Posthumous Birthday Tribute to High Chief Ishola Ogunsanya, Oba Risa of Iloko-Ijesa (Born January 16, 1945 – Passed September 2022)

By Comr. Olatunji OLORUNFEMI

“A town does not endure by buildings alone; it endures by men who carry its traditions.”

Today, we remember and celebrate a man whose life embodied service, discipline and responsibility. High Chief Ishola Ogunsanya, the Oba Risa of Iloko-Ijesa. Though he is no longer with us, his works continue to speak, instruct and challenge us.

High Chief Ishola Ogunsanya was born on January 16, 1945, in Igbinmo, Ekiti State. From an early age, his life reflected discipline, excellence and a strong sense of responsibility. He attended Christ School, Ado-Ekiti (1958–1962) and later proceeded to the School of Survey, Oyo (1963–1969).

In January 1970, at just 25 years of age, he obtained his Surveyor’s Licence, becoming the youngest licensed surveyor in Nigeria at the time. This was a remarkable achievement in an era when professional advancement required uncommon resilience. His pursuit of excellence continued. In 1982, he became a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Surveyors, again emerging as the youngest Fellow ever admitted into the professional body.

These milestones were never about personal acclaim. They stood as quiet proof that sons of Iloko-Ijesa could rise to national relevance through merit, integrity, and discipline. He symbolised progress within the community and became the first person to use a Mercedes-Benz in Iloko-Ijesa, not as a display of excess, but as a statement that excellence knows no geographical boundary.

Despite his accomplishments and exposure, Baba Orisa remained deeply rooted in his people. In the year 2000, he made the deliberate decision to return permanently to Iloko-Ijesa, choosing presence over distance and service over comfort. Long before ascending the Oba Risa stool, he served faithfully as Amuludun of Iloko-Ijesa. In 1985, he became Orisa, the second highest position in the chieftaincy hierarchy, a role he carried with wisdom, restraint, and unwavering loyalty to tradition.

Few individuals in the history of Iloko-Ijesa have borne responsibility as weighty as High Chief Ishola Ogunsanya did during periods of royal transition. In October 1989, following the demise of Oba Samuel Oyerinde Olashore, he served as Regent, holding the community together until Oba Oladele Olashore, CON, ascended the throne in 1997.

Again, in 2012, after the passing of Oba Oladele Olashore, he was called upon to serve a second time as Regent. He remained in that role until 2021, when Oba Dr Akeem Olushayo Ogungbangbe became the king. These were not ceremonial seasons; they demanded neutrality, patience, deep cultural understanding, and moral authority. Baba Orisa carried these responsibilities with dignity, ensuring peace, continuity, and stability in Iloko-Ijesa.

His passing in September 2022 marked the end of a distinguished chapter, but not the end of his influence. His life reinforces a timeless truth echoed in the first volume of this series: community development thrives when individuals choose responsibility over indifference. He served not only through titles and offices, but through character, example, and consistency.

This remembrance must also speak directly to the present generation, especially the youth of Iloko-Ijesa. The continuity of our community does not lie in chance; it lies in conscious preparation. Leadership, community engagement, and responsibility are not instincts but they are learned values, passed deliberately from one generation to another.

Our elders carried Iloko-Ijesa through discipline, sacrifice, and deep respect for tradition. It is now the duty of the younger generation to listen, observe, learn, and participate. Community engagement must be embraced early. Leadership must be understood as service, not entitlement. Development must be pursued with patience, humility, and a sense of collective interest.

The future of Iloko-Ijesa is already in our hands. What we choose to learn today will determine what we preserve tomorrow. What we choose to ignore may be lost forever. Each generation is only a custodian, not the owner, of the community it inherits.

Let us therefore do our part.
Let us learn from those who served before us.
Let us prepare ourselves to serve when our time comes.

Community development remains a collective responsibility and Iloko-Ijesa will endure if we choose to carry it forward together.

Comr. Olatunji OLORUNFEMI Awokoworldwide FCILMMD
Writes from Iloko-Ijesa