Olaide Osijonwo, a highly trained and seasoned banker, hails from Ijebu Imusin. After his primary school education, he attended Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu-Ode, and Ijebu Muslim College, where he passed his WASC (Division Two) in December 1971 and HSC in June 1973 respectively. He graduated with a B.Sc. (Social Sciences) 2nd Class Honours (Upper Division) from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in June 1978. He did the mandatory NYSC in Calabar, Cross River State from August 1978 to July 1979. He received his Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree in June 1982 also from the University of Ife.
He served as West 3 Regional Manager (Ogun Region), Wema Bank Plc., Lagos from October 2003 to August 2009, and was responsible for the growth of the bank’s business in such areas as deposit mobilisation, credit recovery and relationship management. He was also given full powers to supervise, monitor and control the nineteen (19) branches of the bank in the region. Prior to his appointment as West 3 Regional Manager, he was Head of Credit Administration, Risk Management and Control Group from August 2002 to October 2003.
He was Administrative Officer, Ogun State Civil Service Commission, Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State (July 1979-December 1980); Industrial Attaché, Assembly (IPA) Ltd. (makers of trucks), Mushin, Lagos (July 1981-September 1981); and Secretary (Administration), Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria from January 1983 to July 1985.
From 1985 to 1988, he worked with Savannah Bank of Nigeria Plc., Lagos in different positions such as Management Trainee (August 1985-March 1986); Officer, Operations Department (March 1986-January 1987); Officer, Letters of Credit Unit, (International Department) from January 1987 to March 1987; and Assistant FX Trader from March 1987 to June 1988.
He worked at Credit Lyonnais (Nig.) Ltd. (Apapa Branch), where he acted as Manager from 1990 to 1994; and Deputy Head, International Department from July 1988 to October 1989. He assisted the Head in running the department and took full control in his absence. He served as Principal Manager, Retail Banking Division from April to June 1994; Head, Customer Services/Operations Manager (Breadfruit Branch) from June to October 1994; and was Business Manager (Broad Street Branch) from October 1994 to June 1996. Prior to joining Wema Bank Plc., Lagos, he worked with Allied Bank of Nigeria Plc., Lagos, as Head, Lagos/West Region and Chief Money Laundering Compliance Officer from July 1996 to May 1999, his area of jurisdiction spanning Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, Kwara, Ondo, Osun, Edo and Delta States.
Earlier in May 1997, he became Credit Administrator of the bank, serving until March 1998. He was Head, Commercial and Retail Banking from April 1998 to June 2000. Since 1998, he has been a regular facilitator for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in its Mandatory Continuing Professional Education (MCPE) Programme in the areas of Credit, Loan Management and Workout, Universal and Global Banking, etc. He has equally facilitated the training programmes of the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) in the areas of Credit, Marketing and Business Development; Branch Management and Recovery; Banking Operations and Services etc.
Osijonwo served as Head, Public Sector/Business Development Group from June 2000 to November 2001; and Head, International Banking Division, from December 2001 to August 2002. From 2002 to 2003, he facilitated the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Training programmes in the area of Foreign Exchange Management.
Mr. Osijonwo has attended various professional courses and workshops, some of which include trainings in Financial Management (December 1983); Banking Operations (August 1987); Branch Management (June, 1992); a workshop on Strategic Business Development (June, 1994); Business and Managerial Ethics (November, 1994); Manager’s Conference (March 1995); and Money Laundering Workshop (May 1996), among others. He is happily married with children.
