Wole Oluyede is an indigene of Ikere Ekiti and was born in June 1964. Born and bred in Ekiti – and with a strong pedigree in public service from which he has traveled not only to acquire the reputed Golden Fleece, but has worked across continents in various countries such as the United States of America, Canada, the Caribbean and Australia, acquiring extensive international experience and networks over the years but not forgetting his source Ekiti.
For Dr ‘Wole Oluyede, the moral and intellectual capital that his life is anchored upon are derived from his roots in Ekiti, where early in life he had been engrained with the virtues of hard work, honesty, decency, and the dignity of the human being, which are essential to the Ekiti identity he carries.
Yet, these has been values and virtues that has fallen under threat and subjected to deep erosion in recent times. Therefore, he is seeking to join hands with others of similar disposition to rebuild Ekiti human capital, and embark on a collective reset of the foundations of Ekiti.
‘Wole Oluyede is strongly motivated by the need to reinvent the sense of lost community in Ekiti, which is about bringing back genuine commitment to the public good; bringing back hard work, dignity and prosperity; and bringing Ekiti back into its place of pride and reckoning in Nigeria.
Wole Oluyede Biography Profile Summary
- Full name: Oluwole Olumayokun Oluyede
- Gender: Male
- Date of Birth: 4th of June 1964
- Place of Birth: Ikere Ekiti, Nigeria
- Religion: Christianity
- Father: Folarin Joseph
- Mother: Grace Ayolede
- Wife: Olukemi Oludoyinsola
- Education: University of Ilorin
- Profession: Physician, politician
Wole Oluyede Early Life and Education
Wole was born in June 1964 to the family of the now late Chief Folarin Joseph Oluyede, (a retired teacher, artist, businessman and seasoned politician) and late Chief Mrs. Grace Ayodele Oluyede (nee Gbadebo), also a teacher who retired as a school headmistress in 1994. Wole grew up in Ado Ekiti, living on Dallimore Street, the Ado Ekiti teacher’s quarters, and the former State Hospital area of Ado Ekiti. He spent a significant period of his earlier years, during the school holidays, working in his father’s art shop located in Ereguru Street, Ado Ekiti.
Wole also managed to complete an apprenticeship training in graphic arts, printing and textile designs (He still designs and produces many sign boards and logos for his businesses up till today).
He began his primary education at Emmanuel Primary School, Ado Ekiti in 1970, subsequently gaining admission into Christ School, Ado Ekiti in 1974. He later attended the Federal School of Arts and Science Ondo, Ondo State, for his A Levels, where he studied for a year before being admitted into the University of Ilorin in 1980 to study Medicine. While in school, he was a rounded student who also distinguished himself in playing Badminton for the then Ondo State.
Wole Oluyede Career History
From his medical training in the University of Ilorin, Wole has risen in the past three decades to become a consummate medical practitioner with far reaching international experience and sought-after specializations in North America, the Caribbean and Australia.
Earlier, after graduating with a MBBS degree from Ilorin in 1986, he had his Internship training at the State Hospital Akure between 1986 and 1987 and proceeded on the mandatory National Youth Service Corps at the Neuro Psychiatric Hospital Yaba Lagos in 1988.
Subsequently, Wole did his residency training at the Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta and had working stints at the Comprehensive Health Centre, Emure-Ekiti, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and several private hospitals in Akure and Lagos.
Cutting his teeth early as a medical professional and entrepreneur, Dr. Oluyede opened the Bethany Clinic at the age of 27 at Agege Pens Cinema in Lagos; thereafter opening another clinic at Iju Agege, before moving the practice to Abesan Estate in Ipaja, Lagos in 1994. He remained in private medical practice till he left for the United States of America in 2001.
In the U.S, Wole went through a residency program at Upstate University, Syracuse, New York State. Not only did the Canadian Medical board certify Wole afterwards, he also practiced Rural Emergency Medicine for about three years in the Caribbean, before leaving for Australia in 2006, where he received certification as a fellow of the Australian Royal College. While the government of Prince Edward Island invited him to work in Canada in 2008, he still maintained professional practice in Australia where he was regularly on work call at least four times every other year. Since 2011, he has been mainly based in Australia where he now owns several medical practices and other business interests.
Beyond medical practice, Wole has also made remarkable entrepreneurial success as a businessman with significant interests in the hotel/hospitality and mining sectors in Australia, Nigeria and South Africa. He has also invested in various farm projects across the South West and Niger state.
One life advice he had taken strongly to heart from the outset was the wise words of his grandfather, Chief Moses Ojo Oluyede, who solemnly counseled that for any man to be successful, he must be ready to venture out on his own, work very hard and remain extremely focused.
