His Royal Majesty, Oba Lateef Adams, the Onikate of Ikate Kingdom in Surulere, Lagos State embodies an uncommon blend of entrepreneurial excellence, family values and purposeful traditional leadership. Long before ascending the throne in 2016, he had built a formidable reputation as one of Nigeria’s pioneering fashion entrepreneurs. Through Latris Fashion, his fashion house, he helped redefine indigenous menswear, earning national recognition as Fashion House of the Year award in 1990 from the renowned Daily Times. As he celebrates 10 years on the throne and sets out to empower his subjects this coming weeks, Oba Adams speaks to Bennett Oghifo on life, childhood, fashion, ascension to the throne, legacy and accomplishments:
What was your background like growing up and the transition you can point to in your journey to eventually ascending the throne of your forebears?
I come from a normal background, definitely not from a wealthy family. I am from a middle-class family at the time and my father worked at the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and he was the kind of father who wanted all his children to be educated. I didn’t know I was from a royal family back then. That’s the truth. I was only aware that on the side of my mother, who is from Shagamu in Ogun State, they were of royal blood. You know a typical mother who loves her son would be protective of him and guide him as much as possible. So, when we went to her hometown, she went to make efforts for me to be protected spiritually and she was told by the people that they saw a crown on the head of her son. I was in my twenties at the time but I didn’t know where that was going to come from, because I didn’t know my father was from a royal family. So, my life just continued from there normally, I wasn’t looking for royalty or chasing a crown. I always cherished working hard to make a living and forge a good reputation. Before I became king, people knew me as the Founder and Chairman of Latris Fashion and I was known to many journalists back then.
