•Why The AWUJALE Made Him & His Wife OTUNBA’s
Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye is well respected in Ijebu. He is a former Minister and a seasoned politician. He is also one of Awujale’s Otunba. He is the Otunba Fesojoye of Ijebu. He was born on 16th August, 1943 at Ago-Iwoye in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State. His father, Jubril a Giwa Kuye (J. G. Kuye) was the Giwa of Obangbade Age-Grade Society of Ago-Iwoye.
His grand father, Oloye Osikolade Osibule, was the Chairman of the Colonial Native Court Alaga) of Ago-Iwoye (1912-1932), which the Immediate past Ogbeni-Oja of Ijebuland, Chief T. A. Odutola, served as Registrar between 1922 and 1929.
His mother, Aderonke Alimat Shadia is the granddaughter of Princess Okuribido, daughter of Oba Fesengbuwa and Immediate juruor sister of Oba Adedesimbo Aboki Tunwase. Princess Okuaderibido married Prince Ogunwo, a male child of Oba Okole-Ornurajo of Ago-Iwoye. However, Oba Aboki Atunwase have a firm instruction to Prince Akeju, the first of the Abidagbo, Princess of ObaTunwase to ensure that Princess Oku must ‘sleep, at her derruse, ill the house that Prince Akeju built in Ago-Iwoye. The inslfuction was executed bonafide and Senator Jubril Martins Kuye’s great grandmother slept in Ijebu-Ode’s Prince Akeji s house at Oke-Eduwe, Ibipe, Ago-Iwoye.
His great grandmother related intimately with all her nieces and nephews. The most notable of her nephews were Prince Adekoya Olukolu (Ogberegede ‘Loba), Prince Adeyerni, Prince Akeju, Oba Folagbade (1925-1929) and Prince Rufai Adetona. SenatorJubril graduated from the University of Ibadan in June 1968, WIth a B.Sc Honours in Sociology, Politics and Economics. He went on to get an Advanced Certificate in Marketing
Management from the Nigerian Institute of Management in 1973. He proceeded to the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration, Boston, USA in 1983, to get an Advanced Diploma in Business Administration. He is also a recipient of an honorary DSc from the Ogun State University (1990).
Prior to gaining University admission, Otunba Jubril Martins-Kuye worked as a teacher from 1955-1965. After he was done with his degree, he moved to Lever Brothers Plc beginning at a Management Trainee position in July 1968, and by January 1973, he was elevated to the position of (Divisional Manager (Southern Sales), a role he voluntarily resigned from in July 1974. He then moved to the Dutch Multi-National – International Packaging Industries, as Head of Sales and Marketing Department from August 1974-April 1976. By April 1976, Otunba Jubril was convinced it was time to set off on his own as an industrialist, this led to the founding of Crown Ventures Limited, a paper-converting and Industrial Chemicals Manufacturing company with its factories and operational headquarter,. In Lagos State (1976 to date). Crown Tissue Mill Limited was incorporated in 1989 as manufacturers of wet pulp and tissue papers. This company offers employment co six hundred Igenans ill direct and indirect employment.
Otunba Jubril Martins-Kuye was a Senator in the Third Republic representing Ogun East Senatorial District comprising of nine Local Government Areas of Ijebu and Remo Divisions of Ogun State; he was also appointed Hon. Minister of State Finance for the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Iune 1999 – June 2003) by President O1usegun Obasanjo.
In his political career over the years, he has taken on various appointments and gathered an immeasurable amount of experience. These include – Political appointment as Chairman Board of Directors of S&K Asbestos Products Limited (a company partly owned by the Ogun State Government) 1980-83; SDP National Delegate, 1990; Member, Ogun State University Governing Council, 1990-99; Founding Member and State, leader, The United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), Ogun State 1996; Founding member and the Leading Leader People Democratic Party (P.D.P), 1998; Gubernatorial Candidate of the P.D.P, Ogun State, 1999.
Senator Martins-Kuye’s Community, Social, Sectarian and Professional Services include – Chairman, Ogun State Council of Islamic Affairs, (Since 1986); Member, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Secretary of its Internation:
Relations Committee (1986/87) under the Chairmanship of the Late Gen. Hassan Usman Katsina (Rtd). He was also Member of the Paper and Paper-Board manufacturers and Converters Association (PPMCA); Member, Manufacturers Association Nigeria (NLA.N), Chairman, Tissue Manufacturers Contact Group affiliated to M.A.; Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Management; Member, London Institute of Marketing Member, Institute of Directors of Nigeria; and Member, Police Community Relations Council, Ijebu Division.
Otunba Jubril is the Aare Musulumi of Ogun State Muslims, 1981 and a Patron to the Ogun State Chapters of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (1987); Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (1990); and the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) (1983).
Yeye Otunba Iyabo Grace Martins-Kuye is the loving wife of Otunba Senator Jubril Martins- Kuye. Mrs Iyabo Martins-Kuye, along with her husband, was honourably conferred the title of Yeye Otunba Fesojoye of Ijebu by His Royal Majesty, Alaiyeluwa, Oba Dr. Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Ogbagba II, the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland. She also holds titles as the Yeye Olugboyega of Ijebu- Ife; Yeye Laafin of Ago-Iwoye; Yeye Laafin of Iloda, Ijebu.
She attended the United Christian Commercial College, Apapa, one of the first elitist Secretarial Colleges in Nigeria back then. She then moved to London, England, to study at the famous Pitman’s College.
After her training, she worked for a while with The Law Society of Fleet Street, London as a Secretary. When she moved back to
Nigeria, she worked with Henrich Hoffman, a Foreign Pharmaceutical Company as Secretary to the Managing Director; then she moved to ICON Merchant Bank Limited as a Confidential Secretary and lastly with the Trade Marina and Company, again as Secretary to the Managing Director.
She retired voluntarily to be an active player in the imported textile business. She later took time off to attend the London Academy of Modelling on New Bond Street, London, England. A few years after her return to Nigeria, she left the textile trade because of the on/off ban on importation of foreign textiles by the Federal Government; but most importantly to give her full support to her husband, Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye, in his pursuit of service to his country. This afforded her the opportunity to travel extensively within and outside the country.
From time to time, she delves into general merchandising but that has never interfered with her matrimonial duties as she considers herself first and foremost, a home-maker. Yeye Otunba Iyabo Martins-Kuye, an indigene of Ekpoma, (Ishan) in Edo State, is a proud mother to all the children of the marriage and a grandmother. A very religious person, she belongs to and supports various religious groups. She socializes well amongst her friends and loves watching films. She also enjoys philanthropic work and has positively touched the lives of a lot of people and is still doing so.
She is also the Patron of Unique Men of Ago-Iwoye, PDP Leading Leaders’ Group; Oga Nla of Ifelodun, Ijebu-North Local Government. She is Iya Egbe, B’oba K’eye Ago-Iwoye, Ijebu.
