OTTA, OGUN STATE — The Olota of Otta-Awori Kingdom, Oba Professor Abdulkabir Adeyemi Obalanlege, has been announced as the recipient of the prestigious City People Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of his distinguished contributions to traditional leadership and development in Ogun State.
The honour was formally conveyed through a letter dated May 15, 2025, signed by City People Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Seye Kehinde, who praised the monarch’s “remarkable contributions to the upliftment of Ota Kingdom and the traditional institutions in Nigeria.”
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Lagos on Sunday, May 25, 2025.
Oba Obalanlege, a Professor of Mass Communication and revered academic, ascended the throne in November 2017. Since then, he has become a pivotal figure in the social, economic, and cultural transformation of the Otta-Awori Kingdom. One of his landmark initiatives, the Olota-Fecodein Project (Olota Foundation for Economic and Development Initiatives), has helped attract government presence and spur infrastructural growth in the region.
In his leadership roles as Chairman of the Awori Obas Forum in Ogun State and head of the Ado-Odo/Ota Traditional Council, Oba Obalanlege has spearheaded efforts to unify Awori monarchs and amplify the voice of the Awori people on the national stage.
Known for promoting peace, education, and cultural renaissance, the monarch’s reign has been marked by a clear vision for the prosperity and global recognition of the Awori nation.
The City People Awards for Excellence, now in its third decade, annually honours eminent Nigerians across sectors, with past recipients including respected traditional rulers, business moguls, and public servants.
Oba Obalanlege’s recognition marks yet another milestone in his reign and reinforces his stature as a key custodian of heritage and progress in contemporary Yoruba society.
