting Technician and a certified member of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria. He is also an active member of the Global Real Estate Institute (GRI), having participated at various levels. He is married to Adebukunola, Adebisi Ogunwusi and blessed with a daughter, Adeola Aanuoluwapo Ogunwusi.

To be a prince in Yoruba land in itself is outstanding, to then be a prince of the source Ile-Ife, the Cradle of Civilization is to be truly blue-blooded. The Young Prince is very passionate about what he