At the just-ended 2023 City People Awards For Excellence, one award which attracted a lot of commendation was the one given to the Ekiti State governor, Gov. Biodun Oyebanji award was collected on his behalf by his Special Adviser on Media & Strategy, Yinka Odebode.
It was for his remarkable achievements in office and his stellar performance over the last one year.
Lets tell you about this easy going Chief Executive of Ekiti State, Gov. Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji, who was born on December 21, 1967, in Ikogosi-Ekiti. Governor Oyebanji began his academic journey at Baptist Primary School in Ikogosi-Ekiti and later attended Awo Community High School. He then transferred to C.A.C. Grammar School in Efon-Alaaye, Ekiti State in 1979. Afterwards, he attended the Federal School of Arts and Science in Ondo State and the District Commercial Secondary School in Aramoko-Ekiti from 1983 to 1985.
In 1989, Oyebanji acquired a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Ondo State University (now Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti). He continued his academic pursuit at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, where he earned a Master’s degree in Political Science (International Relations & Strategic Studies) in 1992.
Oyebanji started his professional career as a Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Ado Ekiti, where he worked for four years (1993 – 1997). He then moved on to work as Manager, Treasury, and Financial Services at the defunct Omega Bank Plc (now Heritage Bank) until May 1999. Currently, Oyebanji is engaged in Agribusiness and is the chairman of Con Dois Farms Ltd.
He was Secretary, Ekiti State Government (16th October 2018-2021). Oyebanji was instrumental to the creation of Ekiti State in 1996 as he served as Member, Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State, and Secretary of, Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State (1996). He was also Secretary, Ekiti State Development Fund.
As a successful businessman and a devoted public servant, Abiodun Oyebanji has earned many awards including the Distinguished Alumnus Award by the Alumni Association of the then Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti, and the Certificate of Excellence awarded by the National Association of Political Science Students (NAPSS), Ondo State University, now Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti. Writing the history of Politics and Governance in Ekiti State is incomplete without mentioning the critical contributions of Abiodun Oyebanji.
He was Special Assistant (Parliamentary Affairs) to the Governor of Ekiti State (8th June 1999 – July 2000); Special Adviser (Parliamentary Affairs) to the Governor of Ekiti State (1st Aug. 2000 – Sept. 2001); Chief of Staff to the Governor of Ekiti State (September 2001 – May 29, 2003); Chairman, Governing Board, Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (June 2009 – December 2010); Commissioner, Ministry of Integration and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Ekiti State (23rd December 2010 – December 2011); Head, Office of Transformation Strategy and Delivery (OTSD), Ekiti State (December 2011 – 9th January 2013); Commissioner, Ministry of Budget, & Economic Planning. He was then named the Commissioner for Budget, and Economic Planning in 2013 a position he held till October 2014.
In 2018, after Fayemi was elected for a second term, Oyebanji got back into public service and was appointed secretary to the state government (SSG), a position he held until he resigned to join the governorship race in late 2021.