This nugget of advice keeps finding resonance in Wole, helping him in many ways and informing his numerous business endeavors both abroad and in Nigeria. As an investor in his people and society, keen on helping to grow the economy of Ekiti State and providing employment to the people, one of his several ventures includes the ongoing construction of the Green Hills Hotel along the Ikere-Ado Highway in Ikere-Ekiti. When this comes on board, it will certainly contribute a unique quota in enhancing the profile of the Ekiti sector of Nigeria’s hospitality corridor.
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt, excerpt from the speech “Citizenship In A Republic”,
delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910
Despite Wole’s far and wide travels across the world, he has essentially remained an Ekiti man, religiously preserving and nurturing his roots. Ekiti has always been central to his intellectual, material and social investments. In recognition of this, he was called to service as a member of the “Ekiti Knowledge Zone” – a think-tank set up by the Dr. Kayode Fayemi administration, harnessing some of the brightest of the land to come together to develop a knowledge based economy for Ekiti State.
Certainly, with the pedigree he has in public service (with a father who was a renowned community leader and politician before heeding the call of nature in 2013), his considerable international experience and networks and a grass root understanding of the yearnings and aspirations of the Ekiti people, Dr. Oluwole Olumayokun Oluyede is positioned to herald in a renaissance and a glorious chapter in the history of Ekiti State. This he will do – joining hands with so many other progressive minded people to lift Ekiti up – when made Governor on the platform of the African Democratic Congress(ADC) come June 18th 2022.
His is a Mission to reset the foundations of the State by bringing back hard work, dignity and prosperity, delivered through a well-thought through and comprehensive strategic framework. As Dr. Oluyede puts it: “My socio-economic engagement strategies will help to empower the Ekiti people both socially – through visionary social welfare programs and a major economic development plan (based on large scale agro-allied ventures and the exploitation of the State’s natural resources to help boost IGR) which will enhance a much higher level of commerce to uplift the economic potential of the Ekiti people.”
For one who grew up in an Ekiti in which people had no aversion for hard work, where children found use in being of help to their parents, a milieu in which one was his brother’s keeper in society, Wole Oluyede intends to restore an Ekiti in which commitment to and promotion of the public good was the essential purpose of government; one in which we all return to being our brother’s keeper.
The Ekiti that Oluyede envisage and is prepared to restore and build, is one in which the State is firmly positioned on the West African map as the best African model for eco-tourism and large-scale farming ventures. That way, the natural advantage of Ekiti is harnessed and made to work more positively for its progress in a manner that brings back sustainable livelihoods and meaning into the lives of the people – particularly the younger generation.
It will be an Ekiti in which the educational system is revamped through massive investments in the educational infrastructure and manpower development, in a way that is self-sustaining and does not constitute a burden to the people of Ekiti financially. Also, it will be an Ekiti in which the public infrastructure is highly improved to attract big business and create mass employment for the people.
The Ekiti in which Dr. Oluyede is prepared to work for and enthrone is one in which things are fundamentally changed for the better, where professionalism and meritocracy are brought back into the civil service, where there is equal opportunity for all and non-discriminatory policies abide, and where standards and international best practices around transparency and accountability in governance are observed. It will be an Ekiti moving towards the frontiers of the future.
Wole Oluyede Family Life
With an anchor of stability in Olukemi (Nee Kuforiji) who he married in 1989 and shares three lovely children with, Wole unquestionably has the backbone that helps focus and enables the best in the devotion to public service.
For Dr. Oluyede, enhancing and developing the community is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. This has motivated a history of giving back, in which he has provided generous donations to schools and religious centers across the state, and awarded numerous scholarships to Ekiti Indigenes to study within and outside the shores of Nigeria.
Wole hopes that afforded the opportunity, he will use his wealth of experience and international connections to better the lots of Ekiti as Governor of the State.
