Joseph Odeleye Fadahunsi was born 1901 in Ilesha. As an Ijesha NCNC elder statesman, he replaced Adesoji Aderemi, the Ooni of Ife as governor of the Western Region in 1 January 1963. His subsequent invitation of Ladoke Akintola to form a new government sparked violence that signaled the end of the Nigerian first republic.
Fadahunsi was educated at Osu Methodist School and Wesley Teacher Training College in Ibadan. He also took a course in England on Local Government. He won election to the Western House and also served as chairman of Ijesa Divisional Council from 1951-56. From 1949-53, he worked for the marketing board for cocoa trading. He served as the chairman of Nigeria Airways in 1961.