While so many people have known him to be humane, humble, and eloquent, there is so much more to the Prince of Gbongan, who is a successful Entrepreneur, and well-rounded technocrat with excelent credentials that cut across several industries.
The life of Oyedotun Babayemi is a full circle of royalty, cultural parenting, sound and quality education, high-profiled engagements and excellence in corporate business endeavours.
ODB, as he is fondly called, comes from a family that has been committed to the development of Osun State even before the creation of the State. His father, the eighth Olufi of Gbongan in Ayedaade Local Government of Osun State, Oba Dr. Solomon Babayemi, chaired the 11-member committee that submitted a memorandum for the creation of Osun State. Kabiyesi’s efforts, alongside other stakeholders, contributed to the creation of Osun State.
His mother, Late Olori Florence Waleade Babayemi (PhD), was not just a pillar of support to many communities, but she was deeply committed to academic excellence and the development of communities and people using the power of education.
Dotun Babayemi, an Advocate and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and an alumnus of the prestigious London Business School, grew through excellent academic tutelage, that positioned him as a Corporate Giant and a global thought leader with verifiable credentials.
Professionally, he has credentials spanning several countries of the world, having risen through the ranks in globally operational organizations.
Dotun’s professional accomplishments include years as Head of the prestigious Babayemi & Co chambers; Business Lead at London Underground Limited; Vice President and General Manager of AXA Finance Incorporated in the United States of America; Vice President at Technology Solution Group also in the United States of America; Group General Manager/Director (North Central) at Celtel Nigeria & Airtel Nigeria; Chief Executive Officer at Fort Knox Group, among others.
Dotun Babayemi has led teams in deployment and maintenance of innovative technology solutions with global partners from Europe, United States, and Far East within the telecommunications industry. He also leads different active companies and organizations with over 20,000 staff across West and East Africa.
Dotun Babayemi’s political endeavour is beyond adventurism, rather, he has a mission to ensure enduring political and public oriented leadership that is humanist in all facets. His campaign manifesto is centered on strategic solution delivery through the maximization of human and financial resources, using enabling technology as a driver of development, putting the specific peculiarities of Osun State in context.
He is determined to carry the gains of corporate experience and success thereof to the theatre of politics, public administration and governance.
Displaying a never-seen-before desire to ensure the applicability of his leadership ideas in Osun State, Omo-Oba Dotun Babayemi developed the Alaafia Dotun and the Atunto Osun programmes, both targeting specific areas of human capital development, including health and wellness, rural development through cooperative organizations, and development of cottage industries in the State’s rural communities.
Under the Alaafia Dotun Scheme, more than 350,000 persons have benefitted from the Free Health programme, with more than 45,000 recommended glasses distributed to beneficiaries, and more than 420 free surgeries conducted.
The Atunto Osun Cooperative Scheme has empowered more than 100,000 rural dwellers through cooperative-style micro business financing and empowerment.
With a parental (and royal) background that exposed him to the allures, privileges, challenges and responsibilities of leadership in a native Yoruba setting, Dotun Babayemi has used the opportunities and obligations derivable from his historical and cultural background to build a profile required for successful private and public endeavours.
Governing Osun State demands a man of not just proud pedigree, but sound intellectual, and global exposure who can harness the great potentials hibernating in our communities, to build a State that will become the cynosure of all eyes.
Osun Deserves Better. Osun deserves a Governor who has proven his mettle in his private life and has shown capacity to lead complex organizations with a sharp vision and excellence. Dotun Babayemi is that man.
Tunde Aderin writes from Apomu, Isokan Local Government of Osun State.