By Sola Ojewusi
Friends, associates and well-wishers from across the world celebrate a noble Prince remembered for kindness, unalloyed friendship, industry and devotion to family
ILE-IFE, OSUN STATE — A mood of solemn reflection descends on the ancient city of Ile-Ife today, Wednesday, August 5, 2026, as family members, friends, associates and well-wishers gather for the commencement of the farewell programmes for Prince Adetunji Adeyemi Adisa Ogunwusi, a prominent member of the Ogunwusi Royal Family and elder brother of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II.
Prince Ogunwusi, who was born on December 8, 1967, passed away on July 18, 2026, at the age of 58, leaving behind memories of a life widely celebrated for friendship, kindness, industry, loyalty and an abiding attachment to his family and the ancient heritage of Ile-Ife. The House of Oduduwa, in announcing his passing, described him as a “Titan,” while tributes published since his death have similarly celebrated his life of purpose and service.
Today’s programme begins with a Service of Songs at 4:00 p.m. at the Ojaja Arena, Ile-Ife Grand Resort, along the Ile-Ife/Ibadan Expressway. According to the funeral programme released by the family, mourners attending the service are expected to appear in all white, creating what is expected to be an atmosphere of dignity, remembrance and celebration of a life that touched many people.
For Ile-Ife, regarded traditionally as the cradle of the Yoruba race, the occasion is more than the farewell of a member of its royal family. It is a moment to remember a Prince whose relationships reportedly extended far beyond the royal household and whose friendships crossed social, professional and geographical boundaries.
In the days leading to the ceremonies, friends, associates and well-wishers from Nigeria and different parts of the world have continued to shower encomiums on the late Prince, recalling especially his kindness, generosity of spirit, unalloyed friendship and industry. Public tributes have described his death as a painful loss to the royal family and to the many people whose lives intersected with his.
Those remembrances paint the portrait of a man for whom royalty was not merely a privilege of birth, but a responsibility to conduct himself with dignity. To many of those who encountered him, Prince Ogunwusi was approachable and dependable—a man who treasured relationships and whose loyalty to friends was not determined by status or circumstance.
That perhaps explains the depth of emotion surrounding his final journey.
Behind the royal title was a brother, relation, friend, colleague and confidant. Behind the public personality was a man whose personal warmth left memories that have survived his passing. And behind today’s ceremonies is a family confronting the painful absence of one of its own while drawing strength from the extraordinary outpouring of affection from those who knew him.
The farewell continues on Thursday, August 6, 2026, when the funeral service is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, Ayegbaju, Ile-Ife, Osun State. Purple and white have been designated as the dress colours for the service. Interment will follow immediately afterwards at his residence in the Awosun Area, Fasina, Ile-Ife, according to the programme issued by the family.
The ceremonies are expected to bring together members of the extended royal family, traditional and community figures, friends, professional associates and other sympathisers who have come to pay their final respects.
Yet, beyond the ceremonies, flowers and words of condolence, the farewell is increasingly becoming a celebration of the values for which Prince Ogunwusi is being remembered: kindness without calculation, friendship without pretence, loyalty without convenience, and industry pursued with dignity.
For the Ogunwusi Royal Family, his departure has created a void that cannot simply be measured by titles. As an elder brother within the family, his place represented continuity, shared history and familial bonds extending across decades. Earlier reports announcing the funeral programme described him as a dependable pillar of the royal household who offered stability and quiet strength.
And so, as the ancient city receives mourners today, Ile-Ife will be saying farewell to one of its princes—but the story being told is equally about the man behind the royalty.
It is the story of Prince Adetunji Adeyemi Adisa Ogunwusi: a noble Prince of the Cradle of the Yoruba Race, a man of industry, a loyal friend, a cherished brother and a personality whose kindness earned him affection far beyond the walls of the royal household.
Today, the songs will be solemn. Memories will return. There will be tears, prayers and reflections on journeys shared. But there will also be gratitude for a life that, though ended, continues to speak through the people it touched.
As Ile-Ife begins the final farewell to Prince Adetunji Ogunwusi, the message from family, friends and admirers remains unmistakable: The Prince may have departed, but the kindness he gave, the friendships he nurtured and the memories he created will endure.
