Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The youth wing of the All Progressives Congress in the South-West has hailed the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, for what it described as his sustained commitment to youth empowerment, economic development and the preservation of Yoruba cultural heritage, in a statement issued on Friday, October 2, 2026, to mark the occasion of the 2026 Olojo Festival.
The APC South-West Youth Leader, Comrade Adesuyi Daramola, said the Ooni’s various initiatives and investments had supported entrepreneurship, created economic opportunities and contributed to job creation, providing young Nigerians with platforms to improve their livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to society. “The Ooni’s various initiatives and investments have supported entrepreneurship, created economic opportunities and contributed to job creation, thereby providing young Nigerians with platforms to improve their livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to society,” Daramola said. He described the monarch as a father figure and a traditional ruler who had consistently demonstrated genuine concern for the welfare and aspirations of young Nigerians, particularly across the South-West.
The statement, signed by the Media and Publicity Director in the Office of the APC South-West Youth Leader, Remilekun Enitan Oyelowo, and made available in Ado Ekiti, came as the ancient city of Ile-Ife celebrated the annual Olojo Festival, one of the most significant cultural events in Yorubaland. The festival, which draws pilgrims, tourists and traditional rulers from across Nigeria and beyond, commemorates the creation of the world and the dawn of the first day according to Yoruba cosmology. Daramola described it as a significant celebration of the rich cultural heritage of Ile-Ife and the Yoruba people, noting that its enduring message of thanksgiving, hope, renewal and unity transcended cultural boundaries and provided an opportunity for reflection on values that promote peace and social cohesion.
The praise for the Ooni is anchored in a substantial body of initiatives that have made him one of the most visible and active traditional rulers in Nigeria. In October 2025, the monarch established the Ojaja Artificial Intelligence Centre within the Ojaja Mall complex at Ogombo, Ajah, Lagos State, a state-of-the-art facility designed to serve as a hub for innovation and collaboration among Nigerian youths. The Ooni said the centre would serve as a convergence point for young Nigerians to showcase their creative and technological innovations, and he revealed that every material used in constructing and equipping the complex was locally sourced, a deliberate effort to promote made-in-Nigeria products and support small and medium enterprises. The Lagos centre was the seventh of such projects he had replicated across the country, and he set a goal of establishing similar centres in all 36 states within five years. “This area is the most concentrated hub for the middle class in Nigeria, between the ages of 25 to 40. We are strategically showcasing that we, traditional rulers, can make an impact. We don’t just sit in our palaces; we engage and ensure youths are relevant in society,” the Ooni said at the time.
The monarch’s youth empowerment portfolio extends well beyond the AI centres. In November 2025, 60 young women graduated from the She-Levate Tech Bootcamp, a 16-week hands-on digital training programme powered by the Ooni’s foundation, the Hope Alive Initiative for Africa. The programme was designed to equip girls from underserved communities with vital technology skills and connect them to mentors and employers in Nigeria’s growing digital economy. The graduates, described as “Digital Queens” by Olori Temitope Enitan-Ogunwusi, the Vice Convener of the initiative, mastered product design, frontend and backend development, data analytics, WordPress web design and digital marketing. The top ten students received monetary rewards and brand new laptops, while the overall best student, Lawal Aramide, who focused on product design, was honoured at the ceremony. “This is a one in a million opportunity which every girl would look forward to. I never knew I could go this far,” Aramide said on behalf of her coursemates. The programme has since expanded, with subsequent bootcamps drawing participants from communities including Makoko, Ilaje, Mushin and Ikorodu.
In the educational sphere, the Ooni’s establishment of Ojaja University, with its focus on entrepreneurship and problem-solving, has been cited as evidence of his vision for a more empowered and self-reliant society. The monarch has also partnered with the National Information Technology Development Agency to build a digital learning centre at Obafemi Awolowo University, and his advocacy for youth development has drawn recognition from the highest levels of government. President Bola Tinubu has commended Oba Ogunwusi’s tireless advocacy for women and youth empowerment through education and entrepreneurship, underscoring what the Presidency described as his admirable philanthropy and unwavering commitment to uplifting those in need throughout Nigeria and beyond.
Daramola also commended the Ooni for his advocacy for responsible leadership, particularly his call on political leaders to place the welfare and interests of citizens above personal and political considerations. “The message by the referred traditional ruler is timely and important. Responsive leadership and an enabling environment are essential to achieving sustainable national development,” Daramola said. The APC youth leader urged Nigerian youths to remain peaceful, productive and committed to community development, encouraging them to embrace legitimate opportunities to contribute positively to the growth and development of their communities and the nation. He extended his best wishes to the people of Ile-Ife and all Nigerians celebrating the Olojo Festival, with prayers for peace, prosperity and sustainable development across the country.
The commendation from the APC youths reflects a broader recognition of the Ooni’s role as a traditional ruler who has sought to bridge the gap between cultural heritage and modern development. Since ascending the throne in 2015, Oba Ogunwusi has positioned himself as a monarch who engages actively with the challenges facing young Nigerians, from unemployment and skills deficits to the digital divide and the need for entrepreneurial opportunities. His approach has combined the moral authority of the traditional institution with a practical focus on creating platforms and institutions that equip young people with the skills and resources they need to build sustainable livelihoods. The Olojo Festival, with its themes of renewal and hope, provided an appropriate backdrop for the APC youths’ tribute, underscoring the intersection of cultural celebration and developmental advocacy that has come to define the Ooni’s reign. As Daramola put it, the Ooni has demonstrated that traditional leadership can be a catalyst for modern development, and his initiatives have provided young Nigerians with platforms to improve their livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to society.
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