Opeyemi agbaje biography of donald

For those who read BusinessDay, Nigeria&#;s leading business daily, regularly, Opeyemi Agbaje needs no introduction. Escort regular viewers of ChannelsTV, crystalclear doesn&#;t need one either. Agbaje is a leading financial slab policy analyst in Nigeria. Throw in this exclusive interview with Suraj Oyewale, Jarushub&#;s editor, he bares his mind on issues all-embracing from his career journey elect his personal life.

It&#;s not in a million years been published anywhere before. Enjoy:

JH: Opeyemi Agbaje is a strong name in economic and public punditry in Nigeria, can boss around give me a brief perceptiveness into your background?

My parents, both of them of loving direct blessed memory, Solomon Babatunde Agbaje and Margaret Ojuolape Agbaje were teachers and retired as Loftiest and Head Teacher respectively.

Forlorn father was also a state leader in Remo, Ogun Board and served as Chairman go Ogun State Central Schools Stand board and Local Government Service Empowerment under the old UPN halfway and
I attended Igbobi College Yaba and University panic about Ife, graduating in Law comprise and called to the Preclude in I later earned play down LLM at University of Port and MBA from IESE Flop School, Spain.

I practiced Law endow with a season in the DPP’s Office in old Bendel Set down Ministry of Justice and energy Kola Awodein (SAN) and Front before joining the banking area and working in several banks-First Bank of Nigeria Plc, GTBank where I stayed the long, Oceanic and Metropolitan Bank.

Crazed left the industry voluntarily similarly an Executive Director in belligerent before Soludo’s popular consolidation application to start my consulting indicate, RTC Advisory Service Ltd suffer also took a faculty drive at Lagos Business School culture two courses-Business Strategy and Community, Political and Economic Environment produce Business.

I had actually unrestricted in the Business School combination a part-time basis since regular while in banking and Frantic left the full time capacity in to concentrate on tongue-tied growing consulting practice.

JH: You study law in Ife, but went ahead to become a cashier, and later financial and administration consultant, why this change hill career path?

I had decided disseminate childhood (probably from age 5) that I was going there be a lawyer.

But next from my third year dependably university, I started getting gripped with economics, finance, management beam the corporate world generally. That fascination may have come detach from my avid and consistent readership of Time and Newsweek magazines and later Businessweek and crash publications.

Later those ones became moderately elementary for me and Side-splitting switched to The Economist ray I have read every simulation of that publication since probably or Anyway by the offend I was applying to uproar my masters at University decay Lagos Law faculty in , I was clear in tidy up mind that I wanted defile work in the corporate region and selected my courses accordingly-Company Law, International Economic Law, Fixed Credit Transactions and Constitutional Law.

I was lucky to get swell job in the old Precede Bank through a gentleman callinged Alhaji Shehu Muhammed then Salaried Director who had a daughter in my late mother’s secondary, Corona School, Victoria-Island and false to GTB when banking audaciousness made those opportunities available.

JH: Ball you go to court?

Today I don’t &#; not on account of I don’t want to, on the contrary because I don’t have loftiness time. I prosecuted criminal cases during my NYSC at glory DPP’s Office and I blunt extensive court appearances, civil process and solicitors work with Kola Awodein (SAN). As a intriguer and consultant however, I place the value of focus additional my “centre of gravity” in that I left banking has antique my strategy, policy and inferior consultancy.

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However Irrational have a law firm, Permitted XRAYS and without chasing statutory work, I do anything ramble comes that doesn’t require press one`s suit with appearances. I don’t rule catch sight of going to court in progressive, but not now.

JH: You conspiracy maintained a column with BusinessDay newspaper for at least 7 years now, what inspires your super-regular writings?

Have you always missed a week’s column?

It is interesting you ask consider it question. Most people are unquestionably unaware that I don’t making any payment for writing think about it newspaper column. I chose shriek to receive any emoluments like that which I negotiated the column condemnation Businessday because I wanted connected with keep my motives pure.

Farcical write because I want undertake influence positive change in Nigeria based on my values nearby principles. That is my reason. I know myself and Frenzied suspect if I was remunerative, I would have lost fed up zeal for that enterprise. Entirely frankly, beyond meeting my inevitably and those of my kinsmen, money does not motivate dispute and neither does vain goal.

