Oyebanji and Oyebamiji: A Tale of Achievers -By Adewale Olorunda

When talking about similarities between people of great minds, two individuals quickly come to mind: Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji, aka BAO, and Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, aka AMBO.

Oyebanji is currently the Governor of Ekiti State and in the business of taking the state to greater heights. The governor has just secured the All Progressives Congress, APC’’s ticket to contest for a second term in office in the June 20, 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.

Oyebamiji is the immediate past MD/CEO of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). He resigned his appointment on November 14, 2025, to allow him to concentrate on securing the Osun APC nomination in the party primary which comes up on December 13, 2025, so he may contest the Osun State gubernatorial election, slated for August 8, 2026.

Without a shred of doubt, BAO and AMBO are men of great integrity and high passion for growth and development. The former started his professional career as a Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Ado Ekiti (now Ekiti State University, EKSU), where he worked for four years (1993-1997). He then moved on to serve as Manager, Treasury, and Financial Services at the defunct Omega Bank Plc. (now Heritage Bank) until May 1999. Currently, he is active in the Agribusiness sector.

For two years, Oyebamiji has made waves in his quest to make Nigeria’s inland waterways safe and decent for all to use, while simultaneously blocking leakages to boost revenue generation in the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry.

AMBO began his career as an Assistant Manager at the International Banking Division, Wema Bank in 1987. In 1998, he moved to Trans International Bank as Senior Manager and rose to the position of Head of Lagos Region as Principal Manager in 2003. In 2005, he joined Spring Bank (Corporate Branch), Lagos, as Head of Business Development. In 2009, Oyebamiji moved to Enterprise Bank as Head of Retail Business. His commitment to community development led to his appointment as the Managing Director/CEO, Osun State Investment Company Limited in 2012.

It is interesting to note that Oyebanji and Oyebamiji are award winners. 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, Ado-Ekiti. Oyebamiji is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Economists of Nigeria, an Associate of the Nigeria Institute of Management (Chattered), a Chartered Banker, and a member of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group. He was also awarded the Most Outstanding Commissioner of the Year (2019 and 2020), and he won the Outstanding Deposit Performance Award in 2007 (Spring Bank).

Talking politics, Oyebanji and Oyebamiji have both run their races and gained sufficient experience over time. For instance, the incumbent Governor of Ekiti State, BAO, served in several key roles early in his career: he was Special Assistant, Parliamentary Affairs, to Ekiti State Governor (1999-2000), Special Adviser (Parliamentary Affairs) to the Governor of Ekiti State (August 1, 2000-September 2001), and Chief of Staff to the Governor of Ekiti State (September 2001-May 29, 2003).

Subsequently, Oyebanji was appointed Chairman, Governing Board, Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (June 2009-December 2010). He later served as Commissioner for Integration and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Ekiti State (December 23, 2010-December 2011), and Head, Office of Transformation Strategy and Delivery (OTSD), Ekiti State (December 2011-January 9, 2013). BAO was Commissioner for Integration and Inter-Governmental Affairs and also served as Secretary to the Ekiti State Government.

Oyebamiji’s political and administrative career began in 2012 when he was appointed as the MD/CEO of Osun State Investment Company under the Rauf Aregbesola-led government. He subsequently served as Commissioner for Finance. During the 2018 Osun governorship election, he was a gubernatorial aspirant under the APC but eventually withdrew from the race.

In the former Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s administration, AMBO served again as Commissioner for Finance. He was later appointed as Special Adviser to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, from where he became the MD/CEO of NIWA.

In the area of philanthropy, Oyebanji and Oyebamiji share a desire to support and empower others. For instance, to mark his 57th birthday, BAO presented N21 million and food items to the three special schools and two special centers that cater for people with special needs in Ekiti State.

In addition, the governor has provided financial empowerment to numerous citizens from his personal funds. His administration also supported 48 indigent students with N20 million for business equipment and shop rent assistance, as part of his personal outreach to the people.

BAO’s family’s annual routine includes donating truckloads of assorted food items, such as rice, noodles, and groundnut oil, to the vulnerable and less-privileged across different areas. He frequently calls on other wealthy Ekiti indigenes to emulate these philanthropic gestures.

On his part, Oyebamiji’s philanthropic gestures include the donation of a borehole to the NYSC Orientation Camp in Ede, Osun State, and support for the Ede Central Mosque. Over the past decade, he’s reputed to have contributed to the construction of hundreds of mosques across Osun State and beyond.

AMBO built the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Secretariat in Ikire, his hometown, underscoring his respect for religious diversity. In the past 10 years, he has made it a tradition to reach out to the people of Osun during festive periods, distributing monetary gifts, cows, rice, cooked meals and other essential items.

Some months ago, at the peak of the soaring fuel prices, Oyebamiji launched the Ilerioluwa Free Fuel Distribution Initiative, aimed at easing the burden of fuel subsidy removal. The initiative targeted at least 15,000 beneficiaries across the 10 Local Government Areas of Osun West Senatorial District. Thousands of commercial motorcyclists (popularly known as Okada riders), ‘Keke Marwa’ operators, and Korope drivers benefited from this initiative.

Oyebanji is currently seeking a second term in office as Governor of Ekiti State, citing numerous achievements and the developmental strides he has championed. The state has seen massive infrastructure development, and the economic well-being of its residents has received a boost during his administration.

Similarly, Oyebamiji, who is also a governorship aspirant under the banner of Osun APC, has a distinguished track record as an administrator and a politician. As Commissioner for Finance, he was instrumental in stabilizing Osun State’s finances under the Gboyega Oyetola-led administration. His performance as the MD/CEO of NIWA also demonstrates his capacity for executive leadership.

May God grant their desires!

●Olorunda wrote from Ile-Ife, Osun State.