Adegboyega Oyetola is a Nigerian politician who has served in various capacities at the state and federal levels. He was the governor of Osun State from 2018 to 2022 and is currently the minister of Marine and Blue Economy, a newly created portfolio that aims to harness the potential of Nigeria’s vast maritime resources.
In this blog post, we will take a look at his biography, education, career, achievements, and controversies.
Early Life and Education
Adegboyega Oyetola was born on September 29, 1954, in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State. He is the son of Hammed Oyetola, the current Imam of Egbeda, Iragbiji. He started his secondary education at Ifeoluwa Grammar School, Osogbo, and graduated in 1972. He then proceeded to the University of Lagos, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science honours degree in Insurance in 1978. He also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the same institution in 1990.
He completed his mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Potiskum, Yobe State, where he lectured at the Staff Training Centre between 1978 and 1979.
Career and Politics
Adegboyega Oyetola began his career in the insurance sector, working as an area manager at Leadway Assurance Company Limited from 1980 to 1987. He then moved to Crusader Insurance Company Limited as an underwriting manager from 1987 to 1990. He later joined Alliance and General Insurance as a technical controller and served there until 1991, when he left to start his own company, Silvertrust Insurance Brokers Limited. He was the managing director of Silvertrust Insurance Brokers Limited until 2011, when he was appointed as the chief of staff to the Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola.
He also served as the executive vice chairman of Paragon Group of Companies between 2005 and 2011, and as the chairman of Ebony Properties Limited. He was a director of Pyramid Securities Limited until 2011. He is an associate member of the Chartered Insurance Institute in London and Nigeria.
He joined politics in 1998 as a founding member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), which later merged with other parties to form the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2006, and then the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013. He contested for the Osun State gubernatorial seat on the platform of the APC in the September 2018 gubernatorial election and won. He was sworn in as the ninth governor of Osun State on November 27, 2018.
However, his victory was challenged by the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke, who claimed that the election was marred by irregularities and malpractices. On March 23, 2019, a tribunal declared Oyetola to have not been legally returned and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue certificates of return to Adeleke. Oyetola appealed the tribunal’s verdict at the Court of Appeal, which overturned the tribunal’s ruling and upheld Oyetola’s election on May 9, 2019. Adeleke further appealed to the Supreme Court, which affirmed the Court of Appeal’s judgment on July 5, 2019, and dismissed Adeleke’s appeal.
As the governor of Osun State, Oyetola continued the policies and programs of his predecessor, Aregbesola, in the areas of education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, security, and social welfare. He also initiated new projects and reforms, such as the Osun Economic and Investment Summit, the Osun Ethanol Bio-Refinery Factory, the Osun Health Insurance Scheme, the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme, the Osun Rural Access and Mobility Project, and the Osun Alternative Project Funding Approach.
He completed his four-year term as the governor of Osun State on November 27, 2022, and handed over to his successor, Ademola Adeleke, who won the 2022 gubernatorial election on the platform of the PDP.
On August 16, 2023, President Bola Tinubu appointed Oyetola as the minister of transportation, as part of his cabinet reshuffle. However, four days later, Tinubu redeployed Oyetola to the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, which is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs that will enhance the exploration, exploitation, and management of Nigeria’s marine and blue resources, such as fisheries, aquaculture, coastal tourism, maritime transport, offshore energy, and marine biotechnology.
Oyetola assumed office as the first minister of Marine and Blue Economy on August 21, 2023.
Achievements and Controversies
Adegboyega Oyetola has been recognized and honored for his contributions to the development of Osun State and Nigeria. He has received several awards and accolades, such as:
The Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019
The Best Governor in Nigeria by the BusinessDay Newspaper in 2019
The Most Innovative Governor in Nigeria by the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in 2020
The Most Outstanding Governor in Nigeria by the African Leadership Magazine in 2021
The Most Visionary Governor in Nigeria by the Leadership Newspaper in 2022
The African Minister of the Year by the African Leadership Excellence Awards in 2023
He has also been involved in some controversies and criticisms, such as:
The allegation of certificate forgery by the PDP, which claimed that Oyetola did not possess the required academic qualifications to contest for the governorship election. The PDP also accused him of using a fake NYSC discharge certificate. Oyetola denied the allegations and presented his original certificates to the court, which dismissed the case for lack of merit.
The allegation of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which claimed that Oyetola diverted and laundered over N20 billion from the Osun State treasury through his company, Silvertrust Insurance Brokers Limited. The EFCC also alleged that Oyetola awarded inflated and fictitious contracts to his cronies and relatives. Oyetola challenged the EFCC’s claims and filed a suit against the commission for defamation and harassment. The case is still pending in court.
The allegation of nepotism and favoritism by some APC members, who accused Oyetola of sidelining and marginalizing them in his administration. They also alleged that Oyetola imposed his loyalists and relatives as candidates for the 2022 gubernatorial and legislative elections, thereby causing division and disaffection within the party. Oyetola dismissed the allegations and said that he was fair and transparent in his dealings with all party members and stakeholders.
What Is Gboyega Oyetola’s Net Worth?
The former governor and current minister of Marine and Blue Economy has a net worth of $1.5 million. However, this information is not official as it has not been verified. His primary source of wealth is his business endeavours and political career
Conclusion
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