Ibadan Abroad: Ibukun Awosika of Africa; from Oke Foko to First Bank
Ibukun Awosilka used to reside in Oke Foko an economically challenged area of Ibadan. She has come long way to become the chair person of Nigeria's biggest bank FIRST BANK
I went to school with Ibukun Awosika. We took physics 201 together way back at the university of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) this was 36 years ago. I remember her as pleasant to talk with in her "Hawaii shirt" . Looking back, a chemistry undergraduate, you could she was already moving about like an executive if you were to go by her ownership of a black plastic briefcase.
Now that she has confirmed she is an "Ibadan Girl" to the gathering of 36 Governors, I ask what is she doing about Ibadan? All her investments are in Lagos. Obafemi Awolowo did remark "Even for the saints and sinners Lagos has got socio gravitational pull" So all roads lead to Lagos but someone like the ace Actor Dele Odule affirmed that Lagos is too congested for creativity.
Ordinarily Ibukun Awosika could have been employed by any of the 36 Governors to Serve tea or Coffee but what she got recently from them there and then in the executive chamber of the presidential villa where matters of of state are deliberated was a standing ovation. Its like all those Governors have read LET HER FLY: a father's journey and a search for equality by Ziauddin Yousafzai father of Malala the youngest ever to win the Nobel prize for peace.
They would no doubt like their daughters to be like Ibukun Awosika. In Let her Fly, Yousafzai reveals the principal of his daughter's college at oxford served Malala some Tea; it was perhaps the greatest moment of his life
I read the Guardian so my conscience is clear. In The Guardian we have some reports on Ibadan namely. Ibadan the best, Guardian July 14 2015 editorial comment celebrating the world ranking of the university of Ibadan,, six places to visit in Ibadan October 11 2017 by Chidimirim Ndeche Ibadan Media city culture technology collide 17th June 2017 by Gregory Austin Nwakunor, so there have been positive write ups in the Guardian on Ibadan city where I lived for close to 40 years.
So I had a write up titled Of New York City and Ibadan City on the iNigerian.com sometime in April 24, 2019 and to my surprise on the 26th of April two days later was a feature in the Guardian titled IBADAN IN THE THROES OF REFUSE HEAPS by Muyiwa Adeyemi and Rotimi Agboluaje. I sent it to a former reporter of the Guardian, son of the soil and now a Professor at Indiana university, Akin Adesokan. I also sent it to Yann Leclercqre who was inn charge of the master plan of Ibadan City for comments. To Omoseye Bolaji, Onigege wura (owner of the Golden pen) of Ibadanland, then I wrote to Microsoft to ask them how they could help with solid management in Ibadan city how they could help in transforming Ibadan City into a Smart City. Just like there is the New York Economic Development Corporation there should also be a similar body in Ibadan preferably with Ibukun Awosika as Chair person. Ibadan has hope and potential she would just need Technology and behavior modification ( for instance through the medium of film as in India)as far as solid waste menace is concerned. Ibadan would have to tout her strengths and opportunities and also work hard on her weaknesses and threats.
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