Prince Akeem Owoade, a Nigerian-Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist, has been appointed as the new Alaafin of Oyo.
The announcement was made on Friday by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, through the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade.
Owoade was chosen by the Owoade-Agunloye family as their preferred candidate for the Alaafin of Oyo throne, following the legacy of his royal lineage.
His appointment marks a significant milestone in the history of Oyo, bridging traditional heritage with global experience.
Owoade, aged 49, was born into the royal Owoade-Agunloye family in Oyo town. He is one of the surviving children of Pa Rasaki Ibiyosi Owoade, a descendant of Aremo Aderounmu Iyanda Owoade of the Agure Compound in Oyo.
He completed his secondary education at Baptist High School, Saki, Oyo State, in 1992. Following in his father’s footsteps, who supported agricultural development in the Oke-Ogun community, Owoade developed an early interest in engineering.
He obtained a National Diploma and Higher National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro (1994–1997), and The Polytechnic, Ibadan (1999–2001).
He later completed his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with Nigeria Gas Company as a Mechanical Intern/Planner in 2002.
Owoade’s career began at Oceanic Bank International Plc. in Warri, Delta State, where he worked as a teller from 2003 to 2004.
Seeking greater opportunities, he pursued higher education in the United Kingdom, earning a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Sunderland (2008) and Northumbria University (2012), respectively.
He also became a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) in 2015.
Professionally, Owoade worked as a Planning Engineer at Oil Reach Company in Glasgow, UK, before moving to Canada.
He is currently the Project Coordinator at Manitoba Hydro, one of Canada’s largest electric power and natural gas utility providers.
He is also the president of 100279 Manitoba Limited, a real estate investment and financial services company based in Manitoba, Canada.
