Bukunyi Olateru-Olagbegi

Bukunyi Olateru-Olagbegi
Bukunyi Olateru-Olagbegi
Born	(1990-05-17) 17 May 1990 (age 34)
Citizenship	Nigeria
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, Politician
Organization	FBSS Nigeria Limited
Political party	Modern Democratic Party
Spouse	Mo'Cheddah
Relatives	Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi (sister)
Family	Olagbegi Family

Bukunyi Olateru-Olagbegi (born 17 May 1990) is a Nigerian entrepreneur and politician. He is a member of the royal Olagbegi family in Owo, a city in Ondo State, southwestern Nigeria.[1][2] He is the founder and chairman of the Modern Democratic Party.[3] In 2018, Olateru-Olagbegi's contribution to Nigerian politics was a feature of a Forbes Africa magazine article on the 2019 Nigerian elections, which credited him as one of Nigeria's young leading political figures.[4] In 2019, he was named among the 100 Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) under the United Nations.[5][6]

Career

Olateru-Olagbegi is the CEO of FBSS Nigeria Limited and also serves on the board of Altheus Limited, a Nigerian firm with interests in energy, human capacity development and private equity.[7] In 2016, Olateru-Olagbegi was appointed as the chairman of the central working committee for The Future Awards.[7] He also serves as the chairman of the central working committee for SME100 Nigeria.[8][6]

Politics

In 2018, sequel to the passage of the #NotTooYoungToRun Bill at the Nigerian National Assembly, Olateru-Olagbegi at age 27, successfully registered a political party, Modern Democratic Party (MDP), with the Independent National Electoral Commission.[9] The party has been described as representing the new face of active youth involvement in politics in Nigeria.[10]

In November 2018, the MDP unveiled singer and filmmaker Bankole Wellington (Banky W.) as its candidate to contest the 2019 Federal House of Representatives elections, representing Eti-Osa Constituency.[11] Banky W eventually lost to the ruling APC candidate, Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro, in a keenly contested race.[12] The party is reported to have 65,000 members and fielded two legislative candidates in the 2019 General Elections in Nigeria.[13]

In December 2018, Olateru-Olagbegi's contribution to Nigerian politics was a feature of a Forbes Africa magazine article on the 2019 Nigerian elections.[14][4]

Olateru-Olagbegi said

We must correct the present for the sake of the future. This is our scared duty to our country

— Let’s Build an Unstoppable Force’, Newly Registered ‘Youth Party’ – MDP Tells Nigerian Youths, Signal Newspaper

Personal life

Olateru-Olagbegi married singer Mo’Cheddah in May 2018 at a private ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria.[15]

References

1. Agbo, Dennis (30 May 2018). "Mo'cheddah Ties The Knot With Her Fiance Today". Media Guide. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
2. "Meet Mo'Cheddah's Boyfriend Prince Bukunyi "BK" Olagbegi, Son Of Oba Olateru". Gist Mania Magazine. Lagos, Nigeria. 29 September 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
3. "'Let's Build an Unstoppable Force', Newly Registered 'Youth Party' – MDP Tells Nigerian Youths". Signal Newspaper. Lagos, Nigeria. 15 January 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
4. Hyde, Peace (13 December 2018). "Twists And Turns Of Nigeria's Election Campaign Trail". Forbes Africa. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
5. Taiwo-Sadiq, Dayo (19 July 2019). "Bukunyi Olateru-Olagbegi named among 100 Most Influential People of African Descent under the United Nations". YNaija. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
6. TFAA (2017-01-27). "The Future Awards Africa launches Nigerian theme for its 11th edition, nominees list released Sunday 4th December". The Future Awards Africa. Retrieved 2024-12-31.
7. Bello, Ono (3 June 2016). "Meet Prince Bukunyi Olateru-Olagbegi, The Newly Appointed Chairman Of The Future Awards Africa's Central Working Committee". Onobello Magazine. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
8. "Forbes Magazine features youth advocate, MDP National Chairman, Bukunyi". Vanguard News. 2018-12-20. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
9. "Youths Form Political Party". Thisday Newspaper. Lagos, Nigeria. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
10. Nwaeze, Collins (20 March 2018). "More youths register with Modern Democratic Party". The Nation. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
11. "MDP remains answer for frustrated, active young Nigerians, says Party Chair". The Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
12. Shur, Arthur (26 February 2019). "Banky W Concedes Defeat In Eti Osa Federal Constituency Election". Jaguda.com. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
13. "As election nears, many young Nigerians sceptical of change". Daily Monitor (AFP). London, England. 8 February 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
14. "Forbes Magazine features youth advocate, MDP National Chairman, Bukunyi". The Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. 13 December 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
15. Agbo, Njideka (30 May 2018). "Mocheddah Gets Married To Longtime Boyfriend Bukunyi Olateru-Olagbegi". The Guardian Newspaper. Lagos, Nigeria. Retrieved 17 October 2018.