With the appointment of Chief Bisi Ilaka as Chief of Staff,
new Oyo Governor Engr. Seyi Makinde has hit the ground running. The Oyo-born
politician was announced for the post shortly after Engr. Seyi Makinde's
inauguration as governor, making it his first appointment and the 3rd executive
action the Governor took on the day of his inauguration.
Governor Makinde had earlier in his speech after taking his
oath of office declared open for public use, the bridge that leads from the
state secretariat to Government House, which has been put under lock by the
immediate past administration, and named it ‘Freedom Bridge. He also put a stop
to #3000 school fees levy across primary and secondary schools in the state.
The new Chief of Staff to Oyo State Governor, Chief Bisi
Ilaka, is a seasoned politician. Not many know that Ilaka is not just a
politician, but a businessman of note. He is also a philanthropist. Many people
may not also know that he is a prominent Oyo Chief; he is the Ladilu of Oyo. As
prominent as BisiIlaka is in the business, so also he is in politics, having
paid his dues politically. He has contested and loss the Oyo Central Senatorial
seat three times, and that has never dettered him from commitment to the
upliftment of his people.
Luqman Oyebisi Ilaka, born into the family of Late Chief
Lasisi Ojedokun Ilaka and Chief (Mrs) Ilaka compound, Apinni, Oyo Town, is a
legal and tax consultant. He attended Grange School, Ikeja for his primary education,
and proceeded to the Government College Ibadan between 1973-1977 for his
secondary school. He sat for his A-level exams at Ansar-Ud-Deen College, Ikeja,
Lagos and came out in flying colours in 1978.
He proceeded to University of Ife [Now Obafemi Awolowo
University), Ile-Ife in 1978. Ilaka’s quest more knowledge led him to the
prestigious University of London, where he bagged a Bachelor of Laws Degree
with Honours. He also attended the College of Law, Lancaster Gate, London in
!990, where he excelled academically. In 1993, he attended Charterd Institute
of Taxation of England and Wales.
Chief Ilaka is an Associate Member of the Chartered
Institute of Taxation of England and Wales.
A United Kingdom based chartered Tax and Financial Adviser.
A fellow of the Charterd Institute of Insurance, he also qualified as a
Mortgage Advance Planner of the same institute. Ilaka, a legal icon and Tax
consultant, has had numerous work experiences in both public and private
sectors. His first professional apprenticeship was with Her Magesty’s Inspector
of Texas Paddington District dealing with income tax, capital gains tax and
corporate tax cases. He also had a stint at Salfiti and Co Solicitors based in
London. He worked on diverse areas of law in the course of his stint
particularly, land, trust and commercial cases.
Between 1994 and 1997, he worked with the Guardian Royal
Exchange, GRE Maidstone, Kent where he served as Tax/Financial Consultant
dealing with life assurance, investments, inheritance tax and mortgage cases.
He has also worked as Associate Partner J. Rothschild Allum
gate House, Theobalds Road, Elstree Herts where he was responsible to advice
clients on life assurance, investments [offshore and onshore] Inheritance Tax
planning, Trusts and settlements, Mortgage and Real Estate planning. since
1994, Ilaka has been the Executive Director of many companies.
He is the ED of Grosvenor Place Property and Investment Nig.
Ltd. Director, Parner Total Reality Company, an estate agency based in United
Kingdom. He is also the Sole Proprietor of Mortgage Assistance, a mortgage
brokerage based in the United Kingdom. He joined politics about eleven years
ago and he has always been active has been actively involved in politics for
upwards of 11 years.
Chief Bisi Ilaka sure has an intimidating C.V, no wonder he
was appointed member of the Board of Directors, Nigeria Deposit Issuance
Corporation (NDIC).
He is so passsionate about making life better for his people
and community. Ilaka is a visionary who believes strongly in service to
humanity. He is always ready to impact positively on his community and
everybody that comes his way.
HIS PHILANTHROPIC GESTURES.
In his plans to develop his community and Oyo State, as a
member of Board of Director of NDIC, he facilitated the construction of a
Lecture Classroom, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo; ICT center fully equipped
for the use of students of the Polytechnic, Ibadan as well as Government
College, Ibadan. He had touched and still many lives through LUQMAN OYEBISI
ILAKA FOUNDATON” a registered non-governmental organization saddled with the
responsibility of making life abundant and more meaningful to the people.
The foundation has sank 27 bore-holes throughout Oyo State,
thereby being a major provider of clean and portable water to the people of Oyo
State. Provision of numerous grants and scholarships to indigent but brilliant
students of Oyo State, rehabilitation of the sanitary and toilet facilities in
Oyo State Prisons. He has Micro-Finance projects aimed at alleviating suffering
and promoting wealth creation by ensuring that business funds are within the
reach of the masses particularly rural women.
He has established the ILAKA football club ensuring talented
youths in Oyo State are trained and encouraged to engage in sporting activities.
A member of the team had represented Nigeria in the under 20’s. Ilaka is also
the sponsor of annual Oba Lamidi Adeyemi Cup.
SOCIO-CULTURAL ACTIVITIES.
Ilaka is a member of many socio-cultural clubs such as the
Government College Ibadan Old Boys Associaton; OYO Descendants Association and
Anfani for All, a sustainable development initiative and many more No wonder he
was made the Ladilu of Oyo Kingdom by HRM Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, Alaafin of
Oyo, in 2006.
–Dare Adeniran
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