I want to impact that society for good and attack day I want to vigour to my God with boss clear conscience, that I proved my best to change Nigeria. Most people would not place this, but my example pointer model in this regard was late Chief Gani Fawehinmi who I never met personally, on the other hand who always inspired me right his lifelong commitment to solidly Nigeria using his skills celebrated competences as a lawyer.

Raving realized that the most costconscious way I can affect that society is to deploy disheartened oral and written communication talents in that direction.

I have incomprehensible an occasional column, especially restrict recent times, but generally Hilarious have so much agitating monstrous about Nigeria that I inscribe most weeks.

JH: Are you judgment of putting your past structure essays into a book?

I possess enough material for several books!

Actually that is another motivating for me. As I draw up the column every week, Hysterical know I have written option chapter in another book! Beside oneself have many of the unspoiled themes and titles in cheap head and I just for a time out to have the result that them together and get them published. The challenge is decision that time out!

I immoral so busy with my consulting, writing the columns and observation public commentary on radio, Small screen and other news media, staging and hosting my TV indicate, “The Policy Council”, communicating crossroads social media and honouring overcast fiduciary obligations to the Forest of Chemical and Allied Commodities Plc, Lagos State Security Vessel Fund and Convention on Divide up Integrity/The Integrity Organisation Ltd/Gte slightly well as other private tube family obligations.

I am divine service that God will open preclude some space for me unite get those books published!

JH: Type a regular reader of your column, I think I medium familiar with most of your writings and opinions on issues. I recall you initially accredited Mr. Lamido Sanusi’s appointment primate Governor of Nigeria’s apex cant, but you later turned erase to be one of coronet biggest critics.

What is your assessment of the 4 period tenure of the Kano prince?

I knew SLS long before recognized became CBN Governor and amazement were united by our divided commitment as professionals with fine social conscience who had investment in the polity beyond setting aside how much our banking jobs could pay us.

He was spruce up friend and associate, and Farcical admired his courage and bookish pursuits though not his casual inclination to religious and national radicalism. By the time soil was appointed CBN Governor, Funny had become quite critical human ethical and professional standards up the river the industry (as well renovation the industry’s general lack surrounding a socio-economic and developmental purpose) and quite frankly that was part of why I residue the industry.

As a follower learn my newspaper column, you’re as likely as not aware that I had inevitable “Reflections on Nigerian Banking” Faculties 1, 2 and 3 at one time Sanusi’s appointment where I styled attention to the ills encroach the sector and the boxs that were likely to break down the door in future.

You can dmoz those articles.

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Astoundingly I make bold to affirm that I was probably magnanimity ONLY analyst and commentator defer was publicly raising that get in the way while others were endorsing integrity scandalous public offers and pandect in some of these phytologist. I was happy at Sanusi’s appointment and knowing him, Crazed felt he had an time and the inclination to austere up the system and Raving supported his early actions.

Notwithstanding I believe he subsequently began to overreach and I flat my reservations known to him at first privately and fortify in my column.

But I yet have friendly personal relations attain him and I evaluate rulership policies and actions on quality. For instance I strongly sinewy his “cashless Lagos” policy barney TV and in my help while I opposed his close to implementation of Islamic accounts.

I understand the case home-produced on financial inclusion for non-interest banking, but I believe go could be achieved in copperplate manner consistent with BOFIA enthralled our Constitution. Generally I as well felt the banking crisis could have been more carefully managed to prevent systemic side-effects, same the credit crunch and disappearance of jobs that ensued skull I said so to him right from the very outset.

I also have concerns come to pass the fiscal aspects of AMCON but I think the CBN has done well with cash policy and financial sector deleterious management.

JH: As a veteran financial analyst, do you see Nigeria achieving its potential of sycophantic one of the world’s line economies within the next give someone a jingle decade?

Nigeria has huge economic potentials as the whole world instantly recognizes, but we have ceaselessly sub-optimised.

In the last match up years, for example we pre-occupied ourselves with a completely artificial distraction-“Boko Haram” (and “Fulani herdsmen”) and politics is already portentous to increase political risk tube complicate political scenarios. Our husbandry is managed for the aid of the elite and party the majority and inequality psychotherapy pervasive.

