Boss Of The Week
Abiola Bashorun: An Embodiment of Entrepreneurial Skills
By Eric Elezuo
It takes decisive stand to come out of the crowd. It takes eloquent determination to create a brand that outshines others in the industry. It takes a mind that thinks out of the box to come up with ideas that stands the test of time. It takes unwavering commitment to execute the best of plans. It takes patience to nurture the best of ideas to fruition and multiplicity. And of course it takes a strong, highly disciplined and focused woman to aggregate all these for time tested and trusted achievements. That woman is Dr. Abiola Bashorun, the Chief Executive Officer of ZL Global Alliance (Nigeria) Limited. She also superintends over Kunden Services Limited. Dr. Bashorun, to say the least, is a brave entrepreneur, whose Midas touch transforms whatever she lays her hands on.
Endowed with beauty, brains and capacity to deliver, Dr. Bashorun’s influence cuts across the length and breadth of professionalism, and it is no surprise that many know her as an exceptionally hard working professional, who is very visionary and result oriented.
Born on May 8, in Lagos, Dr. Bashorun is an MBA holder in International Business Development from the Coventry University, United Kingdom. She is of the class of 2006. This was after obtaining her first degree from a Nigerian university in 1992.
A lover of classic learning with the zeal to go beyond the ordinary, she attended several trainings to keep herself abreast of the industrial world. Some of the prestigious institutions that brushed her up to the high profile standard she has attained today include Barclays Bank, UK, and Citibank. She has also had trainings in diverse areas, some of which are, but not limited to Business Development, Sales and Marketing, Business Ethics, Anti Money Laundering, Relationship Management, Customer Service and Small Business Wealth Management.
Armed with the best of academic tutelage and background, Beebash, as she is fondly called by close friends, colleagues and well wishers, set out to change her world. In between, she has accumulated diverse work experience spanning over 24 years while undertaking extensive job descriptions, cutting across various sectors of the economy.
Dr. Bashorun kicked started her professional career shortly after her university education in Nigeria. In 1993, she was engaged by Nigeria’s foremost rating agency, Agusto and Co. This was a vocal testimony of stuff she was made of. From there, she never looked back as her delivery, involvement and achievements spoke volumes, catapulting her influence beyond her immediate environment.
At the time she left Agusto, she joined Fountain Trust Bank, and subsequently moved to Citibank in 1998. In 2001, she joined Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc as Head, Relationship Management Unit, and was saddled with the responsibility of identifying viable accounts and managing selected customers through aggressive marketing.
Her dexterity in her field made her a toast of many other financial institutions, and she was well sought after. In 2005, she made an international switch, relocating to the United Kingdom to pitch tent with Barclays Bank Walsgrave Triangle, Coventry, UK where she won the 2005 Eagle Award.
Much more endowed on her return from the UK, and with the dictates of finance at her fingertips, she joined the United Bank of Africa Plc, and anchored the Retail Banking Business there, and thereafter worked with Bank PHB Plc, Ecobank Nigeria Plc, Equatorial Trust Bank Ltd, and Access Bank Plc, where she functioned as the Group Head of the Retail Sales and Cards Channels, and is reputed to have functioned for fourteen consecutive years at Senior Management and leadership levels, rising to the position of Assistant General Manager and grew the retail and electronic banking business of the bank.
She also anchored the Retail Banking Business of Ecobank in Northern Nigeria, and established and grew the Premier Banking Model targeted at High Net Worth Individuals at Equatorial Trust Bank.
An unrivalled business development consultant, with valuable experience in business development, strategy formulation and implementation, and organization management, she worked with various institutions to drive business growth and restructuring initiatives.
Like a prolific brand, which she had become, and with her zeal and penchant for breaking new grounds for achievement, she was always in the forefront and on the top list of poachers. Consequently, from Access Bank, she was poached by MasterCard Worldwide to assume duty as the Vice President (Prepaid Products Management) for Sub Saharan Africa. There after, she has supervised several organisations from top rated positions including ZoomLion, Ghana, where she served as head of West African Business Development. It was at ZoomLion that she called it quit with working for others. When she left ZoomLion, she establish her own company, ZL Global Alliance in 2014. The company, in a few years, has grown tremendously in capacity building as well as technology transfer. Bashorun’s Midas touch has been doing wonders. She followed it up with the establishment of another sister company, Kunden Services Limited.
