As the popular idiom says, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”. This is the scenario with Folashade Tinubu Ojo. Being the child of a prominent person in society, she has had no sweat enjoying all the privileges that come with her family name.
Just like her father, she has gradually been ushered into the reins of power and she exerts influence over a limited, but crucial aspect of the economy.
So, who is Folashade Tinubu Ojo, who is in charge of all the markets in Lagos State?
Folashade Tinubu Ojo Biography
Folashade Tinubu-Ojo was born into the Tinubu family on June 17, 1976. Her father is Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
She studied home economics at the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo. She then travelled to Middlesex University, London, where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree. She then proceeded to the Intercontinental University in the United States, where she got a Master of business administration (MBA) degree.
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Career
After her educational pursuit, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo returned to Nigeria and ventured into the business sector. She is said to have established various ventures, although public knowledge of these businesses is limited.
She came into the spotlight when it was announced that she had been chosen as the new Iyaloja of Lagos State, following the demise of the previous holder, Abibatu Mogaji, her paternal grandmother. It was learnt that her grandmother had reportedly anointed her as her successor before she passed on. However, there was a ruckus in some markets across the state, with some traders openly voicing their disapproval of her appointment as the new head of markets in Lagos.
Despite the opposition from traders and the knocks from critics over age and market experience, Tinubu-Ojo was formally installed as the Iyaloja of Lagos on October 29, 2013, by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu.
Across Yorubaland, she has received numerous chieftaincy titles as a mark of honour. On March 5, 2021, she received the titles of Iya Oba of Awori Land and Yeye Oba of Ogudu from Oba Waheed Ayinla Fashola, the Ologudu of Ogudu. On April 10, 2018, the Timi of Ede also bestowed a title on her.
One of the major decisions made by Tinubu-Ojo in her role, so far, is the establishment of the office of Olopa Oja (literally translated into the police officer for the market). By establishing the Olopa Oja, she has made sure that all markets in Lagos State had proper security, leaving no security-related stone left.
The Iyaloja of Lagos is said to have empowered many men and women who ply their trade at various markets across Lagos State. She has also reportedly facilitated the provision of amusement centres, primary healthcare facilities and computer training facilities, among other basic amenities, for the various markets across the state.
Folashade Tinubu Ojo net worth
The net worth of Folashade Tinubu-Ojo is not publicly known. However, reports estimate that she is valued at about N200 million.
Controversies
The Wikipedia entries of Folashade Tinubu-Ojo’s father, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the 2023 APC presidential candidate, underwent several revisions in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election. This has made several Nigerians question the veracity of her age and if truly Tinubu is her father.
Between September 26, 2020, and December 23, 2021, Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), an online newspaper, discovered that Tinubu-Ojo’s information online had been changed at least three times on Wayback Machine, a digital archive.
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There was no mention of the two people’s birthdates. However, her father’s birth year had been allegedly adjusted to 1952 by December 23, 2021, while her birth year had been reportedly fixed at 1976. In other words, his daughter was 24 years younger than Tinubu.
On the other hand, FIJ claimed that within the week of December 23-27, the name of Tinubu-Ojo’s father had changed from Bola Tinubu to HE Niran Okunnu. Tinubu-Ojo’s birth year online, according to the online newspaper, was 1962, although Okunnu’s birth year was listed as 1942.
Tinubu-Ojo was also involved in another imbroglio in 2021 when she ordered the closure of the popular Oyingbo market. She denied receiving N5 million from the market, as alleged by the traders, and explained that she closed the market due to its terrible condition. She claimed that the market had been first shut down earlier that year for the same reason before being reopened.
Folashade Tinubu Ojo age
Folashade Tinubu-Ojo was born on 17 June 1976. She is 47 years old, as of 2023.
Family
Folashade Tinubu-Ojo is the first daughter of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor and the 2023 APC presidential candidate. Her other siblings are Seyi Tinubu, Abibat Tinubu and the late Jide Tinubu.
She is married to Oyetunde Oladimeji Ojo, a politician and businessman. The couple has two children, a boy and a girl.
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