Hon. Oladele Bankole Balogun: Happy Birthday To a Dogged Leader, Political Icon, And Owenite of Igarra In Edo

Celebrating the birthday of Hon. Oladele Bankole Balogun has for most people who know him well become virtually an avocational pursuit.

This is so because he is simply a great man. We do refer to his eminence as a complete politician and as a person. No doubt, it is his simplicity that is the essential mark of his greatness.

Hon. Bankole-Balogun did not develop his greatness, he has always possessed it greatly.

He is relaxed, considerate, balanced, modest, and a man with rare vast political gifts. It is a miracle when these complex attributes of his resolve themselves into striking consistency.

Hon. Oladele Bankole Balogun was born on the 14th of December 1961 into the illustrious family of the Late Chief Bankole Balogun and Mrs. Omolara Balogun (Nee, Olunloyo) Late Chief Bankole Balogun was former GM Bendel Broadcasting Service, Pioneer GM Edo Broadcasting Services, Permanent Secretary Bendel State, Director General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria and Chairman Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria.

Hon. Oladele Bankole Balogun hails from Igarra in Akoko-Edo LGA of Edo State. He attended Emotan Preparatory and Primary School Benin City, Igbobi College, Yaba Lagos, Federal Government College Enugu, University of Ibadan(BSc Hons. Political Science 1984), the University of London(LLB Hons. Law), and College of Law(Postgraduate Diploma Law)

Hon. Oladele Bankole Balogun is the Principal Partner, Oladele Bankole Balogun & Co. an Abuja-based law firm, Chairman Alphabet House Ltd (UK), Barrister and Solicitor Supreme Court of Nigeria, and Solicitor Supreme Court of England and Wales.

He is a member of the Law Society of England and Wales, Nigeria Bar Association, International Bar Association, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK)

Hon. Bankole-Balogun has in time passed cut his teeth in the business world. He was Management Trainee at Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Brand manager, Export Executive, and Area Sales Manager all between 1985 to 1989. He also was Sales Representative, Sales Manager, and Healthcare Sales Consultant for Pfizer UK Sandwich Kent between 1989-1994. He went on to establish Alphabet Group with his wife, Kemi, of 35 years with about 100 staff strength in 1994.

The group consists of Early Years Education Schools, Training and Development Co, and Property Development, all in the UK.

Hon. Bankole Balogun did his National Youth Service(NYSC) between 1984-1985 at the National Institute of Social Economic Research (NISER, Ibadan)

He joined the Peoples Democratic Party in 1999 where he became A Member OF THE Elders Council, Leader PDP Akoko-Edo as a financial contributor, Stakeholder Edo State PDP, and Member State Elders Council of the Party.

In 2011, he was an aspirant for the House of Representatives. In 2015 and 2019, he contested as a PDP National Assembly (House of Representatives Candidate which most pundits believe he won but was cheated through electoral malpractices. He remains a hugely popular political and social figure across Akoko-Edo.

He was appointed under the PDP-led administration as Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, between 2012 to 2015.

He is noted for charitable works in Akoko-Edo with the Christian Fellowship, mainly the Anglican Church, as well as with the Muslim community. It is on record he made a significant contribution towards the mosque building in Ososo, Akoko-Edo.

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During his tenure as a Federal Commissioner, several indigenes of Akoko-Edo were employed through his connections to the Federal Civil Service and Parastatals. He also set up scholarships during these periods and most of them are still ongoing.

His blueprint for the development of Akoko-Edo is still solid and undeterred. This he said is capable of catapulting the LGA to greater heights with both its natural and human resources in abundance.

Hon. Oladele Bankole Balogun is the Oteniete of Igarra and the Otun Baba laje Oke Ona of Ibadan. His hobbies are golf, horse riding, polo, traveling, and music.

No doubt, Hon. Bankole is an enigma without ambiguity. He says what he feels and means. He is a great politician not because he is perfect, but because he tells the truth – nothing more nor less. He is not given to overstatement of any kind. He always desires to express what is there. The central control of Hon. Balogun’s being is his thoughtfulness, especially on political matters. One recognizes this virtue throughout everything he does.

Hon. Bankole Balogun holds to and reminds us of the basic truths of our conscience in proud, forthright, majestic ways. Even in his most serious and challenging moments, Hon. Bankole never loses the capacity to smile, to joke, and to be humble. In him, we meet a whole perfect gentleman.

Happy birthday and best wishes.