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A Scotish author, Radio and Television presenter, William Barclay once said, “There are two great days in a person’s life, the day we are born and the day we discover why”.
The occasion of the 54th birthday of the Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele today, presents an auspicious avenue to thank Allah for His faithfulness in the life of the Amazon.
An amazing woman, full of life, Salako-Oyedele, a prominent daughter of Aworiland from Ota, in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the State, was born to the family of late Prof. Lateef and Mrs Rahmat Adebisi Salako, on 8th January, 1966.
For her education pursuit, she attended the prestigious Queen’s School, Ibadan, between 1976 and 1978 and soon proceeded to International School, Ibadan between 1978 and 1981 for her GCE O’Level/WASCE Certificate. She thereafter gained admission into the University of Lagos, where she studied Civil Engineering between 1983 and 1987 and bagged a Bachelor of Science (BSc) Degree.
In her quest for further knowledge, the Deputy-Governor enrolled for a Master’s degree in Public Health Engineering from the Imperial College of Science & Technology London, UK. While at the United Kingdom, she served as a Graduate Engineer and Project Manager at Ove Arup & Partners between 1989 and 1995.
Also, she served as Managing Director, NOS NIGERIA LIMITED between 1995 and 2014, where she engaged in the construction of numerous projects, ranging from office, commercial, to industrial and residential buildings for the Federal Ministry of Health, Lagos State and Ogun State Governments respectively.
She is a multi-talented professional with over three decades of proven track records of experience in Consulting, Contracting and Real Estate Sectors. A highly cerebral goal-getter with a wide range of experience in developing and implementing effective strategies in project management, Engr. Salako-0yedele was a former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer between 2014 and 2015 at Glenwood Property Development Company Limited where she served as General Manager Business Development.
She became the Acting Managing Director, GRENADINES Homes Limited, in 2015, a position she held until she ventured into partisan-politics and emerged as the Ogun State Deputy-Governor.
When the position of Deputy Governor was zoned to Ado Odo Ota Local Government, after wide consultations by Prince Dapo Abiodun from far and near as well as across political zones, Noimot Salako-Oyedele was found to fit in to the position.
In March 2019, she was elected by the good people of Ogun State to serve as Deputy Governor to His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun. It is interesting to note that Salako-Oyedele, apart from being the only female Deputy-Governor in the South West of Nigeria currently, has contributed in no small measure to the vision and mission-statement of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration geared towards building the future of the Gateway State together.
Upon assumption of office, she has embarked on a tour of some rehabilitation projects of public primary schools in the state where she expressed concerns over their deplorable conditions, especially their structural deficiencies, the unconducive learning environment where children were taught, amongst others. Thus, as a result of her findings, well over 100 public primary schools have been rehabilitated in order to meet up with modern standards.
As an Engineer with proven track records, she is always at the beck-and-call of her boss, Prince Dapo Abiodun, offering professional advice on engineering-related issues and one of such is the state of the bad roads which had, in the recent past, brought untold hardships on the residents of the State, especially during raining season, identified some of the problems, the causes of flooding and reported same to the Governor, in areas that need quick intervention.
With the emergence of the Ogun State Public Works Agency (OGPWA), the people of the State are now re-assured of government’s determination and readiness to bring succour to their way, through various interventions of the Agency.
In the area of empowerment, the Deputy-Governor promises to always do the needful at ensuring that the womenfolk is not only empowered but also not left out of the scheme, at ensuring that their personal prosperity is improved.
At the launch of one of the State government’s empowerment initiatives tagged “Oko’wo Dapo”, Salako-Oyedele said that the scheme was furtherance to the fulfilment of the electioneering promises made by the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and noted that majority of their followers are mainly women.
“The scheme works within a cluster of ten women, whereby the sum of ten thousand naira is presented to them and they make returns of five hundred naira each after two weeks. This process revolves round 20 weeks after which the women would have saved the sum of ten thousand naira as well as return their initial credit which will enable them upgrade and access higher loan facility”, she averred.
Salako-Oyedele at different fora has tasked Nigerian women not to only take up roles in trade unionism but also participate in active politics, as a way of contributing their quota to nation building, she said women were great pillars in the society and should take up active roles in governance.
Addressing her professional colleagues lately, she charged the Association of Professional Women Engineers(APWEN)to be role models by encouraging younger girls to take up challenging careers like their male counterparts, describing engineering as a notable profession that is worthwhile, noting that no resources or sacrifices were too much to empower the girl child in nation building, emphasising her commitments towards encouraging the women folk not to sit on the fence.
No doubt, she is a round peg in a round hole, a worthy partner in building the future of the gateway State to an enviable position. The good people and government of Ogun state, especially, the Olota of Ota, Kabiyesi Oba Abdukabir Obalanlege, and the Aworis are so blessed with an intelligent daughter of Aworiland to paddle the canoe, to assist His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun to a safe berth.
Noimot Salako- Oyedele is happily married to Alhaji Bode Oyedele, an APC chieftain and a retired Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Civil Service. Their union is blessed with wonderful children.
Her Excellency is a devout Muslim, a socialite and an active member of Lions Club.
Here is wishing you a lifetime of wisdom, hope, courage and strength. Wonderful birthday to the best of all bosses!
Dear boss, may your life be filled with so much happiness, support and kindness you give away so freely.
Just as Dr. Seuss, an American writer said, “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is life to celebrate. Today, you are you, God gave us the gift of life, it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well”.
Congratulations and Happy birthday to Her Excellency , Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele.
* Boye is the Head of Media to Ogun State Deputy Governor