Having been appointed by six Southwest states’ governors under the aegis of Southwest Governors’ Forum as a Director on the Board of O’dua Investment Company Limited, the Ogun state government has tasked Bimbo Ashiru to deploy his track records and expertise to attract more investments to all the six states in the Southwest, Nigeria.
Bimbo Ashiru, a former Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Ogun state, was appointed a Board Director of the O’dua Group Companies, representing Ogun state along side its Chairman, Segun Aina, an ex-banker, representing Osun state, and Segun Olujobi and Tola Kasali, who represent Ekiti and Lagos states respectively as well as Segun Ojo and Seni Adio, who retain their seats on the Board from Ondo and Oyo states, whereas, Wale Raji, Group Managing Director, was re-appointed for a second term of five years.
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Speaking on the appointment of Ashiru on the Board of O’dua Group of Companies, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state, in a congratulatory letter he personally signed, said: “I am reliably confident that your appointment by the Southwest Governors’ Forum into the Board of the O’dua Investment Company Limited will bring good fortunes to the Organisation.
“My confidence rests upon your proven record of integrity fitting for such a position, and your familiarity with the business environment, especially during your two terms as a Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Ogun state. I am certain that you will formulate an alliance with other Board members in order for everyone to jointly build a viable and progressive system for the regional legacy that the Organisation represents.”
Sola Arobieke, Senior Special Adviser on Industry, Trade and Investment, recalled that Ashiru when he served as Commissioner of Commerce and Industry in the state, was able to attract and facilitate over 300 manufacturing industries to the state between years 2011 and 2018, adding that Ashiru would do lot to better the industrialisation and investment drive in the Southwest if given the freedom to operate as Ashiru remains a grand master in the business and investment environment of the nation.
While enumerating the new and existing manufacturing industries which Ashiru helped in facilitating to the state which included Apple and Pears, Nampak Bevcan, Nestle, Unilever, International Breweries, Lafarge, P&G, Hayat Kimya, among others, Arobieke noted that she has a strong belief in the capacity and expertise of Ashiru to attract better offers for Ogun, Southwest and Nigeria generally, in terms of investment and industrialisation as well as improving the capital base of the Group.
Also, Olusegun Dada, investor and former Chairman of Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industries (NASSI), Ogun state chapter, confirmed the capacity of Ashiru as regards his expertise to drawing investments that engender desired economic growth and development of the Southwest states as he believes that operations of Odu’a Group will change for the better with Ashiru and others that were just appointed on the Board.
“Bimbo Ashiru, as a Commissioner for Commerce and Industry devised more innovations in Ogum state. Ashiru and NASSI were able to bring US Department of Commerce to Ogun State to train lots of MSMEs. He struck an effective balance between MSMEs and Real Sector which have aided fantastic improvement in Ogun state business environment.
“He was useful to the financial stimulus of N1 billion granted to many operators of MSMEs. The loan was jointly financed by the Ogun state government and Bank of Industry (BoI) which empowered many traders and small-scale industries. I can’t count enough of what Ashiru has done for Ogun and Nigeria as whole, and he will do that magic in Odu’a Group,” Dada concluded.
