By Adebisi Mustapha
With the resolution of the Olori Ebi crisis that initially rocked the Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu-Ode, the coast now appears clear for the selection of a worthy candidate to ascend the vacant stool of the Awujale of Ijebuland.
The Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu-Ode is the largest of the four ruling houses in Ijebuland, having produced 25 Awujales in the past, alongside many junior obas who reign in towns outside Ijebu-Ode.
Expectedly, numerous aspirants from the various royal families within the Fusengbuwa lineage are jostling for the exalted stool.
Notable among the royal sub-families that make up the Fusengbuwa Ruling House are the Bubiade, Folagbade, Tuwase, Jadiara, and Fusengbuwa families. But, as the saying goes, who does the cap fit?
Among the princes of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, one name continues to stand out, Otunba Abiodun Onanuga.
A distinguished personality who has carved a niche for himself in Nigeria’s real estate and construction sector, Onanuga is seen as well-endowed and equipped with the qualities befitting an Awujale.
He is humble, respectful of Ijebu traditions and culture, deeply rooted in his heritage, and well-loved by both the young and old across Ijebuland, including members of the traditional institutions in Ijebu-Ode.
Royal Family Background
The Giwa of Egbe Bobakeye Akile Ijebu, Otunba Abiodun Onanuga, is Ijebu personified, a true blue blood by birth and heritage.
His rich royal ancestry can first be traced to the Fusengbuwa Ruling House through his late father, Omoba (Alhaji) Ishola Onanuga, a prince of the Jadiara royal family.
His maternal lineage also reflects nobility, as evidenced by his maternal grandfather, Prince Fetuga, and his grandmother, Olisa Olukoga of Ijebu-Ode.
His mother, the late Alhaja Bisola Onanuga, was the granddaughter of Omoba Alfa Kadiri of the Bubiade Royal House of Ita’jana, Ijebu-Ode, and of the Obelu Lukan Royal House of Esure through her grandmother, who was the first Iya Suna of Ijebu-Imushin.
She was also the granddaughter of Prince Talabi Awoye, son of the 20th Ajalorun of Ijebu-Ife of the Olufesogbade Ruling House.
His paternal grandfather, the late Omoba (Alhaji) Mustapha Onanuga, popularly known as Captain Alaso Oke, hailed from the Anikinaiya Ruling House.
A respected community leader, he was the Giwa of the Obafowora Age Grade and one of the signatories to the nomination of the immediate past Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona, GCON, in 1959.
Political Life
A progressive at heart, Otunba Abiodun Onanuga has been actively involved in politics and the economic development of Ogun and Lagos States, as well as at the national level.
He was a member of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) and served as a member of the Transitional Committee of then-Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 1999.
He also served on the Ogun State Transitional Work Group in 2003 and as a Board Member of Gateway Pharmaceuticals from 1999 to 2003.
Presently, he is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under which platform his wife, Yeye Yetunde Onanuga, served as Deputy Governor alongside former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
Other Appointments
He has served as a Board Member of the Ijebu Development Board on Poverty Reduction since 2002, and as a member of the Ijebu-Ode Central Mosque Building Technical Committee.
He is also Chairman of the Awujale Palace Extension Building Technical Committee.
Currently, he is a member of the Ijebu State Creation Committee and a key figure in the Council of Otunbas, which sponsored the construction of an office in Ijebu-Ode in preparation for the establishment of a Passport Office by the Federal Ministry of Interior.
Traditional Titles
In recognition of his contributions to the socio-economic development of Ijebuland, Otunba Onanuga has been honoured with several traditional titles by Ijebu monarchs.
Aside from being a respected member of the Council of Otunbas, he was conferred with the title of Otunba Tayese of Esure-Ijebu by the late Alaiyeluwa Obelu of Esure-Ijebu, Oba (Dr) Kamoru Sansi, in 1995.
Subsequently, in recognition of his enduring service to Ijebuland, he was conferred with the prestigious title of Otunba Anikinaiya, a title reserved exclusively for blue bloods, by the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Ogbagba II, in 2008.
These honours, coupled with his royal pedigree, have further endeared him to traditional rulers across Ijebuland, relationships he deeply values and which have grounded him in the customs and culture of Ijebu-Ode.
Socio-Cultural Activities
Otunba Onanuga is one of the leading figures behind the establishment of the socio-political group Ijebu Congress, whose membership spans the entire Ijebuland.
A passionate custodian of Ijebu heritage, he was among those who championed the establishment of the Ijebu National Museum, contributing significantly to its realisation.
In 2024, he led a delegation from the Bobakeye Age Group to the British Museum and the British National Archives in London to research and clarify historical ambiguities concerning Queen Elizabeth II’s 1956 visit to Ijebu-Ode and other aspects of Ijebu history.
The mission was fruitful, yielding documentary evidence that enriched the recorded history of Ijebuland during the colonial era.
Bobakeye Age Grade (1956–1958)
As Giwa Bobakeye, Otunba Onanuga has maintained strong cohesion among members of the age group for over three decades, ensuring unity and stability.
He also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Regberegbe Council of Ijebu-Ode.
Professional Life
Otunba Abiodun Onanuga is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NUGACON, a construction and property development company established in 1982 and incorporated as a limited liability company in 1984.
Through this enterprise, he has significantly contributed to the socio-economic development of both Lagos and Ogun States.
Education
Otunba Onanuga began his education at Emmanuel Anglican Primary School, Italupe (1963–1969), and proceeded to the prestigious Ijebu-Ode Grammar School (1970–1974), where he won the award for Best Student in Technical Drawing.
He attended the Federal School of Science, Victoria Island, Lagos (1974–1975), and later the Yaba College of Technology, where he graduated in 1981 with distinction.
After completing his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the National Housing Authority (1981–1982), he passed the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) examinations and became a Chartered Builder (MNIOB).
He was later admitted into the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) in 1992 and elevated to the College of Fellows of the NIOB (FNIOB) in 2005.
In 2004, he was recognised by the NIOB for attaining excellence in his field. He is also a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Black Country Chamber of Commerce and Industry, United Kingdom.
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