Wole Oluyede Professional Qualification
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), September 1986
- Fellow, Royal Australian College of General Practice, 2006
- Licentiate of the Medical Council of Canada, 2008
Professional Registrations - Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agency
- College of Physicians and Surgeons of Prince Edward Island, Canada
- College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia, Canada
- Nigerian Medical and Dental Council
- Medical & Dental Council of Grenada
- British Virgin Islands Medical and Dental Council
Education - January 1969 – June 1974: Primary School Education at Emmanuel Anglican Primary School, Ado Ekiti
- September 1974 – June 1979: Christ’s School Ado-Ekiti 9
- September 1979 – June 1980: Federal School of Arts and Sciences, Ondo
- September 1980 – June 1986: Faculty of Health Sciences, University of
Ilorin, Ilorin Nigeria - September 1986 – August 1987: Internship – State Specialist Hospital,
Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria - July 2001 – October 2003: Training in Clinical and anatomical Pathology –
the Upstate Medical University, Syracuse NY. USA - January 2006 – July 2007: General Practice training with (1) Adelaide to
Outback and (2) Sturt Fleurieu General Practice training programs for South Australia, Australia
Employment History - 1994 – Present
Chairman and CEO – Mayokun Pty Ltd, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State; a company with investments and interests in the healthcare industry, properties, hospitality and agriculture. - April 2011 – Present
General Practitioner and Principal – Gnowangerup Shire Medical Practice 32 McDonald Street, Gnowangerup WA 6335. (Part of the Mayokun Pty Ltd)
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Most governments in Nigeria have paid little attention to wealth creation. Ekiti is blessed with Human and Natural Resources yet, we are very poor. The Ekitis as I grew up to know are people who stand for hard work, integrity, fairness and dependability. But these days, it is sad to say that we have lost our values. This is basically because the people have been backed into a situation where governmental activities have created systems that make people totally dependent on the government thus creating an artificial state of helplessness, hopelessness and poverty. The government itself is totally dependent on the “dole” called “revenue allocation” received monthly from Abuja.
We now have a situation where we have only been able to produce an emperor who controls the affair of the state and does not lead collectively.
There is no freedom of enterprise, people are not innovative anymore.
We have become complacent, there is a gross lack of ideas or creativity. The people now believe that the only and quickest way to get ‘rich’ is through the Government either by way of getting ‘government contracts’ or be a member of the ‘cabal in government’.
The days of rich cocoa farmers of old or entrepreneurs like the Anisulowos, the Arowolos, the Obasas, the Oni & Sons etc are gone.
The starting point therefore is to redirect our orientation back to who the Ekitis really were in the past. Independence of mind, innovation, entrepreneurship, commerce and the industry that was used to build our community schools of old. Wealth is very easy and palpably possible. There must be a rediscovery. Our people need mind re-engineering. We must start a productive economy again and the government will only be a facilitator.
Government should not be about empty arrogance, harassing anyone and everyone who disagrees, extorting businesses, destroying investments. These are the main reasons why Ekitis and others who live outside the state are not encouraged to come and invest their wealth and ideas here.
We are hoping to form a government that will ACTIVELY engage, invite, welcome, encourage, motivate and assist investors.
Keep in mind, Job creation, Youth employment, vocational training and all the “free” education and “free” health programmes favoured by almost all previous governments require the availability of funds.
As we all know, health is wealth We will ensure an efficient, standard and accessible health care delivery system as part of our wealth creation package. If Elected, we intend to provide qualitative education that will produce students and scholars that will match the best anywhere else in the world. The proper training, employment and empowerment of the youth is of paramount importance and will receive adequate attention and funding.
Providing these services and others will require a willing financial, moral and physical contributions and sacrifices from all Ekitis. People will only be willing to participate if they are wealthy enough and involved enough in their own governance.
Therefore, we intend to be an open and financially accountable government allowing the participation of all.
We intend to allow a thriving, vibrant, innovative and active Local governments. Local government elections will be held and we will allow them to be financially independent.
Creating wealth involves the in-flow of investments. Investors will only be interested in a serious, safe and welcoming environment. We need a government that will be ready to provide this environment and be ready to partner and invest. One easily available source of these funds are the Ekitis in diaspora. These people are abundantly rich in money, education, work skills, worldly experience and exposure. Realistically, in today’s foreign exchange market, we have a situation that 3000 USD= approximately 1.1 million Naira, hence we can achieve a lot with the inflow from our sons and daughters in diaspora. Most importantly, they are willing to come because they are emotionally attached to Ekiti. Presently, they are scared off by the situation as it is now. I intend to be a bridge for my fellow Ekitis who are willing to come and invest. I have gone through that journey myself so I can be a good resource for them. We just require an enabling environment of accountability and the insurance of the security of life and investments within the state which we will provide.
AGRICULTURE, RURAL ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE:
Agriculture, a venture that feeds, provides employment and individual wealth, must be given its place of pride. Unfortunately, we see agriculture as a poor man’s work in Ekiti. All of us want to be “Alakowes.” It is time the “Alakowes” return to the farm and run agriculture as a business as it should. This drive will be central to my government and I intend to live by example. I recall with disgust my excursion to Malaysia, a country which presently derives a lot of revenue from Palm produce. It is on record that the first palm trees planted in Malaysia were imported from Nigeria. They are currently developing palm tree plantations in other parts of Africa. Other nations including those in Europe, North America and Australia generate a lot of their revenue from Agriculture and subsequent processed products. Farmers are millionaires in these places and It is possible in Ekiti.
