By Etop Ekanem

As discussions continue within Ijebu Land over the future of the Awujale stool, Prince Oladapo Osunsanya of the Tunwase–Oduba royal family has emerged as one of the royal sons whose name is being mentioned in succession conversations.

Prince Osunsanya hails from the Fusenguwa ruling house, one of the formally recognised ruling houses of Ijebu Land, and is a direct descendant of Awujale Adesimbo Tunwase. Sources within Ijebu traditional circles describe him as deeply conscious of the responsibilities of the Awujale institution and its role in promoting unity, stability, and development across the kingdom.

A native of Ijebu Ode, the 51-year-old prince is actively involved in the cultural life of the community. He is a member of Egbe Bobamayegun Okunrin Asiwaju Akile Ijebu and consistently participates in the annual Ojude Oba festival through his regberegbe age group, an involvement observers say reflects sustained commitment to Ijebu traditions rather than ceremonial association.

Prince Osunsanya has publicly spoken on the need to strengthen the Awujale institution as a platform for cultural preservation, economic advancement, and effective engagement with modern governance systems. He has also aligned himself with the long-standing aspirations of the Ijebu people for greater political and economic relevance within the Nigerian federation.

Educated at the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Ojo, where he trained as a cadet, Prince Osunsanya later studied in the United States. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio State University, as well as a degree in Finance and a Master of Business Administration from Regis University.

With over 25 years of professional experience, he has built a career across financial technology and capital markets in the United States. His background includes investment banking, the founding and scaling of brokerage and trading technology platforms, and executive leadership roles within regulated wealth and capital markets institutions operating across all 50 states.

Prince Osunsanya holds several senior regulatory licences issued by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), including Series 7 (General Securities Representative), Series 24 (General Securities Principal), Series 55 (Equity Trader), Series 3 (National Commodity Futures), and Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law).

Beyond finance, he has been involved in technology development and digital governance initiatives. He founded Credit Union WealthTech Connect, owns a software development company based in Cape Verde, and established an early artificial intelligence–focused data centre initiative in Africa. He also co-founded Odudu-DAO, a blockchain-based governance platform within the ECOWAS region, and previously served as an adviser to Google Digital Skills for Africa.

In addition to his professional engagements, Prince Osunsanya has supported orphaned and vulnerable children in Nigeria over the years, privately funding education, learning materials, and basic welfare.

Sources say his vision for Ijebu Land emphasises collaboration with traditional institutions, preservation of cultural heritage, economic diversification, youth empowerment, education, digital skills development, and social cohesion.

As deliberations around the Awujale stool continue, Prince Osunsanya is viewed by observers as bringing a blend of royal heritage, global exposure, and institutional experience into the evolving discourse.