Billionaire Businessman Adekunle Ojora Dies At 93


Adekunle Ojora, father of Toyin Saraki, wife of former Senate President Bukola Saraki, has died at the age of 93.

Chief Ojora died on Tuesday, after a brief illness at his residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Born into the Ojora and Adele royal families of Lagos, Ojora held traditional titles as the Otunba of Lagos and the Lisa of Ile-Ife.

He pursued a career across journalism, business and public service.

He studied journalism at Regent Street Polytechnic in London and worked at the British Broadcasting Corporation, where he rose to the position of assistant editor.

In 1955, he joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation as a reporter and was later transferred to Ibadan as an information officer in the office of the regional premier.

Ojora joined the United African Company in 1961 as public relations manager and became an executive director in 1962.

His public service roles included membership of the Lagos City Council in 1966.

In 1967, he was appointed managing director of Wemabod Estates Limited and chairman of the Nigerian National Shipping Line.


He later invested in several companies, including AGIP Nigeria Limited, where he served as chairman from 1971 until its acquisition by Unipetrol in 2002.

He also founded Nigerlink Industries, Unital Builders and Lagos Investments.

His business interests covered oil and gas, shipping, real estate, insurance, manufacturing, publishing, ICT and finance.

Ojora served on the boards of several local and foreign-linked firms operating in Nigeria following the Nigerian Enterprise Promotion Act.

These included Bowring Group, Inchcape, Schlumberger, Phoenix Assurance, UTC Nigeria, Evans Brothers and Seven-Up.

He remained active in corporate governance into his later years and continued to participate in board activities and industry events.

He was a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management, the British Institute of Directors, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and the Royal Society of Arts.

Ojora received an honorary doctorate from Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio, in 1992.

He was also awarded the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger.

He stayed away from party politics, stating in a 1990 interview that he had no interest in political office.


Adekunle Ojora is survived by his children, including Toyin Saraki.


Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

CKN NEWS

Chris Kehinde Nwandu is the Editor In Chief of CKNNEWS || He is a Law graduate and an Alumnus of Lagos State University, Lead City University Ibadan and Nigerian Institute Of Journalism || With over 2 decades practice in Journalism, PR and Advertising, he is a member of several Professional bodies within and outside Nigeria || Member: Institute Of Chartered Arbitrators ( UK ) || Member : Institute of Chartered Mediators And Conciliation || Member : Nigerian Institute Of Public Relations || Member : Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria || Fellow : Institute of Personality Development And Customer Relationship Management || Member and Chairman Board Of Trustees: Guild Of Professional Bloggers of Nigeria

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