Otunba (Dr.) Oyenuga Eribake was born in Ikala, Ijebu Imusin, on June 4, 1945, to the family of Chief Michael Eribake Adegbiye, the Baale of Ikala and Oliwo of Ijebu Imusin, and Madam Grace Adeola Eribake. He had his elementary school education at Ajebo Primary School, Ikala, between 1953 and 1959, during which time he spent one year (1956) as a pupil at Christ Anglican Primary School, Ijebu Ife. He attended Ijebu-Ode Grammar School from 1961 to 1967, where he completed his WASC and HSC with flying colours. He was appointed Head Prefect of the school in 1967. His performance at the 1965 WASC examinations also earned him the Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Scholarship for his HSC course and was instrumental to his award of the Shell BP University Scholarship in 1968.
He won many academic laurels at all levels of his education, including the Nigerian Science Association Prize for having the best result in Biology in the 1965 WASC examinations. He studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lagos as a pioneer Shell scholar from 1968 to 1971, when he graduated with a First Class honours degree. His performance at the degree examinations earned him a commendation from the external examiner, Prof. Fred Bailey from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom. Prof Bailey took an interest in him and invited him to study for his doctorate degree at the University of Sussex under the joint sponsorship of the university and the British Council.
At Sussex, he jettisoned his Mechanical Engineering background to settle for research in the field of Structural Engineering, leading to the award of a Doctor of Philosophy degree in steel structures in 1978. He went further to attend numerous management training courses and seminars in Europe and South Africa.
His working career has seen him through reputable Nigerian and international companies such as Shell (1971), University of Sussex (1972), NNPC (1978/9), and Delta Steel (1979/85) where he was one of the pioneering staff of BBC Brown Boveri, which later became ABB (1985-99), ABB Alstom Power (1999-2000), and Alstom (2000-2007).
He had a distinguished career at Delta Steel, where he rose from the post of Assistant Chief Engineer in 1979 to Acting Deputy General Manager in 1983. During the crisis that rocked the company, especially between 1984 and 1985, his personal integrity and transparent conduct earned him recognition by the management of BBC Brown Boveri, Lagos who invited him in May 1985 to join the company as Manager (Power Generation). This was at a time when they were faced with an emergency arising from the sudden loss of his predecessor in a fatal accident. His dedication and hard work at BBC Brown Boveri (now ABB) earned him rapid promotions and recognition by the management leading to (i) his secondment to ABB Germany from1990 in 1992, (ii) his appointment in 1995 as the first Executive Director of the company, and (iii) his appointment a year later as a director of ABB Electrical Systems Ltd.
Following the merger of the power businesses of ABB and Alstom and the formation of ABB Alstom Power in 1999, he was appointed the Country Manager of the new company. By 2000, when Alstom acquired the new company, he was appointed Alstom Country President. He established and nurtured Alstom Nigeria Limited until he retired in 2007.
He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers, a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Structural Engineers, and a member of many social and church societies, including Ikala Club, Anglican Christian Fellowship, and Ikoyi Club 1938. He is a member of the planning board of Ven. Noah-Clara Osisanya Anglican Church and acts as a private consultant on power.
He is an active member ofthe Ijebu Ode Grammar School Old Boys’ Association (JOGSOBA). He is a recipient of merit awards from the JOGSOBA Lagos Branch and JOGSOBA National for his invaluable contributions to the Old Boys’ Association. He was appointed by the National Body in 2002 to serve as the chairman of the 90th Founders’ Day Anniversary Committee. One of the achievements of the committee was the completion of the School Hall donated by the Old Boys Association.
Apart from his executive directorships in ABB and Alstom, he also served in non-executive capacities on the boards of Areva T&D Nigeria Ltd., MICCOM Cables & Wires Ltd., and the Nigerian-Swedish Chamber of Commerce. He is a non-executive director of ABBNG Limited.
Since retirement, he has devoted much of his time to community service in Ikala. He holds the traditional title of ‘Otunba Arobake’ of Ijebu Imusin. He is also the Baba Ijo of St. Peter’s Parish Church (Anglican), Ikala, Ijebu Imusin.