With ZL Global and Kunden Services, Dr. Bashorun has realised a dream of creating a clean, green and healthy environment, and this fuels the passion of pushing the frontiers in the environmental management industry in Africa.
“Our indigenous but yet modern approach to waste management has earned us several consulting roles with a number of states in Nigeria: Ondo, Kaduna, FCT Abuja, Lagos, Edo, Ekiti state amongst others. We can’t also forget the strategic partnerships we have been able to build over the years in our quest to deliver this dream in Nigeria, Africa and beyond (Asthrom Group Isreal, JDP Construction, Dangote Group, Globacom, NIPOST, Indocorp, MasterCard, Ayudate Investment Group, OTO USA, Verve, HOME Biogas, Access Bank, United Bank of Africa, Heritage Bank, Providus Bank, Bank of Industry (BOI) Interswitch, Forte oil, etc. to mention but a few),” she said.
It won’t be a misnomer to say that her sojourn in the labour market, which has seen her magnificently transformed through institutions such as Barclays Bank of the United Kingdom, Citibank of Nigeria, Stanbic IBTC Bank, UBA, Ecobank, Equatorial Trust Bank (ETB), Access Bank and Mastercard Worldwide, has unleashed in her the qualities of an entrepreneurial tigress.
Abiola also serves as the Chairperson for Alafia Foundation, a community focused impact investing organization set up to improve the total well-being of the people in the communities she works in.
Dr. Bashorun’s efforts in entrepreneurial discipline and building businesses have not gone unnoticed, and so has received several recognitions and awards. Her awards are for her innovative contribution to qualitative Waste Management and Environmental Solution initiatives. These include: Africa Quality Order of Merit Award: Presented to her company for being Africa’s Best World Class Quality Waste Management Services Company, which she won in 2018.
She has also been named the recipient of Arewa Media Practitioners ‘Distinguished Leadership Award’: In recognition of her outstanding role and contribution towards national development.
Additionally, she bagged the Chartered Institute of Commerce of Nigeria (CICN) Fellowship Award, presented in recognition of her contribution towards the development of Commerce, Commercial Management, Educational Excellence and Professionalism in Nigeria and Africa at Large.
Among other awards credited to her honour are:
- Chartered Institute of Commerce of Nigeria ‘Platinum & Gold Award’: In recognition of her contribution to environmental development in Kaduna State and Nigeria at large.
- Investigative Reporting Journalists Forum ‘Certificate Award’ as the icon of environmental development in Kaduna State.
- Kaduna State Advancement Initiative Award: Presented in recognition of her many contributions to State and National Development
- Kaduna State Government Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources ‘Letter of Commendation and Appreciation’ in recognition of outstanding execution of environmental development programmes in the State
Nigerian Times Magazine ‘Certificate Award’ for best performing environmental sanitation company. - Northern Nigeria Online Media Reporting Forum ‘Personality Award’ on good governance & transparency.
- The International Federation of Environmental Journalists’ 2017 Environmental Award of Excellence: Presented to her as an Icon of Environmental Sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa
- The Kaduna Media Publishers of Newspaper & Magazine forum ‘Certificate Award’ as the icon of environmental development in Kaduna State.
- The National Executive Council of Muslim Media Publishers Association of Nigeria (MMPAN) ‘Certificate Award’ as the ambassador of Peace & Unity in Nigeria.
Member of the Special Committee on Lassa Fever – Ondo State - Member of the Special Committee on COVID 19 Management – Ondo State
Member of the Special Committee on Effective Waste Management Practices – Ondo State - Woman of the Year – Entrepreneurship Category African Women Industrialization Award
Dr. Abiola Bashorun (FCICN, FIMC), apart from her expertise in entrepreneurship, is also endowed with milk of human kindness where in she has placed it upon herself to helping the youths find their footing in business among other corporate social responsibilities she and her companies have and are engaged in. She has an unwavering passion for youth empowerment, prompting her to create jobs for over 15,000 youths across the country.
She speaks more on her youth empowerment endeavours: “Our youth empowerment scheme encourages young people to take charge of their lives. We address the unemployment situation by providing our youth access to vocational training and other resources. We help them acquire skills that will enable them feed, assist others, and even invest for the future, aiding the nation economically. We didn’t just stop at providing an avenue for youths to learn a skill, we also went ahead to help them secure soft loan via our partnership with Bank of Industry under our CEO DUSTBIN (Sarkin Bola) scheme.”
