A Love Story Etched In Legacy: The Passing of Chief Oludolapo And Chief (Mrs) Janet Akinkugbe

Nigeria has lost not just a towering figure in corporate history but also one of the finest examples of marital devotion, as Chief Oludolapo Ibikun Akinkugbe, CON, fondly known as the Chairman of Chairmen, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 22, 2025, at the remarkable age of 97. His passing came barely eleven days after that of his beloved wife of seventy years, Chief (Mrs) Janet Oluremi Akinkugbe, who departed on September 11, 2025, also aged 97. Their near-simultaneous exit reads like the final chapter of a remarkable love story—one that intertwined affection, duty, and faith in ways that will never be forgotten.

Chief Oludolapo Akinkugbe was a true pioneer—a member of that rare generation of indigenous business leaders who took over the reins of Nigeria’s economic destiny from colonial firms and reshaped the landscape with diligence, integrity, and excellence. He was one of the very first Nigerians to sit on the board of Barclays Bank Nigeria (later Union Bank of Nigeria Plc), alongside the legendary Felix Bankole Cardoso, father of the current CBN Governor. From that point on, his career became a catalogue of historic firsts and sterling contributions to both business and public service.

Across finance, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, publishing, agriculture, and advisory councils, Chief Akinkugbe’s footprints were everywhere. He chaired and directed more than thirty of Nigeria’s leading companies and institutions, among them Union Bank, R.T. Briscoe, Nigerian Tobacco Company, SCOA, Academy Press, West African Portland Cement, Nigerian Industrial Development Bank, Fan Milk, and Procter & Gamble Nigeria. He was equally at home in service to the nation, having sat on the National Economic Advisory Council, chaired the Public Accounts Committee of Western State, and served as President of the Ibadan Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of NACCIMA. He was also a council member of the University of Ife (now OAU), an advisory council member at Lagos Business School, and a founding leader of pharmaceutical associations at both national and Commonwealth levels. Such was his reputation that industry colleagues often said: “No Nigerian held more directorships and chairmanships than Chief Akinkugbe—except, perhaps, the legendary Gamaliel Onosode.”

Yet, for all the grandeur, he carried his many honors with a grace that made him deeply admired. Humble, unassuming, and profoundly disciplined, he was a mentor and model to countless protégés across Nigeria and beyond.

While his public profile was legendary, Chief Akinkugbe’s proudest achievement was his family life. For seven decades, he was united in love and partnership with his darling wife, Chief (Mrs) Janet Akinkugbe. Together, they raised a family rooted in discipline, faith, and service to humanity. Their union was a shining example of loyalty and companionship. To the very end, they remained inseparable—so much so that even in death, they departed within days of each other, as though neither could bear to be without the other.

The Akinkugbes leave behind not only children, grandchildren, and an extended family but also generations of Nigerians whose lives were shaped by their example of leadership and love. From the boardroom to the parish council, from the pharmacy profession to economic policy, Chief Akinkugbe built bridges of excellence that remain unmatched. From her home and community service, Aunty Janet radiated warmth and strength that anchored their family and inspired all who knew her. Together, they embodied a rare blend of devotion to God, nation, and each other.

To describe Chief Oludolapo and Chief (Mrs) Janet Akinkugbe is to speak of legacy in its purest form. They were paragons of humility, integrity, and enduring love. Their story will remain etched in Nigeria’s history as one of service and faith. As their children, grandchildren, loved ones, and associates mourn, they do so with gratitude that such lives were lived among us. Indeed, as their epitaph might well read: We loved you, but God loves you more.