Also, our youths would be encouraged to see farming as a vocation that they can take up and be proud of. They must be encouraged to prosper as farmers. One serious challenge I see though is that there is no iota of real government support especially for setting out, maintaining a steady and even income which will allow them to plan their lives especially during times when they have no produce to sell (planting seasons, dry seasons etc).
Government Assistance allow Banks to provide “set-up” loans and laws and facilities to put in place Produce / Commodity exchanges and markets where the farmers can sell their products and have their monies spread over a 12-month calendar, have their loans paid and other Support Schemes will be seriously considered.
A quick reference point is Ilasa Ekiti, in Ekiti East Local Government of Ekiti State. This town is probably the highest producer of Yams in the Southwest of Nigeria but what obtains is purely a peasant production. There is no government participation in any way. We can help to improve productivity, turnover and create year-round storage facilities by encouraging private entrepreneurship and participation with appropriate governmental financial assistance and support. The IGR anticipated from only Ilasa Ekiti Yam Produce will be unimaginable.
There are other untapped resources in Ekiti, for the creation of wealth in Ekiti. There are other produce like Cashew, Cocoa, Nutmeg even cassava to mention but a few, we intend to look critically into this.
If Agriculture is taken seriously, then Ekiti will be better for it.
When wise men stumble, fall or lie helplessly in the back garden of foolish men, then there is a big problem. If Ekiti with abundance of natural and human resources takes back row and almost non existent in political, educational and economic advancement there is a huge problem. Ekiti must not allow our wise people to stumble, or lie helplessly in the back garden of foolishness anymore. Together we can do it. It is time to stand up and be counted.
Agricultural Developments will have to be tied to other infrastructural development projects like Good Roads to Farmlands, Loans and Intervention Funds, Storage Facilities and the big one, SECURITY of lives and property. Together we can do it. It is time to stand up and be counted.
ROADS…….
Ekiti has a significant rural set up needing development, most of our larger settlements have passable roads. I do not think our emphasis should be on building more roads of “convenience” because we really cannot afford to build all these expensive city roads. Instead our thrust will be directed at providing serviceable roads to access our development hubs like our farm settlements and proposed factories and other economic activity centres with a mind to move agricultural and other resources to improve our productivity and growth. This is a Concept I term Ekiti Economic Road Projects(EERP) -an idea which will assist Commerce, Industry, Tourisms and Agriculture. I have gone around Ekiti to identify some of these roads Iyin/Ado Old Road, Ikere/Igbara-Odo Road, Ikere/Ijan Road, Itapaji/Odo-Oro/Iyemero Road, Ilawe/Ikere Road, Ise-Orun/Aba Oyo Road, Omuo Ekiti/Egbe Ekiti Linkage Road and others so numerous.
My idea of EERP will seriously assist the Economy and Developments of Ekiti. It is Possible. We can work to make it possible.
SECURITY………..
One of my observations during various tours around the state is that many farmlands especially ones that are isolated have been invaded by elements who attack the farmers and other citizens. People are therefore afraid to stay long on the farms or even abandon them. There has to be a serious effort to secure every inch of the state. I am at present consulting with appropriate experts on the modalities to deal with the situation.
WOMEN AFFAIRS AND EMPOWERMENT:
In present Nigeria, there is almost an equal distribution of men and women. However, it would not be an exaggeration to state that currently, women are grossly under-represented in governance. They are hardly recognised in any prestigious position across notable sectors, and they are treated as second class citizens in our country. Conversely, women are recognised globally as having a much larger contribution to the development and advancement of a forward- thinking Nation. In this present century, the world has moved to such a place
whereby gender is no longer used as a barrier against what a person can do or achieve.
I am very passionate about seriously correcting this flaw in our modern society. It is time to re-educate all of us and ACTIVELY promote women in a favourable light so that being female is no longer perceived as a form of disability.
My goal will be to develop programmes that will enlighten and encourage our women so that they can achieve and become anything they work towards. The focus of the programme will be to encourage young women to believe in themselves as well as assisting with appropriate loans, training in business, entrepreneurship, and leadership training will also be provided.
In our government, artificial barriers that prevent women from being appointed to top level positions in every sector in our society will be phased out.
My mission is to ensure that women are adequately represented even within our team by implementing a compulsory quota system that will secure their engagements in employment positions.
One’s gender will not be a factor in determining how much a person can achieve in the industrial, political and economic world.
Further to that, appropriate public education and protective laws will be put in place to discourage domestic violence, s3xual harassment, s3xual discrimination and other discriminatory practices against women.