Her tentacles are also focused on helping people living with disability by designing a programme to provide people living with disability access to employment and empowerment. The initiative earned the firm recognition with DFID USA as one of the few companies that have people with Disabilities as staff members.
She has managed to introduce highly effective “Waste to Cash Initiative”, which is aimed at engaging youths and encouraging entrepreneurship among citizens. This initiative also helps imbibe the culture of effective waste management from source, thereby drastically reducing the cost and effort of waste management in the state.
She is a success in every ramification, and has grown businesses in Electronic Payments, Waste Management, Digital Prints & Technology, Waste Recycling, Healthcare and Diagnostics, Youth Empowerment, Talent Management among others.
Bashorun is not only seasoned in business development and professional banking but immensely dynamic in the execution of innovative ideas and strategies. Often described as committed, fiercely loyal, hardworking, great team player, smart and an effective organizer, she has surpassed expected performance with a consistent record of achievements.
On a general scale, Bashorun’s scope of services include but not limited to Solid waste Management, Dumpsite/Land fill Management, Revenue Collection, Recycling and Material Recovery, Fleet Management, Waste Containerization, Vegetation Control, Decontamination / Fumigation services and Training services.
Using her companies, Dr. Bashorun was almost everywhere during the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting lives and property as a core objective of their organization.
In Ondo State, she spearheaded the decontamination of all secondary schools across the state as well as all the markets, motor parks, Court Formations (High courts, customary court, Magistrate courts, etc.), Government MDA’s, Government House, Governor’s Office, INEC office (Akure), 32 Artillery Army Barracks, Airport (Akure) and other public facilities across the state. Her efforts earned her a place on the Special Committee for COVID 19 in Ondo State, and also a partnership with the Ondo State Government and the Ministry of Environment to set up a rapid COVID 19 test hub in the state capital. This testing center ensures the testing and the swift treatment of confirmed COVID 19 cases in the State.
An icon of cleanliness is next to godliness, Bashorun has introduced unique concept of Waste Management as a Revenue Generation Tool, by the integrated use of electronic payment channels like Cards, USSD, Quick teller, Mobile Payment, etc. A significant innovation in this respect is the introduction of the uniquely customized “KADA Card” (Kaduna State) and “Ise Logun Ise Card” (Ondo State), to enhance revenue payment by citizens.
Dr. Bashorun’s credibility as a professional is extended to her home front, where she is an excellent homemaker, giving the desired succour, care and attention to her immediate family members, her tight professional schedule not withstanding.
Congratulations ma!
By Eric Elezuo
It was a gathering of distinguished egg heads, prolific intellectuals and ardent academics at the Adeline Hall of the Lead City University, Ibadan, when notable and celebrated Chairman of Council and Pro-Chancellor of the Institution, Professor Jide Owoeye, marked his entry into the septugenarian circle.
The event, a multiple-in-1 classic, featured tribute session, a panel session, books presentation and reading as a well as a defined colloquium. Among topnotch individuals that graced the event were delectable heads of higher institutions of learning including the Vice Chancellor, Edo State University, Uzairue, Sheldrake O. Akindele; the Vice Chancellor, Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Oyedunni S. Arulogun; Vice Chancellor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ibrahim Gbajabiamila, and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Muyiwa Popoola, who were members of the panel session that discussed critical mechanisms that enhance and safeguard the future of education in the country.
The panelists leveraged on the theme, Nigeria Higher Education and Private Sector Involvement: Navigating the Path, Confronting the Challenges, Exploring Opportunities for the Future. The lead discussant was the Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Katherine, Gombe State, Umaru Pate.
Speaker after speaker, the academic giants celebrated the unequaled legacies of Prof Owoeye’s 70 years of impressive existence, especially his scholarly contributions to the standardization of not only learning, but also academic environment in Nigeria with the establishment of Lead City University in 2005.
The ceremony was punctuated with various genres of entertainment including cultural dances, touch of saxophone, talking drum display, drama presentation by students of the institution, and a host of others.
Among the books presented at the ceremony were Asia in World Politics and Knowledge in the Emerging Global Order.
