The Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Kabiyesi Alaiyeluwa, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona (CFR) has named the Senior Consultant on Media to Ogun State Governor, Tunde Oladunjoye, as Onigegewura (One with the golden pen) of Ijebuland.
Notifying Oladunjoye of the award of the chieftaincy title in a letter dated 2nd May, 2024 and personally signed by the 90- year- old monarch, who has spent 64 years on the throne as the Awujale, the highly revered first-class traditional ruler said: “By Ijebu ancient tradition and custom, and the prerogative of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, we honour our sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves within our cherished society in character, in their fields of endeavour, and made enormous contributions to the economic and social well-being of our people with chieftaincy titles. In other words, we confer chieftaincy titles to celebrate excellence, distinction and nobility.”
The letter reads further: “For some time now, the palace has been observing with satisfaction and pride your professionalism and willingness to serve without counting the cost. Your industry, patriotism, loyalty, excellence and uncommon contributions to Ijebuland are unassailable and worthy of commendation. As a media practitioner, you have used the instrumentality and power of the media to project the throne of Awujale, and as a weapon against discord and disunity in our society. You have consequently become a champion of democracy and a thoroughbred Ijebu. For these and many other reasons, it is my pleasure to confer on your good self, the title of ONIGEGEWURA OF IJEBU with all the rights, honours, privileges and responsibilities appertaining thereto. Please accept my hearty congratulations.”
Earlier, in recognition of his commendable service to Ijebuland, the Awujale had in 2016 endorsement personally written the following words on the 2016 brochure of the Ojude Oba, which was produced by Oladunjoye’s company, Tunes Communications, free of charge, , “Tunde Oladunjoye: With grateful thanks and deep appreciation for your contributions towards a very successful hosting of 2016 Ojude-Oba Festival”.
Oladunjoye is the Publisher of Tunes Magazine, a development focused magazine. He is a member of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ). He is also a member of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), and was at a time, the Auditor of the Lagos Branch of ANA.
Oladunjoye, a former National Publicity Secretary of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), was the Assistant Publicity Secretary of the Directorate of Strategic Communications of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and was also a member of the publicity committee of the APC presidential primary. He is the Ogun State Publicity Secretary as well as the current Coordinator of South-West Publicity Secretaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC)
With a bias for arts, social policy, politics, human rights reporting and media advocacy, Oladunjoye, for several years, covered the biggest film festival in the world, the Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France. He also covered many high ranking international events like the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) in Burkina Faso, the Nigeria’s Eminent Persons Agricultural Summit hosted in Geneva by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013 and the World Hunger Summit hosted by the United Kingdom Prime Minister in 2013. He was media consultant and member of the presidential delegation to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland in 2013.
He was appointed by the Federal Government into the strategic media communication committee of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) in 2012 and later as Media Adviser to the then Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, between 2012 and 2014, before taking up another appointment as national media consultant to the FGN/ World Bank project on FADAMA III Additional Financing between 2016 and 2018.
A published poet, Oladunjoye edited Activist Poets: An Anthology of Nigerian Pro-Democracy Activists, published in 2002 with the support of the French Government through the French Cultural Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos. He has been a resource person to UNESCO and peer reviewer with the World Bank. Oladunjoye was also was resident journalist with the House of Journalism, Lome, Togo (2001), visiting journalist to Nigeria’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, Paris, France, in 2005 under the leadership of Emeritus Professor Michael Omolewa. He was a UNICEF Scholar to South Africa in 2014 to study Design and Implementation of Social Protection in Africa.
Oladunjoye served as board member, Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation 2005; member, Governing Council of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) 2016-2017; chairman, Ogun State Television (OGTV) 2020-2023, member, Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic, Ukanna, Akwa Ibom State and member Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board 2019-2022. He was named United Nations Youth Ambassador for World Peace in 2008.
A journalist, activist, author, community leader, poet, publisher and politician, Oladunjoye has been a multiple award winner even right from his days as a student at the foremost journalism training school in Nigeria, the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Ogba-Ikeja, Lagos. The Students Union of both the Ibadan and Ogba campuses of the institute honoured him with awards of Excellence.
As Council Chairman in Ijebu East Local Government (2007-2010), Ogun State, he was named the Overall Best Chairman in Ogun State for 2008 and 2009 becoming the first and only chairman till date, to win the coveted award back to back. He was later announced as the Best Council Chairman in South West Nigeria, while his score was the highest among others so nominated in the six geopolitical zones.
In his reaction on being informed of the Awujale’s honour, Oladunjoye remarked: “This is the best! I have called Baba (Awujale) to thank him. I am most grateful. This is a chieftaincy title that money cannot buy”.
Oladunjoye has since accepted the honour of Onigegewura of Ijebuland, describing it as a rare privilege.
His letter of acceptance titled “Mo dupe dupe” and dated May 4, 2024 reads: “It is with the greatest, heartfelt-appreciation and in all humility, that I wholeheartedly and unreservedly accept the great honour that you have graciously bestowed on me as the ONIGEGEWURA OF IJEBU.
Alayeluwa, like I told you over the phone, immediately I got wind of the honour; this is a title that money cannot buy. I feel so happy and extremely honoured and even overwhelmed by your constant show of uncommon and unconditional love to me over the years. It has been a rare privilege for me.
“I accept the chieftaincy title of ONIGEGEWURA OF IJEBU without any reservations whatsoever. Kabiyesi, please accept my sincere appreciation on behalf of my family.
“May the good Lord continue to honour you and your family ceaselessly and boundlessly.
“Most grateful my father and my King!”
The installation ceremony will be announced by the palace in due course.