A Nigerian prince has taken up a career as a plumber for Thames Water in London, giving up his royal life.
Akeem Adenuga, 62, arrived in the UK in 1994 for study. His career in plumbing began in 2000 when he took on a job as a trainee leakage technician at Thames Water.
Akeem’s brother, King Asunmo Aderibigbe, is The Paramount Ruler of Odo-Ayandelu, Agbowa-Ikosi, a small town two-hour drive from Lagos.
Before taking up his role, the monarch studied block laying and concreting at a technical college. He then went on to be a masonry officer and union leader at the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA).
Akeem, who lives in Tottenham and is a huge Arsenal fan, now leads a team of 24 engineers who find and fix hidden subterranean leaks across the city.
“I really look forward to coming to work and I’m always raring to go out and get stuck into work in the streets of the capital,” the father-of-five said.
“I love my job, and the people I work with really make it special.”
In 2017, the prince and five friends donated $25,000 for an ambulance to enable locals take patients to the nearest hospital – an hour away.
“As a prince back home, my family gets a wonderful welcome every time we visit,” Akeem said.
“But I always remember the advice my late father gave me many years ago – be humble, kind and productive.
“That’s a really good way to live and has always carried me through.”
