- Adewale Ogunleye is a former NFL player who played with the Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, and Houston Texas for 11 years
- His origin is linked to a royal family located in a city in the Ekiti State of Nigeria
- The husband and father of two is a philanthropist and head of the UBS segment of ‘Athletes and Entertainers’ who has helped singers and athletes to build wealth
Adewale Ogunleye is a former American football player who played as a defensive end. He began his journey into American football in his high school days and eventually played in the major leagues for 11 years. Ogunleye has played for teams such as Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears, and Houston Texans.
He is married to an American doctor and shares 2 kids with her, as of 2022. Most interesting is the fact that the former football player is a philanthropist who is now working to help athletes better their lives and finances.
Bio of Adewale Ogunleye
The former American football player was born on August 9, 1977, in the Brooklyn United States of America. His parents, Gabriel Ogunleye and Lawrencia Ogunleye moved from Nigeria to the United States before the NFL player was born. They were degree owners who also got decent jobs in the United States.
Adewale grew up with 3 siblings and lived in rough neighborhoods for most of their young days. His siblings are named Patricia, Ranti, and Dayo.
He attended Tottenville High School, Huguenot, Staten Island where he began his football pursuits. Upon graduation, he moved to Indiana University, Bloomington from 1996 to 1999. Adewale played college football before he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in English.
Adewale Ogunleye has links to royalty amongst the Yoruba people of Nigeria; his paternal grandfather was the king of Emure, in Ekiti State; Oba Ogunleye II Amugbayanwo, The king was born in 1922 and died in 1974. His father would have been the king following the death of Oba Ogunleye but he was still too young to ascend the throne.
Adewale’s grandfather ruled his people from 1967 until his death, years later. As a result of this relationship, Ogunleye is known to be a prince (omoba) in the Yoruba land of Ekiti state.
Adewale Played American Professional Football for 11 Years
Former NFL Pro Bowl Defensive End, Adewale Ogunleye began his professional career in 2000 when he was signed to the Miami Dolphins where he played as a free agent. Three years later, he was named to the Pro Bowl after leading the AFC with 15 sacks.
In 2004, Adewale moved to Chicago Bears where he captained the team after being there for two years. He was a player here till 2009 after which he moved to Houston Texas where he stayed for a year before his retirement.
While active in the sport, Adewale had a total tackle of 389 and 67.5 sacks. Despite his success, he retired after suffering an injury that placed him on a season-end injury while with the Bears.
Ogunleye is Married to a Dental Doctor
On July 7, 2014, the Yoruba prince, Adewale Ogunleye, got married to a dental doctor known as Amira. She now goes by the name Doctor Amira Ogunleye and has been in the medical field in Florida for quite a while.
The marriage between the former football player and his dentist wife has birthed two children. Their first child is a daughter named Aduralere Ogunleye who was born on November 27, 2015. 2 years after her birth, Amira and Adewale gave birth to Prince Asa Ogunleye on February 6, 2017.
Here is Other Information about Adewale Ogunleye You May Have Missed
1. He is the Head of Sports and Entertainment at UBS
As of September 2021, Adewale Ogunleye began to head a segment known as ‘Athletes & Entertainers’ of the new USB wealth program. In his position, he helps sports icons and singers to plan their financial futures.
Ultimately, he aims to help entertainers and athletes build their wealth and be smart about their financial decisions.
2. Adewale Ogunleye Founded ‘Goal Power Foundation’
Prince Adewale has always been passionate about helping people around him. He tries to promote education in whatever form. To this end, the former athlete started the Goal Power foundation in college.
The foundation aimed to expose students to different occupations bordering sports. Goal Power’s aim grew to assist needy families. Thus far, Adewale has donated food and livestock to elementary schools in New York and Chicago through the foundation.
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3. Some of His Honors and Awards
Adewale Ogunleye has received some notable awards for his stellar performances as an athlete. Some of these honors include the following:
- 3X All-Big Ten (1997, 1998, 1999)
- NFL Pro Bowl – In 2003
- NFL All-Pro – In 2003
- Dan Marino Most Valuable Player Award, Miami Dolphins – In 2002
- Indiana University Athletic Hall of Fame – In 2014
4. Adewale Ogunleye Went Back to School to Learn about Business
In 2012, the Emure prince went to The George Washington University School of Business and graduated in 2014 with an MBA in General Business Administration and Management.
5. The Prince Had an Emotional Visit to His Hometown
In 2006, Adewale Ogunleye visited his hometown. Before then, the last time he was in his country of origin once was at the age of 13. Upon his visit, the prince was welcomed by his extended relatives who were happy to see him.
In his interview, he stated that being home exposed him to a lot. He noted how his people seldom take things for granted. He differentiated life back home from what was the norm in the United States of America.
Also, he did not shy away from his philanthropic nature. While there, Prince Ogunleye aided students in his city by paying their school fees.
Adewale Ogunleye may have retired from sports but his legacies would outlive him. Not only did he have a great career in sports but now, he has built a career around the profession despite being retired. The businessman cum consultant is very passionate about giving back to the society he comes from.
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