Alaafin of Oyo hails Chief Tunde Afolabi on 75th birthday

By Adejayan Gbenga –

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, has described oil magnate Chief Tunde Afolabi as a “gift to the earth” during celebrations marking his 75th birthday. This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by Bode Durojaiye, Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin.

Despite being one of Nigeria’s wealthiest businessmen, Chief Afolabi is renowned for his quiet lifestyle and low public profile, the statement said. A geology graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, Pennsylvania, he rose to prominence in the oil industry in the 1980s and further expanded his influence in the 1990s.

Chief Afolabi is the founding Managing Director and current Chairman/CEO of Amni International Petroleum Development Company. Under his leadership, Amni has grown into a competitive international player while maintaining a strong presence in Nigeria’s oil sector.

On January 16, 2021, he and his wife, Engr. (Mrs.) Oluseyi Afolabi, were installed as Akogun and Yeye Akogun of Yorubaland by the late Alaafin of Oyo, in recognition of their service to humanity.

Oba Owoade praised Chief Afolabi’s philanthropy, particularly his scholarship schemes for underprivileged students, and lauded his leadership across multiple sectors, including energy, finance, and real estate.

Addressing the celebrant in Lagos, the Alaafin described him as a mentor and role model for Nigerian youths. “Count your life by smiles, not tears; count your age by friends, not years,” Oba Owoade advised.

Chief Afolabi, a professional geologist with over 40 years of experience in oil and gas exploration, is a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, a past president of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorers, and a council member of the Nigerian Association of Indigenous Petroleum Exploration and Production Companies. He has also received honorary doctorates from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, and Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo.

The milestone celebration drew dignitaries and well-wishers from various sectors.