Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola CON (born 29 September 1954) is a Nigerian politician who is the current minister of Marine and Blue Economy. He served as governor of Osun State from 2018 to 2022.[1]
Gboyega Oyetola | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister of Marine and Blue Economy | |
| Assumed office 21 August 2023 | |
| President | Bola Tinubu |
| Preceded by | position established |
| Governor of Osun State | |
| In office 27 November 2018 – 27 November 2022 | |
| Deputy | Benedict Alabi |
| Preceded by | Rauf Aregbesola |
| Succeeded by | Ademola Adeleke |
| Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State | |
| In office 2011–2018 | |
| Governor | Rauf Aregbesola |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola 29 September 1954 Iragbiji, Southern Region, British Nigeria (now in Osun State, Nigeria) |
| Political party | All Progressives Congress (2013–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
|
| Spouse | Kafayat Oyetola |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence | Abuja |
| Alma mater | University of Lagos |
| Occupation | Politician |
He contested for the Osun State gubernatorial seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the September 2018 gubernatorial election and won. On 23 March 2019, a tribunal declared him to have not been legally returned and ordered INEC to issue certificates of return to Senator Ademola Adeleke of the PDP, which was contested at the Court of Appeal.[2] Prior to his winning the election, he was the Chief of Staff[3] to his predecessor, Rauf Aregbesola.[4]
He was appointed minister of transportation by President Bola Tinubu on 16 August 2023,[5] but redeployed four days later to the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.[6]
Early life and education
editAdegboyega Oyetola was born in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of present day Osun State on 29 September 1954. He started his secondary education at Ifeoluwa Grammar School, Osogbo and graduated in 1972.[7]
Oyetola proceeded to the University of Lagos and graduated with a Bachelor of Science honours degree in Insurance in 1978. He proceeded for his mandatory one year National Youth Service Corps in Potiskum, Yobe State, where he lectured at the Staff Training Centre between 1978 and 1979. He obtained his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos in 1990.[8]
Career
editIn 1980, Oyetola joined Leadway assurance company Limited as an area manager and worked there till 1987 when he moved on to join Crusader Insurance Company Limited as Underwriting Manager between 1987 and 1990. In 1990, he joined Alliance and General Insurance as Technical Controller and served in that capacity until 1991 when he left the organisation to start his own company, Silvertrust Insurance Brokers Limited. He was managing director since its founding until 2011 when he was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola.[7]
Oyetola also served as Executive Vice Chairman, Paragon Group of Companies between 2005 and 2011. He was also Chairman of Ebony Properties Limited. He had been a Director of Pyramid Securities Limited, until 2011, He is an Associate Member, Chartered Insurance Institute in London and Nigeria. He is also a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM).[7]
Oyetola was a member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), and has been in the party through its metamorphosis to Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now the All Progressives Congress (APC). In July 2018, he contested with Osun state House of Representatives deputy speaker Yusuf Lasun and Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Najeem Folasayomi Salaam, Dr Samuel Ibiyemi; Publisher Nigerian News Direct Newspapers, Adelere Oriolowo, Moshood Adeoti amongst others for the All Progressives Congress gubernatorial candidacy of the 22 September 2018 gubernatorial election in Osun state and won.[9] He was sworn in to office on 27 November 2018.[10] On 22 March 2019, the election tribunal sitting in Abuja declared that the All Progressive Congress and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, were not validly returned. On 2 August 2023, he alongside 18 others was announced as ministerial-nominees by President Bola Tinubu.[11]
Pandora Papers revelations
editAs a result of the Pandora Papers leaks, the Premium Times reported on Oyetola's undisclosed acquisition of a London mansion from an international fugitive wanted for money laundering, Kola Aluko. The report revealed that an Oyetola-formed offshore company based in the British Virgin Islands, a known tax haven, had bought the house from another British Virgin Islands-based offshore company that was formed by Aluko right before Nigerian authorities were attempting to freeze Aluko's assets. The selling price, £9 million, was much lower than the £17 million that the house was judged to be worth by the Premium Times. Notably, this house is the residence of Bola Tinubu as he is in London for medical treatment.[12]
Personal life
editHe is Married to Kafayat Oyetola, they met in Kaduna while she was on a visit. They got married years later and have four children; three daughters and a son.
References
edit- ^ "Osun APC to Oyetola: You're on threshold of distinguished governance". The Nation Newspaper. 29 September 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ^ "BREAKING: Gboyega Oyetola wins Osun APC gov'ship primary".
- ^ "Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola". Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ "Osun APC Primary: Oyetola floors Aregbesola's candidate as minister alleges fraud | Premium Times Nigeria". 20 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ Tolu-Kolawole, Deborah (16 August 2023). "Full list of ministers and designations". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- ^ "Tinubu appoint Minister of Niger Delta development, make changes for ministerial positions". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ a b c "Abridged Profile of Alhaji gboyega Oyetola | EliteThrive". Elitethrive. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
- ^ "Celebrating Gboyega Oyetola @63".
- ^ "Oyetola wins Osun APC governorship primary". Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ "Oyetola sworn in as Osun governor". Premium Times Nigeria. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
- ^ "Oyetola, Lalong, 17 others make Tinubu's new ministerial list". Punch. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ Ibekwe, Nicholas; Adebayo, Taiwo-Hassan. "PANDORA PAPERS: Buhari visited Tinubu in corruption-tainted London villa acquired by Oyetola". Premium Times. Retrieved 8 October 2021.