His Imperial Majesty, Ọba Ghandi Afọlábí Ọláoyè - Òrumọgẹ̀gẹ̀ III,
Sọ̀ún of Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ Land.
Who is He?
Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, born on August 23, 1961, is a distinguished who graduated from the renowned Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria (formerly the University of Ife) in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Literary Studies. Furthering his education, he obtained a Master’s degree (M.I.L.R.) in Industrial and Labor Relations with a focus on Human Resource Management from Nigeria’s premier University, the University of Ibadan, in 1987. With a passion for exploration, Oba Ghandi has traveled extensively, visiting over 65 countries across Europe, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, North and South America, the Pacific Islands, and Africa. Alongside his academic and professional pursuits, he enjoys swimming and playing scrabble. Oba Ghandi is an ordained minister, married to Omo Ghandi-Olaoye, and they have two children, Fehintolu and Toluni
A forward-thinking leader, an orator, and an astute entrepreneur renowned for his unwavering dedication to excellence and outstanding leadership acumen.
Ọba Ghandi Afọlábí Ọláoyè holds the position of CEO at Peculiar People Management (P.P.M.) and GihonRiv Limited, dynamic management, and human resource consulting firms with operations spanning Lagos, Nigeria, and Dallas, USA.
As the Chairman and co-founder of Great Places to Work Institute, Nigeria, His Imperial Majesty spearheads a global research and management consultancy enterprise that celebrates top-tier workplaces across 56 countries, while also delivering elite business advisory services.
Furthermore, he serves as the Chairman of Quest Oil & Gas (ASCON Oil), a leading independent petroleum products marketer specializing in storage, distribution, and sales within Nigeria. Additionally, he leads Quest Engineering Company, an innovative energy firm committed to delivering environmentally sustainable solutions across the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors.
In his capacity as Chairman of B.U.O.J.O. Limited, a distinguished Telecommunication Support Services, and Information Technology Consulting Company, Oba Ghandi Olaoye pioneers cutting-edge strategies for technological advancement. Simultaneously, as Chairman of Education Advancement Support Services (E.A.S.S.), he champions engagement and fundraising technologies tailored to elevate higher education institutions.
His Imperial Majesty’s distinguished service extends to the boards of the National Council on Privatization (NCP) and the Bureau of Public Enterprise (B.P.E) from 2017 to 2021, where his strategic insights propelled national development initiatives forward.
Additionally, Oba Ghandi is a revered member of the Board of Trustees of Strategy for Mentoring Initiative & Leadership Empowerment (S.M.I.L.E.), a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing young entrepreneurship and fostering leadership empowerment for societal advancement
Career
Service
In January 2009, Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland State, United States of America, extended a gracious invitation to Oba Ghandi to join as an advisor and council member for New Americans. Over a four-year tenure, he played a pivotal role in shaping policies pertaining to immigrant integration within the state of Maryland, lending invaluable expertise to the Governor’s initiatives.
His Imperial Majesty also contributes his time and expertise to the board of A Smile on Their Faces Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals living with disabilities. Moreover, Oba Ghandi demonstrated his leadership acumen as the chairman of a real estate development project in Floyd, Texas, USA, overseeing the comprehensive development of a vast campus, college facilities, housing estates, and a sizable auditorium covering over 700 acres.
With a rich history of corporate governance, he served as a founding member of the board of Directors at Adams Smith Investment & Financial Company in Ikoyi, Lagos (1990-1993), and similarly as a founding member of the Board of Directors at Touchmark Saving & Loan, Lagos (1992-1994), alongside his role as a member of the Board of Directors at Dunamis Finance Company (1991-1994).
Oba Ghandi’s global engagement extends to his role as an Associate of the International Third World Leaders Association (ITWLA), a platform fostering cross-cultural exchange, under the esteemed chairmanship of the late Dr. Myles Munroe. For over a decade, he represented Myles Munroe International in Nigeria, facilitating meaningful connections and collaborations.
Recognized for his significant community contributions, His Imperial Majesty Òrumọgẹ̀gẹ̀ III, Sọ̀ún of Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ Land, received accolades from former President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria in 2001 and former President Barack Obama of the United States in 2011. Notably, he was honored with the Youth Empowerment and Positive Mentoring of Africans in the Diaspora Award by the African Business Roundtable in December 2008, underscoring his commitment to uplifting and empowering communities both locally and internationally.
