Majority of the people of the Gateway State are optimistic about the promise of the ‘Building Our Future Together’ agenda of the Governor Dapo Abiodun administration. The new administration’s key area of focus include security, agriculture and food security, ICT/digital transformation, health, education, youth development, road infrastructure, enabling business environment, housing, and physical planning, among others. Ibiyemi Adesoye, the managing director of OPIC, spoke on the advent of Abiodun’s tenure, and her office as OPIC manager. Excerpts:
As the Managing Director of OPIC, how would you describe your career trajectory?
First, I would like to say it’s a privilege to be a part of the ‘Building Our Future Together’ government of His Excellency, Dapo Abiodun. I believe in the Ogun project and we are fiercely optimistic about the future of our state under the care of a competent leader in the person of Governor Dapo Abiodun. I started the journey about 30 years ago, precisely on the 6th of March 1989, as an Executive Assistant, Public Relations. My duties at that time were Marketing, Public Relations, Advertising and Relationship Management. By His grace, I grew from there to PR Manager to Senior Manager to Assistant Director, Marketing, to Deputy Director, Marketing, to Director, Marketing, the General Manager, OPIC, Isheri, General Manager, OPIC estate, Agbara, and then to Director, Marketing and Client Services
How can you describe the level of female acceptance in organisational leadership?
I really think this is all about leadership and we are blessed in Ogun State with an array of exceptional leaders. The incumbent Governor, Dapo Abiodun is a good example, with open arms’ approach to governance just in the last few months. Ogun State is doing well, in terms of giving women opportunities, especially in the civil service. We have had the likes of our mamas; Iyabo Odulate, Oyejide, Adekunle, as heads of service; and we also have a number of female permanent secretaries. We’ve also had female general managers of statutory corporations. Although in OPIC, there has never been a female managing director.
Can you assess the operations of OPIC in the last 35 years?
I am pleased that OPIC clocked 35 years, and right at the inception of this new government, it has been a sign of new prosperous beginning in the excellent history of OPIC. I would say it’s been worth the while. OPIC was established to function as a public private enterprise. Even though we are a government agency, we reason like the private sector people. We are to act like the private sector people, although guided by the public service rules and all that. We have the autonomy to invest in real estate; we have the autonomy to be Developers, to be Architects, Accountants, Engineers, Town Planners and the likes. It’s been professionalism and competence all the way. I want to give kudos to our founding fathers, like General Dipo Diya, who was the person that saw the vision to create OPIC.
What are the new products and initiatives of OPIC in place?
We have a mixed grill of products ranging from sites and services scheme, to Terraces, Duplexes, Flats, Bungalows, and recently, we are embarking on Villas to commemorate the 100 days in office of Dapo Abiodun-led administration which interestingly coincides with the 35th anniversary of the establishment of OPIC; that is the Kings Court Estate and the fast-selling Family Homes Estate at the New Makun City.
How would you describe your emergence as the first female MD of OPIC?
Well, like I said earlier, it is the Lord’s doing. I want to believe that it’s coming at a time when the governor is celebrating his 100 days in office. I believe that everything has been divinely orchestrated. I don’t have a take on that, other than to say that it is a divine appointment and I give all glory to God. OPIC is strategically positioned, ready and willing to be the catalyst for the implementation and actualisation of the Housing Initiatives and Programmes of the amiable Governor of Ogun State. To this end, OPIC has proposed 500 units of Affordable Medium and Low Cost Housing Units in the 2020 fiscal year to be spread across the 3 Senatorial Districts as our contribution to the Social Housing Scheme for Ogun State Citizenry. With the kind approval of the Excellency, the Template and Wherewithal to make this happen are available.
May I humbly use this medium to congratulate our Excellency on the 100 days of Peace and Harmony, Love and Unity, Hope and Vision. Indeed, it has been 100 days of Redirection and Foundation for Sustainable Progress, Prosperity and Meaningful Development in our dear State. We are confident that his tenure will take us to the Promised Land.
How do you see the future of OPIC, considering the legacy you’re laying now?
With our governor, Abiodun in the saddle, the future of OPIC is very bright. The governor’s affordable housing initiatives and drive to woo private investors into the state means that OPIC will never be out of business. I see a great future for OPIC. It can only get better. If in 35 years, we’ve been able to achieve so much, we have commercial buildings everywhere, even in Lagos and all our estates are approximately to Lagos, they are usually in the border towns. We have the Isheri OPIC which is the border between the Lagos and Ogun State after the Ogun River, after Berger, and many more.
Take us back into your background?
In those days, we had the average Nigerian families. I belonged to that average Nigerian family. Not poor, not rich. My dad was working with the UAC of Nigeria. He was moved here and there on transfers. My mom was a permanent housewife, who was readily there, taking full care of us. I remember growing up, when coming back from school, we always looked forward to lunch, because it will be new soup, new food. We never ate stale soup. Everyday’s food was fresh. My mom was always there taking care of the home front, while dad was out there making money and working so hard to meet our needs. I was born in Lagos, Mushin precisely. We moved to Ibadan and then to Benin City. I remember I attended the Sacred Heart’s Primary School in Benin City, and then we came back to Ibadan. I later got admission into Federal Government Girls College Akure, after which I went to Ogun State Polytechnic, now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, to study Mass Communication. After that, I went to LASU for an MBA in International Business Management.
How do you unwind, given your very busy schedules?
I am a golfer. I belong to the Ikeja Golf club, even though I rarely have the time to play golf these days. Anytime I find myself on the golf course, I do the needful. I like partying, but I don’t have the time to go to parties now, because I am selective about the parties I go to.’
Source: businessdayng
