On Saturday, September 20, 2025, family and friends celebrated the life of Prince Daniel Adeleke Ademiluyi, who passed away at 72. His transition was marked as a celebration of a life well-lived and a legacy of service to his community.
Born on October 12, 1913, Ademiluyi’s life spanned a significant era of Yorubaland’s political history. The son of the revered Ooni Ajagun Lawarikan, who ascended the throne in 1910, Ademiluyi was an aristocrat from Ile-Ife, The Cradle. His life journey reflected the profound shifts and enduring traditions that have shaped the region.
Prince Ademiluyi, a businessman and proud alumnus of Abeokuta Grammar School, was a founding member of the prestigious Egbe Afenifere when it was established in 1948. A fascinating anecdote from his political life is the formative years of the Action Congress (AG), specifically the primary election for its leadership.
Alongside F.R.A. Williams and Babaremilekun Fani-Kayode, Ademiluyi served as a campaign coordinator for Bode Thomas. In a closely contested race, Thomas lost to Obafemi Awolowo by the narrowest of margins – just one vote. In a remarkable display of political maturity, the trio graciously declined a recount, a gesture that stands in glaring disparity to the cutthroat politics we witness today.
Elected to the Western House of Assembly in 1954 to represent Ile-Ife Central, Ademiluyi’s political career saw him appointed as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry from 1954 to 1959. During the 1962 Emergency Declaration, he served as Commissioner for Agriculture before becoming Chairman of the Western Nigeria Development Corporation (WNDC) in 1963, a major West African conglomerate of that era.
Beyond his administrative acumen, Prince Ademiluyi was a passionate supporter of the WNDC Shooting Stars football team, seeing it as a vital marketing arm. Under his leadership, WNDC thrived, attracting numerous industrial projects and solidifying his legacy as a visionary leader who connected commerce with community.
The 40th anniversary of Ademiluyi’s passing should be a call to action for a return to the developmental model of the 1950s and 1960s. Back then, agencies like the WNDC attracted ‘patient capital’ to create sustainable development and a vibrant middle class. With Yorubaland now falling behind, we ignore the lessons of this edifying economic history at our own peril.
Ademiluyi was a lifelong committed Christian and a sidesman at The Cathedral Church of Christ in Marina, Lagos. He also belonged to Saint Phillip Cathedral Church in Ile-Ife. Possessing a keen sense of Noblesse-Oblige – the idea that the privileged have a duty to help the less fortunate – he was a key member of the Ile-Ife-based ‘Talakawa Parapo’ in the 1950s. This group, founded by Fani-Kayode, focused on helping peasants transition from subsistence farming to commercial farming.
Prince Ademiluyi’s legacy is carried on by his four children. The eldest, Prince Adenrele Ademiluyi, continued his father’s printing enterprise. The late Prince Adewole Ademiluyi, a lawyer and businessman, served as Legal Secretary for the now-rested National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) at a young age.
Prince ‘Kanmi Ademiluyi is a respected media practitioner who has held key editorial positions at the Financial Punch, the Democrat Weekly, and the Daily Independent. The last of his children, Princess Adepeju Ademiluyi-Sanusi, fondly referred to as the ‘Matriarch of the Brood’, is a United Kingdom-based lawyer, business entrepreneur and much-admired public servant.
May the Stone of Israel perpetually rest Prince Daniel Adeleke Ademiluyi’s soul, and may His comfort continue to sustain all those who cherish his memory!
May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!
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