The Ooni of Ife, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, and Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, has received dual national recognitions in Abuja, in acknowledgement of his distinguished contributions to Nigeria’s socio-economic development, cultural advancement, and investment promotion.
At the 2026 Induction Ceremony of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), the ooni was formally conferred with the Honorary Fellowship of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, the organisation’s highest professional distinction. The honour was awarded in recognition of his impact in real estate development, human capital empowerment, and nation-building initiatives.
The Fellowship reflects NIESV’s acknowledgement of the Ooni’s leadership in bridging traditional authority with modern development efforts, particularly in areas relating to urban growth, property investment, and inclusive economic progress.
In a related landmark development, the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) on the same day appointed the revered monarch as the Grand Patron of Tourism in Nigeria, marking a significant step in the Federal Government’s renewed push to reposition tourism as a key pillar of national economic diversification.
The decoration was carried out by the Director-General of NTDA, Dr. Ola Awakan, acting on directives from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as part of broader efforts to strengthen public-private partnerships in the tourism sector.
As part of the engagement, the NTDA also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with OJAJA Pan Africa, a Pan-African business conglomerate chaired by the Ooni of Ife. The partnership is aimed at driving strategic tourism investment, cultural branding, hospitality development, and diaspora engagement across Nigeria.
According to the NTDA, the collaboration is expected to accelerate growth in cultural tourism, heritage preservation, hospitality infrastructure, and youth employment, while attracting both domestic and international investors into Nigeria’s tourism value chain.
The agreement positions OJAJA Pan Africa to play a leading role in mobilising private capital and promoting Nigeria’s vast cultural assets, with particular focus on heritage destinations, creative industries, and community-based tourism initiatives.
With this appointment, the Ooni becomes a central figure in Nigeria’s tourism transformation agenda, reinforcing his longstanding advocacy for African renaissance and his efforts to project Yoruba heritage and Nigeria’s cultural identity on the global stage.
The twin recognitions further underscore Ooni’s evolving influence beyond traditional leadership, highlighting his role in fostering economic development, strengthening institutional partnerships, and advancing Nigeria’s profile as a destination for cultural, heritage, and investment tourism.
