+His 3 Brilliant Sons Who Live Abroad
Larger than life was how the late Billionaire, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Owu Kingdom, Prince Bolu Akin Olugbade lived when he was alive. He was one of the finest wealthy men Nigeria has produced. A prominent son of Owu Kingdom and Ogun State as a whole. His death was shocking to all and it was one of the many souls claimed by the dreaded Covid-19 ravaging the world. The Rolls Royce loving man gave in to death on Wednesday, 14th of January 2021 just 3 weeks after he celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary. For someone blessed with enormous wealth, one would have thought he would have a retinue of wives but in the last 40 years, he has only been with one woman, Yeye Oladunni whom they both consummated their love for 4 decades. As Prince Bolu Akin Olugbade has made success of his life so as he made his marriage that waxed stronger till quit the stage. He is happily married to a top lawyer, fashion enthusiast, style icon and oil magnate for 40 years and blessed with 3 wonderful sons.
Every December 27, the Aare Onakakanfo of Owu Kingdom, Prince Bolu Akin-Olugbade, and his adorable wife, Yeye Ladunni always mark their wedding anniversary. The day is always marked quietly and he takes his wife and three sons to high-profile restaurants on the Island.
Each time, the day comes up, the private celebration enables the happy couple to reminisce about their love life. His wife, the beautiful Ladunni, who is among the A-list of Nigerian fashionable ladies is always excited about the success of her marriage, which was consummated in 1980, with their sons doing well in their respective endeavours.”A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.”
The above quote can best describe the marriage of the Aare Onakankafo of Owu Kingdom, Prince Bolu Akin- Olugbade to his wife, Yeye Ladunni, in the last 40 years. A man of means, the billionaire is known for his uncommon style and taste who has all the comforts of life at his beck and call never hesitates to take his family on a lovely treat every December. Last December 27, 2020 made it 40 years since they got married and information gathered was that it was supposed to be celebrated in a big way but because of the pandemic raging the nation, they decided to keep it low. Exactly 3 weeks after, Prince Bolu left his family, wife and children behind to join the saints.
Not until Prince Bolu Akin Olugbade’s death, not many people know his wife, Yeye Oladunni because she lives a very quiet life and whenever she steps out with her husband, she is always the cynosure of all eyes. Yeye Ladunni, on her part, is among the A-list Nigerian fashionable ladies. Though she is publicity-shy, she can never be missed in a crowd. Since her emergence on Nigeria’s social circle several years ago, she has continued to make statements with her captivating dress sense and humility.
A holder of a Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy, she is the brains behind the upscale boutique, ‘Steppin-Out’ boutique, on Opebi Road. This was a business she ran for almost 20 years. She was one of the first women to open a world class African store on Opebi Road in the days of yore. The top fabric merchant who has one of the biggest clientele in Nigeria hardly wears make up except on special occasions. She is always one of the best dressed women at parties as she is always known for exquisite and luxurious fashion apparels.
Their beautiful marriage has produced 3 great sons who are all achievers in their own right. Blessed with all money can buy, Late Bolu’s 3 sons schooled in the best schools abroad, worked at top conglomerates in the US and Nigeria and also run their thriving personal businesses.
Bolu Junior, Dademu and Babatunde are the 3 sons of the Aare of Owu Kingdom. They also live larger than life. We can’t forget in a hurry just about 4 years ago in 2016 when the second son, Dademu got married in a superlative wedding to Lauretta, the grand daughter of Chief Fatai Williams. The wedding caught up with who-is-who in the social milieu. Of course, the cheerful billionaire gathered the high and mighty in the country’s socio-economic and political hub together to honour him. Also in May 2018, Aare Bolu Akin Olugbade’s last son Babatunde had his MBA Graduation in the US and was joined by his parents and other brothers.
As Prince Bolu lived in an eye-popping mansion, drove expensive automobiles, a lover and collector of Rolls Royce so also are his sons who lives big with a commanding sense of fashion like their Dad.
In one of Prince Bolu’s interview, he spoke glowingly about his sons, “My sons live in Banana Island and Lekki Phase 1.I got married at 24 and my wife was 23 then. I have been married for over 34 years and I must admit that my wife is a very understanding person because I am not the easiest person to live with. I must congratulate her. We have a good marriage. I have three sons. The first is a lawyer and was based in Los Angeles. I had to convince him to come home and he is based in Nigeria now. My second son is an investment banker and he used to be an investment banker with Merryl Lynch in Los Angeles. Now he is the accounts officer with Reuters in Nigeria. I was afraid they would get married to American women and from my experience from Nigerians that got married to Americans, the marriage usually does not last. The women just marry them for their money. I had to convince my kids to come back home. I am tired of being chairman at so many weddings. I want my own kids to get married here too, so that I can become a grandfather. My last son started his own computer company in Los Angeles and he is doing well too’’.
Aare Bolu had a solid pedigree as the son of legendary old money bag, late Chief Babatunde Ohu Akin-Olugbade, then Balogun of Owu —the traditional prime minister and the Ekerin of Egbaland. The history of modern day Egbaland can never be complete without the late B.O Akin Olugbade. His wealth was phenomenal and his footprints are everywhere in the state. If there was any Egba man that stood toe to toe with former President Olusegun Obasanjo —even as a top military officer—it was late OB Akin-Olugbade. They were from the same Owu Clan but the two illustrious sons never saw eye to eye when Akin-Olugbade was alive. The man beat Obasanjo to the title ‘Balogun Owu’, one of the most revered chieftaincy titles in Owu. It was after his demise that Obasanjo got the Balogun title. Like his father, Bolu was very handsome, stylish, and traditional. He was the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Owu kingdom —the Generalissimo or Field Marshal of the Owu-Egba kingdom.
Though a second generation wealth creator, cosmopolitan and debonair Bolu was a perfect blend of inherited riches and self-acquired fortune. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he did not always have everything on a platter of silver. Inventive and dogged, the suave blueblood had to become intrepid, selfless and ambitious to create his world of grandeur. And till he breathed his last, he single handedly expanded his interest into various business sectors such as property development, construction, manufacturing. For Aare Bolu, luxury was his signature. With almost a dozen luxury homes in ritzy areas of many countries’ capitals across the world, his Aare Ona Kakanfo Palace in Abeokuta, Ogun State leaves most people speechless—as per both the interior and exterior. His exceptional love for Rolls Royce began in 1984, when he bought his first one by himself from profit he made from a good venture at age 24. He made his first millions at age 21. By 2019 he had gotten his 10th Rolls Royce when his Rolls Royce Cullihan was personally delivered to him amongst the first roll out from their famous factory. It was gathered that as a socialite of note, the deceased didn’t spray any musician lower than Nigeria’s highest denomination. For Bolu, it’s N1,000 notes or nothing. Yet, with his abundant wealth spanning four decades, one remarkable thing about him was his ability to live above scandals and ward off anything that could have tainted his image. Married to his beloved better half, Oladunni Akin-Olugbade for 40 years, they have been blessed with children and grandchildren too.
-TAYO OYEDIJI
