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Nigerian business icon Adekunle Ojora, known for his wide-ranging investments and leadership, passed away early Wednesday morning at the age of 93. The Lagos Royal Family of the late Chief Abdul Lasisi Ajayi Ojora confirmed his death in a statement, saying he would be buried in Lagos according to Islamic rites. The family called on the public to pray for his soul.
Boardroom leader Ojora passes away, family confirms
In a statement signed by his daughter, Toyin Ojora-Saraki, wife of former Senate President Bukola Saraki, the family said the renowned boardroom guru and foremost traditional titleholder passed away “in full submission to the will of Almighty Allah (SWT).”
The family added, “We say Alhamdulilahi for a life well lived, and we comply with Allah’s words: ‘Surely, to Allah we belong, and to Him we will all return.’” (Q2:156). Ojora is survived by his wife, Erelu Ojuolape Ojora, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Ojora’s journey from news to business
Born on June 13, 1932, Ojora began his career in the early 1950s at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) after studying journalism at Regent Street Polytechnic. Rising to assistant editor, he joined the Nigerian government in 1955 as a reporter with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, eventually serving as an information officer in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria.
At 29, he joined the United African Company (UAC) as Public Relations Manager and became an executive director by 1962. His interest in commerce grew steadily, and he became a fixture in Nigeria’s corporate world. After the 1966 military coup, Ojora was appointed to the Lagos City Council. In 1967, he took on two key roles: Managing Director of WEMABOD, a regional property and investment company, and Chairman of the Nigerian National Shipping Line.
Ojora shaped Nigeria’s corporate growth
Throughout his career, Ojora invested in foreign companies operating in Nigeria, including Bowring Group, Inchcape, Schlumberger, Phoenix Assurance, UTC Nigeria, Evans Brothers, and Seven-Up. He served as Chairman of AGIP Nigeria Limited from 1971 until its acquisition by Unipetrol in 2002, guiding the company through decades of growth.
His leadership helped sustain thousands of jobs and positioned him as one of Nigeria’s most respected corporate figures of the post-independence era. Today, Nigeria mourns a respected corporate leader whose life and work left an enduring imprint on the country’s private enterprise and boardroom culture.
