By DADA AYOKHAI
The contribution of Akoko Edo to the electoral victory of Senator Monday Okpevbolo in the September 21st Edo governorship election did not go unnoticed with the appointment of Barr Oladele Bankole-Balogun as the Executive Chairman of the Edo State Board of Internal Revenue.
The Akoko Edos as they are affectionately known, provided the Edo APC with the highest number of votes in the September 21 election.
The impressive 34,000 votes from the Akoko Edo region proved to be a crucial factor in the election outcome.
There were expectations that the Akoko Edo region would be substantially rewarded during the formation of Senator Okpevbolo’s cabinet.
However, this was not the case, as the Akoko Edo axis was systematically overlooked in the governor’s series of appointments.
This situation was soon to spark a conversation about the unfair treatment of the Akoko Edo axis in the appointment process.
Hon. Oladele Bankole-Balogun is the son the late Chief Bankole-Balogun , a broadcast pioneer and a former director of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
The announcement of his appointment was made in a press release signed and issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Musa Ikhilor, Esq.
Hon. Oladele Bankole-Balogun boasts a remarkable and impressive resume.
Born into the family of the late Chief Bankole-Balogun of Igarra, Akoko Edo, in 1961, young Oladele understood from an early age that he needed to work hard to meet the high expectations set by his parents, who valued education greatly.
When he reached the University of Ibadan, Nigeria’s premier tertiary institution, he was ready to excel.
In 1984, he earned his Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Political Science, followed by a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the College of Law, Store Street, London.
Hon. Oladele is a member of several professional organizations, including the Law Society of England and Wales, the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Bar Association, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitration in the UK.
He has had a distinguished career in various private sector organizations both locally and internationally, where he honed his skills and gained essential management experience.
His professional history reflects his success as a high-flier and achiever in the corporate world.
After a five-year tenure at Cadbury Nigeria Plc from 1985 to 1989, where he advanced from a management trainee to a manager, overseeing one of the conglomerate’s popular fast-moving consumer goods brands, Hon. Oladele sought broader experiences abroad.
From 1989 to 1994, he worked with the global pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, in Sandwich, Kent, and later with the Alphabet Group in the UK.
His career flourished rapidly, leading to prestigious positions within corporate boardrooms.
He served as Chairman of Alphabet House Ltd., Director/Board Member of Allen Angus Resources Ltd., Chairman of Barking & Havering Hospital Trust, and Principal Partner at Bankole-Balogun & Co.
Additionally, he was a Federal Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission from 2012 to 2015, representing Edo State.
Hon. Bankole-Balogun was at various times, an aspirant and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the House of Representatives , Akoko Edo federal constituency.
He defected to the All progressive Congress APC during National Assembly Elections in 2023.
He served as a Member of APC Campaign Council for 2024 Governorship elections in Edo State.
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