The ancient city of Oyo will, on Saturday, September 5, 2026, witness the installation of renowned corporate leader and philanthropist, Oloye (Dr) Adesola Kazeem Adeduntan, as the new Balogun of Oyo by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I.
The installation, initially scheduled for July, was postponed following the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. Although the victims have since been reunited with their families, two people lost their lives in the incident.
Adeduntan succeeds the late Dr Victor Omololu Olunloyo, former Governor of the old Oyo State and distinguished statesman, who held the revered title until his death. The Balogun of Oyo is one of the highest traditional offices in the Oyo Empire, historically associated with leadership, valour and selfless service.
Born in Ibadan, Adeduntan obtained a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from the University of Ibadan in 1992 before earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Cranfield University, United Kingdom, as a Chevening Scholar.
He built a distinguished career spanning Arthur Andersen, KPMG, Citibank, the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and FirstBank.
At the AFC, he served as a pioneer Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, where he led the strategy that culminated in the institution securing a Moody’s A3 investment-grade rating in 2014.
As Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, a position he held from January 2016 to April 2024, Adeduntan spearheaded the bank’s digital transformation, strengthened its corporate governance framework and oversaw its expansion across Africa and the United Kingdom.
Following his retirement from FirstBank in April 2024, he established Sequoia Holdings Limited, an investment group with interests in financial services, strategic minerals, professional services, energy and long-term investment platforms.
Its flagship subsidiary, Sequoia Financial Services Limited, launched in early 2025, provides advisory and investment solutions to corporate, institutional and private clients, while Sequoia Minerals & Metals Limited is developing a district-scale exploration portfolio across several states, focusing on critical minerals required for the global energy transition.
Through Sequoia Professional Services Limited, Adeduntan also advises corporate boards, governments and investors on governance, institutional transformation and long-term strategy.
In 2025, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde appointed him Pro-Chancellor of Abiola Ajimobi Technical University, Ibadan.
A Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Adeduntan is also a recipient of honorary Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) degrees from Cranfield University and the University of Ibadan.
His installation as Balogun of Oyo will complement his existing traditional title of Apesinola of Ibadanland, further strengthening his enduring ties to two of Yorubaland’s foremost historic cities.