The highpoint of the gathering was the cutting of the birthday cake with various presentations of full size portraits and other gifts items from colleagues, students and staff.
Othe dignitaries who graced the occasion were Chairman, Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu, General Secretary, Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), Wale Okediran, Oyo State Commissioner of Lagos among others.
Speaking on his achievements, a long time friend from the University of Ife days, Chief Momodu, noted that Prof Owoeye has always been a man of letters, who has carved a niche for himself, adding that Nigeria and Africa are proud of him.
Distinguished in every ramifications, and an authority in International politics and relations, with bias to Asia, Owoeye has transverse all areas and degrees of the academic environment, terminating at the professorial level, and capping it all with the establishment of topnotch private university as the icing on the cake of his academic pursuit and inclination. He boasts of bachelor’s, masters and doctorate degrees in different fields of international studies.
For Owoeye, reaching the peak of his profession was when he became a professor of International Relations at OAU in the year 2000.
Born on March 1, 1956, Prof. Jide Owoeye is a teacher, and a very proud one at that, who would not miss any opportunity to introduce learning and exchange of knowledge. That practically explains why his 70th birthday celebration was tailored towards a colloquium and book presentation status.
Owoeye began his schooling at the OLMC Demonstration School, Ibadan, where he spent the period between 1962 and 1967 acquiring elementary or foundational knowledge of education.
Afterwards in 1968, he attended Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, for his school certificate, and left in 1972 before attending Government College Ibadan, for his Higher School Certificate, from 1973 to 1974.
He was admitted into the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, for his first degree.
On graduation, he was employed as Insurance Officer at Akin George & Company, Lagos, as he decided to try his hands in circular career. His stint at the firm lasted between 1979 and 1980.
Thereafter, he made a daring turn into the word of teaching, becoming Lecturer II at the Department of Government, OSCAS, Ile-Ife, from 1980 to 1982. He briefly worked as Administrative Officer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, afterwards in 1983 before landing the position of Senior Lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Obafemi Awolowo University.
Then, there was no turning back from the academic world. He was made a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos, from 1992 to 1993, and then, Associate Lecturer, Foreign Policy Academy, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Centre for Asian Studies.
In a 2019 interview he granted The Punch, Owoeye noted as follows as to what propelled his desire to establish his own university: “I have been in the university system for almost 37 years and 24 of those years were spent in the public university system. I was a professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, and I noticed then that if one has passion for education, one should have seen some of the lapses (in the system), and some of those lapses one discovered can only be corrected if one is the head of the institution. I believe if you aspire to have a better university system, it is either you head the institution or you look for avenues to help create one where you can impact upon. That was what brought about the passion to work towards establishing a private university where the quest for excellence can actually be attained.”
Owoeye’s rich trajectory in the world of education is common knowledge, leading to his hold several high-profile positions in Obafemi Awolowo University.
Owoeye is married to his lovely wife, Emuleomo, whom he wedded in 1982, and they are blessed with three children; a son and two daughters.
Meanwhile, a special birthday soiree has been scheduled for March 1, his day of turning 70 proper, at Adeline Hall of the university. It promises to be the mother of all celebrations.
Having spent a lot of energy paying attention to education, Owoeye would love to be remembered as somebody who contributed to quality education (at the tertiary and non-tertiary levels) in this country.
Happy 70th birthday sir!
Photos: Tunde Bolarinwa
Schooled in varioius areas of human endeavour and administration, Mr Kojo Bonsu is an asset, not only to the Republic of Ghana, but the world in general. He has by every standard paid his dues to the development of his country, serving as the current Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China, and having served in many other diverse areas including sports administration and entrepreneurship.
Presently, the face of the Republic in China has taken it upon himself to recreate the investment platform of Ghana in China, mandating the media to begin as a matter of urgency, to make Ghana the subject of focus in their reporting.
In other words, the Ambassador has appealed to the Chinese media to use their medium to promote Ghana. A call that resonate the general mantra of the government of President John Dramani Mahama
According to Bonsu, Ghana boasts of several business opportunities, therefore if the Chinese media take keen interest in Ghanaian issues, it would help attract investors from China to Ghana.
He insisted that the door of the Ghana Embassy in China is wide open to Chinese journalists, especially those who want to positively project Ghana.
Bonsu made the remarks while hosting a press soiree in Beijing, on behalf of the Ghana Embassy, which was graced by a number of prominent media institutions in China.
