Michael Ade-Ojo

Last updated
Chief

Michael Ade-Ojo
Born
Michael Adeniyan Òjó

(1938-06-14) 14 June 1938 (age 85)
Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Nigeria
Other namesElizade
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, Chairman and CEO Elizade motors limited
Years active1975-present
Spouses
Elizabeth Wuraola Ade-Ojo
​
​
(m. 1966;died 2003)​
Taiwo Ade-Ojo
​
(m. 2012)​
ChildrenDeola Sagoe , Ola Ojo

Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, OON [1] (born June 14, 1938) is a Nigerian business magnate and founder of Elizade University in Ilara-Mokin Ondo state, Nigeria. [2] [3]

Contents

Early life

Michael Ade-Ojo, known as "The Chief" was born Michael Adeniyan Ojo on June 14, 1938, into a family of farmers in Ilara-Mokin, a town in Ondo state. He was born to Chief Solomon Ojo (c.1878-1956), the son of Olamilohun, the Lisa of Ilara-Mokin (the highest ranking chief of Ilara-Mokin), and Mrs. Beatrice Ademolawe Ojo (1891-1991), the 5th of six children. His father was polygamous and had 3 wives. His mother, Ademolawe, was the third child of Fatunsin, a daughter of the Ifa priest Erubuola. He attended St. Michael's Anglican School, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Nigeria (1944-1950). He later attended Imade College, Owo, Nigeria (1954-1958), where he obtained the West Africa School Certificate. He proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in 1961, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Business Administration in 1965. [4]

Achievements

Chief Michael Ade-Ojo is the founder of Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State and Elizade Motors. [5] Today, the company which Ade Ojo started with just one support staff in 1971 [6] has become a conglomerate with several subsidiaries including Toyota Nigeria Limited, Mikeade Investment Co. Ltd, Mikeade Property Dev. Co. Ltd, Classic Motors Ltd, Elizade Autoland Nigeria, Okin Travels Ltd, Oodua Creations Ltd, among others. [7] and just recently, The chairman, Toyota Nigeria Limited, and founder of Elizade Nigeria Limited, Chief Michael Ade.Ojo, for more than four decades, he has bestrode the Nigerian automotive sector like a colossus, [8] He began to sell various auto brands like Peugeot, Volkswagen, etc., before finally settling for Toyota, a product he turned to a household name in the country. [9] has challenged his son, Demola, who is leading the Elizade Autoland in pushing a new baby of the company, the JAC, to make the Chinese brand another household name among automobile lovers in Nigeria. [10]
Ade.Ojo, who said there was still more for Toyota to achieve in Nigeria, also urged the JAC handlers to take a cue from leading auto brands by targeting the number one position.

He said, “We want to continue to be the number one auto company in Nigeria and make the JAC brand to become the number two or even overtake Toyota. I want to see a healthy rivalry between the two automobile brands that are connected to me in Nigeria.” [11]

Ade Ojo is gradually transforming his native town Ilara-Mokin from a village to an economically vibrant town through his various community development projects. [12] President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Chairman of Elizade Motors, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, as he celebrates his 80th birthday on June 14. Malam Garba Shehu, the President's Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday said the president's congratulatory message was contained in a letter addressed to Chief Ade-Ojo by the president. President Buhari joined the business community, family and friends of Chief Ade-Ojo in felicitating with the “highly resourceful entrepreneur as he celebrates his 80th birthday on June 14, 2018.’’ [13]

Fellowship

Personal life

Chief Ade-Ojo married his first wife, Elizabeth Wuraola Ade-Ojo on February 26, 1966, in Enugu, Nigeria, [15] he had met her at the University of Nsukka. [16] He combined her first name Elizabeth with his middle name, Ade, to create his company name Elizade. He later added his middle name to his last name, Ojo, and it became Ade-Ojo. Among his children include Adeola Ade-Ojo, a fashion designer, Olakunle Ade-Ojo, a businessman, and Ademola Ade-Ojo, a businessman as well. Both of his sons are managing directions in Toyota Nigeria. [17] His wife died and he later remarried to Taiwo Ade-Ojo in 2012.

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References

  1. ↑ "Chief Ade-Ojo at 80: How He Survived Early Hardships". The NEWS. 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  2. ↑ "How I found my acres of diamond — Michael Ade-Ojo". The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24.
  3. ↑ "74yr Old Billionaire Businessman, Chief Adeojo's Young Wife Gives Birth To Twins".
  4. ↑ "Golfers to Honour Ade-Ojo, Articles - THISDAY LIVE". Archived from the original on 2014-10-23.
  5. ↑ "Chief Ade-Ojo at 80: How He Survived Early Hardships". The NEWS. 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  6. ↑ "Elizade: Chief Michael Ade.Ojo at 80". Punch Newspapers. 2018-06-11. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  7. ↑ "Chief Ade Ojo: Hardwork, honesty, prayers key to success". Vanguard News. 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  8. ↑ "Chief Ade Ojo: Hardwork, honesty, prayers key to success". Vanguard News. 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  9. ↑ "Chief Ade Ojo: Hardwork, honesty, prayers key to success". Vanguard News. 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  10. ↑ "I want healthy rivalry between Toyota, JAC – Ade Ojo". Punch Newspapers. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  11. ↑ "I want healthy rivalry between Toyota, JAC – Ade Ojo". Punch Newspapers. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  12. ↑ "Chief Ade Ojo: Hardwork, honesty, prayers key to success". Vanguard News. 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  13. ↑ "You've influenced our lives in immeasurable ways, Buhari tells Chief Ade-Ojo". Vanguard News. 2018-06-13. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  14. ↑ "Aes-edu.net". www.aes-edu.net. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
  15. ↑ "Chief Ade-Ojo at 80: How He Survived Early Hardships -". 14 June 2018.
  16. ↑ "Welcome to Elizade Nigeria Limited".
  17. ↑ "Elizade Founder, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo Celebrates 80 Years of God's Goodness". 20 January 2019.

See also

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