As the day for the gubernatorial election in Osun State draws nearer, activities of those interested in throwing their arts into the political ring have increased. PMParrot is here focusing on one of those likely to show interest in the race to succeed Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in the state and this personality is Dr Wale Bolorunduro. Meet the exceedingly brilliant son of Osun State here:
Dr. Wale Bolorunduro graduated with a Bachelors degree in Engineering from the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife as the best graduate and he got Miccom Award, the Nigeria Society of Engineers Award for the best graduate in the Faculty of Technology and the University Award for the graduate with the highest Cumulative Grade Point Average for the year 1990.
He started his Accounting and Business Advisory career with Arthur Andersen & Co. Lagos (Audit and Chartered Accounting firm) in 1991. He subsequently picked up an appointment with Zenith Bank and rose through the ranks to become Deputy Manager, Budget, Strategic Planning & Financial Control between 1994 and 1997.
He travelled abroad and joined Arthur Andersen & Co. Vancouver B.C. Canada in 1997 as a Senior Consultant and later moved to BMO Nesbitt Burns (Investment Banking Group) in 1999 as an Investment Banker (Project Finance-Infrastructures and Energy). He took up a teaching position as a Teaching/Research Associate at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C, Canada in 2001 and subsequently, returned to Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria as a Senior Manager, Energy Division (Oil & Gas) in 2003. He continued his career at Zenith Bank Plc between 2003 and 2011 in various capacities and he was promoted as a Senior Manager, Energy in 2003, Assistant General Manager in 2004, Deputy General Manager, Group Head, Telecoms & Technologies Businesses (Corporate Banking) in 2005 and as a General Manager, Head of the Infrastructure and Power Sector (Corporate Banking) in 2006.
Dr. Bolorunduro also obtained with awards, Masters Degree (Business Management) and PhD degree from the University of British Columbia in Canada in 1999 and 2002 respectively. He later obtained a Master degree in Corporate Governance from Leeds Business School, United Kingdom in 2009. He has attended numerous courses all over the World such as Wharton Business School Executive Course and has been involved in numerous landmark financial transactions.
He pioneered construction finance in the Telecoms industry between 2003 and 2006, and handled many project finance transactions in upstream Oil and Gas, Telecoms, Power and Infrastructures.
With his expertise, Osun State floated the first Sukuk bond (Islamic Finance) in Nigeria through the Capital Market and the fund (ijara) is being utilized for the construction of high schools.
He ensured his state became pension compliant by implementing pensions reforms. He initiated Public Financial Management Reform, through the assistance of EU/World Bank, which will lead to Treasury Single Account (TSA), International Public Sector Accounting System (IPSAS) and Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).
With expertise in Public Sector Finance, he served as the Commissioner for Finance, Economic Planning and Budget, Osun State (2011 – 2014). He is currently authoring a book on Project Finance: Pitfalls and Solution.
Dr. Wale Bolorunduro has been involved in humanitarian services to his community and beyond since he founded “Wale Bolorunduro Foundation in 2005 which spread across the South West states.
The foundation since then has been giving succor to the less privileged and the community at large through diverse community projects.
Dr Adewale Bolorunduro (Bibiire) in response to the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, TRCN, recently offered N40 million Scholarship to Osun Students, in his constituency – especially those who want to have Nigeria College of Education (NCE) certificates tagged “Bibiire Scholarship Scheme “.
The B-scholarship for teachers is the first tranche of the Scholarship package for secondary schools and tertiary institutions students and it is expected to grow to over N200 million by the end of 2019.
Unlike other scholarship schemes, Bibiire-Scholarship (B-Scholarship) will explore Cash transfers to subsidize feedings and accommodation of the students.
This will ameliorate teachers’ shortage, free parents/guardians from finance stress or burden and enable the dreams of the students come to reality.
Packaged by Bunmi Oladejo