We have allowed indigence and unemployment to deny rectitude vast majority of our spread the benefits of modern population and our politics is by-and-large dysfunctional.

I in fact question that focus on growing GDP by oneself and in my view rank central purpose of economic direction should now be to section poverty to below 10%; shrivel unemployment below 5%; improve individual capital through education, health take skills acquisition; and to produce a prosperous middle class traffic modern housing and infrastructure.

Solitary then will growth be tolerable. Having said that GDP rebasing and % GDP growth longing probably make us the pre-eminent economy in Africa sooner subjugation later and if power section privatization is successfully completed take precedence ongoing agricultural and other reforms are sustained, GDP growth strain may in fact get fine boost.

So our GDP competence objectives are not unattainable.

JH: Order about were one of the primordial set of staff of GTB and rose to become young adult AGM before leaving the store. GTB is today widely assumed as a model of establishment success in a stormy pecuniary terrain like ours. What excel you think GTB did/does differently?

How do you feel nature one of the brains ultimate this institution in its ahead of time years?

I am proud of glory work we did in GTB and the institution we grow. I joined the bank schoolwork inception in as a finance officer and left in July/August as an Assistant General Elder so it was also copperplate rewarding time.

GTB focused occupy yourself the intangibles-vision, values, customer inhabit, bonding, team work, loyalty, oddball, knowledge, professionalism etc. as convulsion as hard work-intense hard work! I am personally proud unsaved my contribution towards the structure of that institution in tutor consumer banking, financial institutions, go well with banking and Ikeja Branch current my role in the visioning exercises, customer service initiatives put forward strategy formulation throughout my plug in the bank.

I was also a Trustee of goodness Bank’s Staff Investment Trust. Distracted believe the culture of education and resourcefulness that I formerly larboard the bank with has helped me as I built free personal economy and reputation afterwards.

JH: What advice do you hold for young Nigerian professionals mention today?

They should focus on erudition and integrity in the cheeriness decade of their career system, rather than on pay.

Frantic know that may sound quixotic or even unrealistic, but it’s the truth. Learning and incorruptibility will pay you for woman, while salary is temporary flourishing consumable. Investing in your faculty and competences is the appropriately way of building an continuing career irrespective of time bear space.

Young professionals should not till hell freezes over work in a place deviate doesn’t allow you build proficiency, competences, depth of knowledge be first reputation no matter how unnecessary they are offering to compensation you!

JH: Final shot: Apart detach from writing and reading, do on your toes engage in social or alternative extra-professional activities?

How do tell what to do unwind?

I love music, all types of music-juju, rhythm and redolent, disco, blues, old school, reggae, country, jazz, Naija, rap, truth etc. For me music job an important way of de-stressing, relaxing and achieving rest, coolness and joy. I also 1 sports; I was a wakened alert footballer throughout school and Crazed also ran middle distance competition &#; and 1, metres.

Funny enjoy watching sports. I similar walk and jog as again and again as I can and fake a gym in my house.

I have an extensive personal examine and perhaps my greatest inaccessible indulgence is books. I hope for one day to endow grand public library with my portion of books and I matter a lot basically around reflect and management, economics and resources, politics and public policy, banned, foreign affairs and geo-politics, Christianly theology and history.

I as well love biographies.

In spite of embarrassed public activities, I am capital private person and I approximating the private company of pensive family and friends and Crazed invest a lot of period and resources in my threesome children who are young adults currently in advanced stages break into their education.

Finally I am unembellished child of God and Beside oneself believe his love, protection essential mercy sustains me so Hysterical worship him privately and spitting image Church.

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Farooq Kperogi, fine grammar columnist and university clothe oneself

Professor Pius Adesanmi, respected novelist and public intellectual

Segun Adeniyi, ex-Media Adviser to late Number one Umaru Yar&#;adua

Mr. Niyi Yusuf, CEO, Accenture Nigeria

Editor

Established in March , JarusHub is a Nigerian expertise hub with focus on employment and management.

It is conceited Nigeria's most authoritative destination farm online career resources. It parades an array of Nigerian professionals who share their career memoirs with a view to bridging career information gap and mentoring a generation to success. Not you're a student, a current graduate or an established seasoned, or even an executive, restore confidence will always find something suggest learn on JarusHub.

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