Early life
Michael Ade-Ojo, known as “The Chief” is of Yoruba extraction from Ondo state, southwestern Nigeria and was born on June 14, 1938, in Ilara-Mokin, a town in Ondo state to the family of the late Chief Solomon Ojo (c.1878-1956), the Lisa of Ilara-Mokin, and Mrs Beatrice Ademolawe Ojo (1891-1991) as the 5th of six children. His father was polygamous and had 3 wives.Read more about Men you should know
He attended St. Michael’s Anglican School, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Nigeria (1944-1950). He later attended Imade College, Owo, Nigeria (1954-1958), where he obtained the West Africa School Certificate. He proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in 1961, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Business Administration in 1965.
Achievements
Chief Michael Ade-Ojo is the founder of Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State and Elizade Motors. Today, the company which Ade Ojo started with just one support staff in 1971 has become a conglomerate with several subsidiaries including Toyota Nigeria Limited, Mikeade Investment Co. Ltd, Mikeade Property Dev. Co. Ltd, Classic Motors Ltd, Elizade Autoland Nigeria, Okin Travels Ltd, Oodua Creations Ltd, among others. and just recently, the Chairman, Toyota Nigeria Limited, and founder of Elizade Nigeria Limited, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, for more than four decades, he has bestrode the Nigerian automotive sector like a colossus. He began to sell various auto brands like Peugeot, Volkswagen, etc, before finally settling for Toyota, a product he turned to a household name in the country. He has challenged his son, Demola, who is leading the Elizade Autoland in pushing a new baby of the company, the JAC, to make the Chinese brand another household name among automobile lovers in Nigeria.Sign up to the Connect Nigeria daily newsletter
Ade-Ojo, who said there was still more for Toyota to achieve in Nigeria, also urged the JAC handlers to take a cue from leading auto brands by targeting the number one position. He said,
“We want to continue to be the number one auto company in Nigeria and make the JAC brand to become the number two or even overtake Toyota. I want to see a healthy rivalry between the two automobile brands that are connected to me in Nigeria.”Ade-Ojo is gradually transforming his native town Ilara-Mokin from a village to an economically vibrant town through his various community development projects.
Fellowship
Fellow, Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies (F.AES) by Ausbeth Ajagu (2007) Fellow of Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, Lagos. 2009Personal life
Chief Ade-Ojo married his first wife, Elizabeth Wuraola Ade-Ojo on February 26, 1966, in Enugu, Nigeria. They had met her at the University of Nsukka. He combined her first name Elizabeth with his middle name, Ade, to create his company name Elizade. He later added his middle name to his last name, Ojo, and it became Ade-Ojo. Among his children include Adeola Ade-Ojo, a fashion designer; Olakunle Ade-Ojo, a businessman; and Ademola Ade-Ojo, a businessman as well. Both of his sons are managing directors in Toyota Nigeria. His wife died and he later remarried to Taiwo Ade-Ojo in 2012. Source: Wikipedia Featured Image Source: Ovation MagazineGot a suggestion? Contact us: editor@connectnigeria.com
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