Aare Boluwatife Akin-Olugbade

Aare Boluwatife Akin-Olugbade was a Nigerian billionaire businessman, lawyer and philanthropist. He was the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Owu Kingdom, a traditional title that means the generalissimo of the kingdom. He was also the chairman of Bolu Akin-Olugbade Limited and GMT Limited, two companies with interests in property development, construction, manufacturing, logistics and investment banking. He was born on April 2, 1956 in Lagos, Nigeria, to the wealthy family of late Babatunde Akin-Olugbade, Balogun of Owu, and Madam Tinuade Akin-Olugbade. He attended Corona School and King's College in Lagos, before proceeding to London University for his Bachelor of Law degree. He later obtained his Master of Law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, where he graduated with distinction in Corporate and International Business Transaction Law. He also earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Company Law from Cambridge University. He was a successful lawyer and a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He was also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and the Institute of Directors. He was married to Ololade Akin-Olugbade, a lawyer and businesswoman, and they had three sons: Babatunde, Oladipo and Bolaji. He was known for his passion for Rolls-Royce cars, and he owned 10 of them, each with his customized plate numbers. He bought his first Rolls-Royce in 1984, and he was one of the world's biggest collectors of the luxury brand. He also had a taste for arts and culture, and he was a patron of the National Art Theatre and the National Gallery of Art. He was a lover of children, and he supported many orphanages and schools. He was also involved in politics, and he was a member of the People's Democratic Party. He was a philanthropist who donated generously to various causes, especially in his hometown of Owu, where he was the chairman of the Owu Empowerment Foundation Board. He died on January 13, 2021, at the age of 64, from COVID-19 complications at an isolation centre in Lagos. He was buried in Lagos, according to Islamic rites. He was mourned by many Nigerians, including President Muhammadu Buhari, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, and many prominent businessmen and politicians. He was described as a man of means, taste and style, who lived a fulfilled and exemplary life.