Adekunle Ojora dies at 93

By our reporter

Adekunle Ojora, the Otunba of Lagos and Lisa of Ife, has passed on at 93. The family announced his death in a statement in Lagos on Wednesday.

A statement by Toyin Ojora-Saraki detailed that Pa Ojora will be buried in Lagos in accordance with Islamic rites.

The statement reads, “With total submission to the will of Almighty Allah (SWT), the Ojora family of Lagos hereby announces the passing of our beloved patriarch, Otunba Adekunle Ojora, the Otunba of Lagos and Lisa of Ife, who returned to his creator early this morning.

“We say Alhamdulilahi for a life well lived, and we comply with Allah’s words that: “Surely, to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return” (Q2: 156).

“He was 93 and will be buried in Lagos according to Islamic rites. He was survived by his lovely wife, Erelu Ojolape Ojora, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

“We urge all members of the public to join us in praying to Allah to grant His servant, who has lived a dignified life, reprieve in the grave and a place in Aljannah Firdaus.”

It was gathered that the corporate titan died on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, after a brief illness, at his Ikoyi home in Lagos.

Ojora was a renowned boardroom figure with a career spanning journalism, public service, politics, and corporate leadership in Nigeria.

He held influential positions, including long-time chairmanship roles in major companies, and was deeply rooted in Lagos and Yoruba traditional institutions.

The Otunba Ojora’s career spans journalism, business, and public service, marking him as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished corporate leaders.

Beyond business, his family continues to impact governance, healthcare, and social advocacy in Nigeria, extending his influence across generations.

Remarkably, the Otunba Adekunle Ojora pursued a career in journalism, but eventually yielded to the pull of business. After studying journalism at Regent Street Polytechnic, London, he had a stint at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), where he rose to the position of assistant editor.

He joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) as a reporter in 1955 and was transferred to Ibadan as an information officer in the office of the regional premier.

His move to United African Company (UAC), where he became public relations manager in 1961, was his first move to the world of business, and he developed an interest in commercial enterprises. He became the executive director of UAC in 1962.