PERSONALITY PROFILE

TOP 10 life lessons from Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi, Ajagungbade 111

The Monarch who turn 92 on May 27, 2018 has spend over 43 years on the throne as the leader of Ogbomoso city in Oyo State.
Ogbomoso is a city founded in the mid 17th century with a 2006 census population of 645,000.

Jimoh Oladunni was born as a Prince but ascended the throne after his father, Oba Bello Afolabi Oyewumi Ajagungbade 11 on October 24, 1973. His mother was Ayaba Seliat Olatundun Oyewumi.
Oba Oyewumi did his elementary education at St Patrick's primary school, Oke Padre, Ibadan from 1932- 1938. After that he attended the Ogbomoso People's Institute, now Ogbomoso Grammar School, Ogbomoso.

Oba Jimoh Oyewumi may have been born into a prominent royal family but he was not born with the silver spoon in his month; for lack of financial assistance, he completed his primary education , but did not complete his secondary education before he ventured into business. For the business pursuit, he relocated from Ogbomoso to Jos, Plateau State. In Jos, his uncles taught him the principles of business success, that was in the 1940s. He started his own business in 1944. Then , Jos was like Europe, in terms of the weather.
In Jos, He started trading textile materials from his 50 pound savings, He diverted into business in partnership with the United Africa Company of Nigeria (UAC), he bought and sold bicycles; From a casual window shopping at G.B Ollivant, Oladunni met a scottish friend Mr Smith who later became his business partner. Mr Smith was an expatriate who was working as the manager for G.B Ollivant.

By 1950, Oba Oyewumi's business success was evident 8 years later, his business expanded into real estates and properties. He set up the famous Terminus Hotel and El- Duniya Hotel in Jos. Through hardwork, continuous self - improvement ( including enrolment in evening educational schools to improve his education).
He was appointed as a distributor for the French - owned trading from CFAO in 1954. This position took him on several trips around the world; an opportunity he used to explore and weigh business expansion ideas.

Prince Oyewumi, as he was popularly known then, made his inaugural business trip abroad in 1958. The trip took him to Hamburg and Bremen in then Western Germany; Paris and Marseille in France and London, United Kingdom. During his stay in Europe, he was able to explore opportunities for expanding his business by meeting businessmen and visiting factories.
He formed a limited liability Company in 1967 called J.O Oyewumi and Co Nigeria Ltd, which specialized in wholesale and retail trading. From a modest beginning , the business expanded to include real estate and hospitality.

Oba Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi 's father Oba Bello Afolabi Oyewumi was the Soun Ajagungade 11 while his grandfather was the Soun Ajagungbade 1. In Ogbomosoland, He is the 20th Soun. A total of 100 people voted for all the contestants for the throne, and almost all of them voted for him. Among the children of his father, Oyewumi, he had many elder brothers.

He built the modern place, which took him four years to complete and moved into it in 1978. Oba Oyewumi was 14 years old when his father joined his ancestors.
Soun Oyewumi had been able to manage Ogbomoso city for over 42 and there has not been any crisis in the city. During his reign there has been educational transformation, western education for Ogbomoso children. When he assume the stool, the schools we had in Ogbomoso were not enough to accommodate the teeming young people. The schools were just three in number but today Ogbomoso had witness success in the educational session. Now, we have many primary and secondary schools. We have more than 150 schools in Ogbomoso today.
When he ( Soun) became king, electricity was epileptic. He ensure that the presence of the then National Electricity Power Authority Company (NEPA) was brought to Ogbomoso with a view to having regular power supply. At the same time, He ensured there is Police Area Command in Ogbomoso, before then , the authorities of the Nigeria Police used to send Policemen on the ranks of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) to Ogbomoso, But now, there is Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of the Ogbomoso Area Command. A step that has helped in reducing crimes and violence in Ogbomoso city.

In addition, during his reign there is establishment of Oyo State University of Technology, Ogbomoso, now Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso. His role in the establishment of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) is significant, he lobby the former President Ibrahim Babangida to make sure (LAUTECH) is located in Ogbomosoland. So, one of his landmark achievements in Ogbomoso is Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso (LAUTECH).
He is happily married and blessed with wonderful Children.
Let's take a look at some life lessons from the Soun of Ogbomosoland.
----- God first: In one of his interviews, Oba Oyewumi said he has no regrets whatsoever in the course of his administration as the Soun of Ogbomosoland . He never fails to attribute his leadership and business successes to God. He consider himself blessed for setting the record of longevity in the leadership of his people.
" At the time l became a king 42 years ago, only aged people were made kings. But the aged people would spend three years or thereabout on the throne and would join their ancestors ". Oba Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi was not the only son but he was the chosen one.

-----Contentment
His imperial Majesty says it is always good to be content at every given level of one's success; In one of his interviews with Journalists. He said " I do pray to Almighty Allah, who keeps me up till today. I have my regular meals. I am contented, I don't rush to have the whole world. The contentment is there".

-----Dedication and Hard work pays
To be in a leadership position is a tough job especially for genuine leaders.
"It is true that uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. It is a delicate position and at the same time, it is a good position if you know how to rule your kingdom and know what you are supposed to do".
The Soun of Ogbomosoland had visions of profound transformations in his kingdom. On his coronation, he took up the electricity challenge in Ogbomoso and fixed it. He also made sure that the people had their own law courts and Police stations in order to create a prompt and efficient criminal Justice system at the grassroots.
------- Education is a force of Positive transformation.
Oba Jimoh Oyewumi believed in the power of change. He valued educational transformation. "Education was my first priority. I pursued how we would have many primary and secondary schools".

-----Discipline is Good for successs
In the words of his daughter, Princess Oyefunke Oworu who is a former Commissioner for Trade and Investment in Oyo State, the Soun of Ogbomosoland is a "transparent and straight forward person" "I will say that he is a disciplinarian". " You might feel upset as a child, asking why he had been hard on you, but growing up, we discovered that he meant well for us" she stated this in one of her interviews with Journalists.

----- Keep the peace
" If you are occupying a stool as a king and you promote the culture of your subjects, it will not be a delicate position any longer. Then, it will be an enjoyable and peaceful reign for you".
His daughter testifies that peace of mind is something her father has alot of . He bears no grudges and " has no crises within him".

----- Stay Humble
The Soun of Ogbomosoland is often characterized as a humble personality
regardless of his prominence across the nation. He is known for his saying that "promotion comes from God".

---- Government and the People must do their part.
The Soun who is recognized by the government believes that the progress of a nation is not solely dependent on the government. " I must say that the people in every kingdom must not think government will do everything for them the people must also play their own part and government must also play its own part". He stated this in one of his interviews with Journalists.
------ Your gifts will make a way for you.
Being an example himself, the Soun of Ogbomosoland dropped out of school for circumstances beyond his control. However, he did not idle away his time. He explored and developed his business skills.

-----Give as much as If you were never given
The Soun who did not complete his education saw the need to make education available for his people. Likewise, he educated all of his children to higher levels.

The Soun of Ogbomosoland has a 343 years old tortoise called Alagba in his palace. The tortoise is the oldest living tortoise in the world. Thus has one of the tourist attraction in Oyo state, Nigeria and Worldwide.