Saliu Adetunji

Saliu Akanmu Adetunji was a Nigerian monarch who was the 41st Olubadan of Ibadan from his coronation in 2016 till his death in 2022. He was born as the first of 17 children in Ibadan, Oyo State. He grew up learning vocational jobs until he took up fashion designing as a means of living after moving to Lagos. While working as a fashion designer, he delved into musical record marketing and founded his own record label called Baba Laje Records, which housed notable fuji music acts. He was also a philanthropist and a patron of several Islamic and cultural organizations. He became the Balogun of Ibadan land in 2015, and was crowned as the Olubadan of Ibadan land in 2016, succeeding Samuel Odulana who died at the age of 101. As the Olubadan, he was known for his humility, wisdom, and advocacy for peace and unity among his people. He also resisted the attempts by the former governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, to create 21 new beaded crown kings in Ibadan, which he saw as a threat to the traditional authority of the Olubadan. He died in Ibadan on 2 January 2022, at the age of 93, and was buried according to Islamic rites. He was survived by his wife, six children, and many grandchildren.