POLITICS: Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola (APC)

With 176 days to go into the election on September 22nd, the preliminaries and the heats for the main race has surreptitiously started. Starting from this week, we will be doing ongoing reviews of the purported contestants, even though none of them has formally declared.

Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola (APC)

He has not told anyone he is in the race, nevertheless, the name of the Chief of Staff of the State of Osun is a recurring decimal. Perhaps it’s because he has a technocratic ring (as in the case of Fashola and Ambode). So, the temptation is irresistible. The toga of continuity resonates around the personality of the Suave and urbane, Iragbiji born technocrat. In his favour, he doesn’t come with the sort of baggage with which a professional rabble-rousing politician is associated.

Adegboyega Oyetola, is the Chief of Staff to the Governor, State of Osun. A man of many parts with vast experience in politics, business and public administration; he is a man of deep conviction and a religious devout who has progressed in his endeavours by the grace of God, dint of hard work and uncompromising stand on integrity.

He has been described by Governor Rauf Aregbesola as a major pillar behind his administration for his cool and calm demeanour and the wisdom with which he has handled staff relations and other sensitive matters of the state.

He was born on September 29, 1954, in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of Osun. He attended Ifeoluwa Grammar School in Osogbo for his secondary school education which he completed in 1972. He proceeded to the prestigious University of Lagos where he bagged a Bachelor of Science honours degree in Insurance in 1978. He capped his illustrious education pedigree with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1990 at the same University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos.

He had his mandatory one year National Youth Service between 1978 and 1979, at Potiskum, the capital city of present day Yobe State, where he lectured at the Staff Training Centre.

In 1980, he joined Leadway Assurance Company Limited as Area Manager, and worked there till 1987. He took another step by taking his expertise to Crusader Insurance Company Limited as Underwriting Manager between 1987 and 1990. He moved again in 1990 to Alliance and General Insurance as Technical Controller and served in that capacity until 1991.

However, he took a giant step in 1991 by establishing his own Company, Silvertrust Insurance Brokers Limited. He was the Managing Director since its founding until his appointment as Chief of Staff in 2011.

His other forays in business include Executive Vice-Chairman, Paragon Group of Companies which has interest in Oil and Gas, Mining and Real Estate since 2005 until 2011. He was also Chairman of Ebony Properties Limited. He had been a Director of Pyramid Securities Limited, until 2011, among other business interests, before his appointment as Chief of Staff.

Adegboyega Oyetola is a pronounced Technocrat as well as a progressive politician. He was a founding member of Alliance for Democracy (AD) and has been a chieftain of the party through its metamorphosis to Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now All Progressives Congress (APC). He has assisted the party nationally, particularly in the State of Osun. He is an effective grassroots mobiliser.

For his public service and philanthropic acts, he has received an array of honours and awards. These include:

1. Distinguished Merit Award by his alma mater, Ifeoluwa Grammar School, Osogbo, February 2014;
2. The Guardian Award for Exceptional Chief of Staff in the Federation 2017;
3. Distinguished Award of Excellence in Public Administration by Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun State Council, August 2015;
4. Leadership Award for Outstanding Performance by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Osogbo Branch, March 2016;
5. Award of Excellence by Osun State University, College of Law, Ifetedo, January 2016;
6. Award of Excellence as ICON of Good Governance by Network of Non-Governmental Organisation (NETNOS) State of Osun Branch. November, 2017;
7. Award for Exemplary and Exceptional Support and Fellow of Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke, January 2017;
8. Grand Patron of the Local Government Chapel of Osun State NUJ, November 2016;
9. Leadership Award by International Association of Lions Club, District 404B2, Nigeria, February 2016;
10. NAOSS-NHQ Award of Excellence in Administration and Good Governance, May 2016;
11. Award of Excellence in Public Administration by Rotary Club of Osogbo, Rotary International, July 2016;
12. Meritorious Award by NAOSS, Obafemi Awolowo University Chapter, February 2017;
13. African Students Union Parliament (ASUP), Pan-African Distinguished Leadership Honour as Icon of Nation Building in Nigeria 2018.

Mr. Oyetola is an Associate Member, Chattered Insurance Institute in London and Nigeria. He is also a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM).

Oyetola is a Socialite, Philanthropist and a lover and promoter of Arts. He is a member of the prestigious Ikoyi Club. He is married with children.

A group known as Ileri-Oluwa has started massive political mobilisation for him, even though he is yet to officially declare his governorship ambition.