From Humble Ayere Roots to Kogi’s Biggest Philanthropist: The Prince Olusoji Story
By Stephen Adeleye
Lokoja, May 29, 2026
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He avoids the microphone, but his work echoes across Kogi. Philanthropist Asiwaju Prince Olatunji Olusoji has quietly stormed the state’s political and social space, proving that lasting impact doesn’t need a spotlight.
Born in Ayere, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Olusoji’s journey from modest beginnings to statewide influence shapes his approach: reach the people others overlook.
With the financial capacity to sway any political arrangement, he has chosen a low-profile path, letting results speak louder than rhetoric.
Through the Prince Olatunji Olusoji Foundation (PROOF), education has been his first investment since 2013. He began distributing school bags and writing materials statewide before any political ambition.
Today, 100 students each at the College of Education, Ankpa and College of Technical, Mopa, study tuition-free for their entire programme.
He donated N15 million to sponsor 100 students at the College of Education for three years, another N15 million to the College of Agriculture, and N30 million to the Anglican College of Nursing and Health Technology, Ogidi-Ijumu.
Infrastructure support includes buildings at Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, upcoming public toilets and motorized boreholes at Federal University Lokoja (FUL), plus 32 newly employed teachers for government schools in Ayere to strengthen grassroots learning.
Through his foundation, PROOF, Prince Olusoji has sunk boreholes across Kogi West, Central and East to provide potable water and curb waterborne diseases.
In health, Olusoji funds free medical care for pregnant women, eye surgeries for vulnerable patients, and rehabilitation for mentally ill persons.
Agriculturally, his foundation will be distributing insecticides to over 450 farmers in Kogi West across five centres — Ijumu-Oke, Ijumu Arin, Gbede, Kabba and Bunu — from Saturday, 28th June 2025. He has also set up a N15 million agricultural fund for farmers and small business owners, and built six rural markets in Ayere to boost local commerce.
At the Kogi State Security Summit and Fundraising in April 2026, Olusoji donated N90 million to strengthen security infrastructure and operations, calling security “a shared responsibility.”
The young philanthropist has also donated seven patrol vehicles to Kogi West LGAs and supported reconstruction of police stations.
“Education has helped me to be where I am today, and I am passionate about the educational development of our people.
“The true measure of leadership is not how high one rises, but how many others one lifts along the way,” ,” he said while receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Vine University, America.
International singer Juwon Demas Olorunnipa Jumabee notes: “In all my meetings with indigenes, Prince Olatunji stands out for his passion for the good of the people.”
A believer in the administrations of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo, Olusoji joined the APC in 2025, praising Governor Ododo for selfless governance.
For his service, he has received over 145 awards and traditional titles including Asiwaju of Ayere Kingdom, Turaki Gamji of Arewa Kingdom, and Basorun Akinjagunla of Ogidi Kingdom. He was also honored with the Kogi State Humanitarian Service Award at The Nigerian Post Newspaper’s Kogi @ 34 Awards.
A man who understands poverty, Olusoji says he’s “disturbed seeing tears he can wipe away.” While some arm youths, he empowers them. PROOF now distributes over 1,000 free JAMB forms annually, 50,000 school books, monthly stipends to 600 beneficiaries, and runs medical outreaches during Ramadan and Easter.
Without mincing words: a star is rising in Kogi. If his track record is the measure, Prince Olatunji Olusoji may yet berth in the state’s future — for the good of humanity.
End
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, MAY 30TH 2026)