Being the Text of the Speech by Ọba Ghandi Afọlábí Ọláoyè Òrumọgẹ̀gẹ̀ III, Sọ̀ún of Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ on the Occasion of the Presentation of Staff of Office Tuesday, 19th December, 2023
Protocols
Today marks a momentous occasion as I receive my staff of office from His Excellency Engineer Seyi Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State. I am humbled by this great responsibility of leading the people of Ogbomosho Land as King. I see my call to serve as an appointment by God, and I am grateful to Him for having seen me worthy of this office. To Him and Him alone be all the glory, adoration and praise.
Today, Ogbomosho Land stands at the crossroads of history, and I would like to appeal to all the stakeholders in the destiny of this great land for us to work together to ensure that Ogbomosho Land fulfils the great potential that the Almighty God has imbued us with. It is a well-known fact that the sons and daughters of Ogbomosho Land are amongst the most industrious and entrepreneurial people in our Nation.
No community can embark on significant development without the government’s input. We are thankful for the role that the government at all three levels – federal, state and local government – has played in developing Ogbomosho Land in the past and continue to play. We are particularly grateful to the government of Engineer Seyi Makinde for his attention to Ogbomosho Land since he assumed office. The adage, however, says charity begins at home, and I would like to address my sons and daughters of Ogbomosho Land as we are the major stakeholders in this project.
Let me start with those who reside and work in Ogbomosho Land. Let my coronation be a celebration and a collective reaffirmation of our shared destiny. I intend to be a King to serve you all irrespective of religion, gender or other things that may differentiate us. The strength of our Kingdom lies not only in the crown I wear but in the bonds that bind us together: the bonds of loyalty, respect and mutual understanding.
To my sons and daughters who live and work outside Ogbomosho Land, I would like to appeal to you to turn your attention to our homeland. I have personally done so; that’s why I have left one of the most successful ministries in the United States of America and the day-to-day management of a string of successful businesses to come and serve the people of Ogbomosho Land. Whilst I am not asking that you do the same in a physical sense, I am asking that you join hands with your time, talent and treasure with us to develop Ogbomosho Land. I dare to dream, and I invite you to dream with me that in the not-too-distant future, Ogbomosho Land will be mentioned in the same breath as the world’s major cities.
My service is premised on a clear vision. I am very aware of the words that the wisest of Kings recorded for us in the book of Proverbs that without a vision, the people perish.
My vision for a prosperous and peaceful Ogbomosho Land rests on a detailed 25-year plan, to be unveiled in the coming months. I promise to serve this vision with all I have, the relationships I have built over the years here in Nigeria and abroad, the experience I have garnered from running several successful businesses, and the skills garnered from more than 30 years of pastoring churches and other pastors. As I have said on several occasions, I have stopped being a church pastor and now become a shepherd of a people. The people whom I will serve as a shepherd are not just Christians but also Moslems and those who follow the various African religions. As your sovereign, I promise to uphold the values that define us – a commitment to justice, equity and compassion. Let these be our watchwords in Ogbomosho Land.
Before bringing this short address to a close, I wish to pay special tribute to our immediate past Soun, His Imperial Majesty Late Oba (Dr) Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi, Ajagungbade III, for his unprecedented and milestone achievements during his lifetime and reign in Ogbomoso Land. May God grant his soul eternal rest with his Ancestors, Amen. I stand ready to build on those achievements and, by the grace of God and with your support, to take Ogbomoso to dizzying heights in no distant future.
I would like to say a big ‘Thank you’ to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the leadership he is providing for Nigeria at this time.
I salute Engineer Seyi Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, for graciously assenting my selection as the Soun of Ogbomoso Land by the Kingmakers. I also thank him sincerely for coming to personally present this Staff of the Office to me. To the Kingmakers led by High Chief Sobalaje Otolorin, the Aare Ago of Ogbomoso Land, I especially recognise and praise your resoluteness, courage and determination in ensuring that the selection process that produced me as Soun was thorough, credible and fair.
I cannot end this address without thanking the larger Olaoye family of Ogbomoso led by Prince Amos Olawole Olaoye, our Mogaji, for facilitating this rare privilege of representing them. To my brothers who contested the stool with me, let us put the past behind us and forge ahead. There can only be one Soun at a time, and God gives it to whoever pleases Him. By the grace of God, this time, I am the chosen one that He has given the stool of Soun, and I appeal to you all to please join hands with me to further positively project the good name of the Olaoye family for the benefit of the Ogbomoso Land and humanity in general.
Finally, my good people of Ogbomoso Land, let us remember: ”ka rin ka po, yiye lo ny’eni” ……. “ajeji owo kan ko gberu d’ori o”. “E je ka f’imo s’okan, ka si f’owo so’wo po fun idagba s’oke ilu ati ile Ogbomoso”.
God bless you all,
God bless Ogbomoso Land, God bless Oyo State and
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Ogbomoso a gbe gbogbo wa o!