The programme was mainly used to promote Ghana’s upcoming 69th independence anniversary celebrations and also highlight investent opportunities in the country.
Kojo Bonsu, who is a former Kumasi Mayor, said Ghana is the safest, friendly and best country for any investor to do business, urging Chinese businessmen to heed his advice.
“The Chinese media institutions should henceforth partner with the Ghana Embassy in promoting trade and investment opportunities in both of our sister countries for growth.
According to him, Ghana is a democratic nation, which has conducive atmosphere for businesses to flourish, stressing his desire to work and improve Ghana-China relations.
“Ghana is committed to strengthening ties with China. My country is a stable democracy, has business-friendly environment and rich cultural heritage,” Kojo Bonsu stated.
A native of Offinso, a town in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, Michael Kojo (Mensa) Bonsu, thoroughbred professional, both in politics and administration, was born to a respected Offinso Queen Mother and a military officer, among eight other siblings.
He had his Ordinary Level education at the Tamale Secondary School, between 1974 and 1979, where he developed the knack, desire and dream of becoming a football administrator.
Thereafter, he was admitted into the Drayton School in London, but could not immediately assume studies because of the several businesses he was handling at the time. However, between 1985 and 1990, when Bonsu joined giant sports kit manufacturers, Adidas, he enrolled into their football Business Unit at Herzogenaurach, Germany, and in the process obtained a Diploma in Sports Business and Marketing. Presently, he holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations.
After completing his training in sports Business and marketing, Bonsu worked with Adidas and became their first representative in West Africa and served as an Assistant Marketing Officer. He rose to become the kit maker’s manager in Ghana and the whole of West Africa. Within which period he brokered deals between the company and the Ghana football Association specifically the Ghana football national team.
Bonsu’s dexterity in all the things he has laid his hands, including the oil sector, on earned him a citation of honour in 2015 by Managing Director of GOIL, Mr Patrick A.K. Akorli as follows; “You were the key advocate on the board when the monumental decision to rebrand GOIL was taken – the results of which have seen GOIL being propelled to the number one position (retail) among oil marketing companies in Ghana”.
He served as the Managing Director of GOIL from July 2011 to February 2012.
In addition to his legacy of achievements, Bonsu is a director of Tamale-based club Real Tamale United. He was also an executive member of Asante Kotoko.
In 2003, he launched a bid to be the Ghana Football Association’s President. He went against former president of the GFA Kwesi Nyantakyi, politician and executive member of Accra Hearts of Oak, Vincent Odotei Sowah, a former FA vice-chairman, Joseph Ade Coker and former executive council chairman, Y.A Ibrahim. He subsequently lost to Kwesi Nyantakyi in the elections in December 2005.
An ardent supporter of Asante Kotoko and Premier side Tottenham Hotspur, in 2001, he founded and published Agoo Magazine, an African lifestyle magazine.
In January 2010, Bonsu was appointed board chairman of the National Sports Authority then a council under the Ministry of Youth and Sports. He is known and respected for spearheading the re-branding of the sports council until it subsequently became a sports authority.
In 2013, President Mahama nominated him for the position of Metropolitan Chief Executive for the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly. He resigned in July 2016, following an issue with the Kumasi Traditional Council.
Among many other landmarks, Bonsu would be remembered building the first ever recreational facility, the Kumasi Rattray Park, and organizing the second largest event as part of the celebration of Ghana at 50, dubbed “Ghana As One Gala Night” at Ghana’s Black Star Square with International artists including The Whispers, Shalamar, Pat Thomas, AB Cresntil, Gyedu Blay Amboley, Paapa Yankson and Ola Williams.
It is also on record that in 2014, he secured a loan facility from the Deutsche Bank UAE through parliamentary approval to build the largest modern market in West Africa, the Kejetia Market, called the “Kejetia Dubai,” completed in 2017. He also built the Asawase market, Tafo market, and Atonsu-Agogo market. He renovated the Kumasi Prempeh Assembly Hall. Bonsu’s strides speak volumes.
Bonsu tried his hands at the presidency of Ghana in 2024, but could not win the ticket of his party as Mahama was the preferred choice.
Bonsu continues to exhibit great strides as a distinguished administrator, businessman and political juggernaut.
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