The quiet pulse of Nigeria’s corporate world slowed this week. Otunba Adekunle Ojora, a foundational figure in boardrooms, died at age 93.
He passed away on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at his Ikoyi home in Lagos after a brief illness. A patriarch of the Ojora royal family, he was the Otunba of Lagos and the Lisa of Ile-Ife.
Otunba Ojora’s career was a masterclass in evolution. He began as a journalist at the BBC and Nigeria’s NBC in the 1950s. A move to the United Africa Company (UAC) in 1961 opened the door to business, where he became a titan.
He served as Chairman of AGIP Nigeria Limited for over three decades, from 1971 to 2002. His portfolio was vast, spanning oil and gas, shipping, publishing, insurance, and real estate. He was a principal architect of indigenous corporate investment.
Despite his royal lineage and nearly becoming the Oba of Lagos in 2003, Ojora famously avoided partisan politics. He preferred the politics of the boardroom, focusing on corporate governance and nation-building through enterprise.
His life was also marked by profound personal resilience. He endured the tragic losses of his sons, Adegboyega in 2011 and Dapo in 2020. His legacy extends through his family, including his daughter, Toyin Saraki.
A recipient of the national honour Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), Ojora’s influence was both commercial and cultural. He was a bridge between Nigeria’s colonial-era business landscape and its modern, indigenous corporate identity.
Otunba Ojora’s passing marks the closing of a chapter. He was not just a wealthy man; he was part of the architecture of Nigeria’s modern economy, a quiet force whose deals and directorships helped shape the commercial skyline we see today.
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