Who is Chief Adeyemi Soladoye?
Sikiru Adeyemi Soladoye is an Ibadan boy who was born exactly 60 years ago today. I attended Igbo Elerin Grammar school in Ibadan between 1972 and 1976; then The Polytechnic Ibadan between 1976 to 1978 and the University of Lagos between 1978 and 1981. I have a Bachelor of Science honours degree in insurance and graduated as the best student in the Department of Insurance in 1981 and passed the professional examination of the Chartered Insurance Institute (ACII) London in 1983 where I specialised in life and pensions underwriting. I also passed the Associate Examination (AMIAS) of the Incorporated Association of Architects and Surveyors in Northampton, England in 1984 where I specialised in fire risk survey. I also had a Masters degree from the University of Ibadan in Banking and Finance and in 2015; I became a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in Nigeria (FCI. Arb).
How would you describe your career life?
It was quite interesting. I had the opportunity to gather experience in various good organisations. I started my insurance career with Bendel Insurance Co. Ltd in Benin City in 1981 as a Claims and Risk surveyor, from where I left for Femi Johnson and Co Insurance Brokers in Ibadan; that was in 1982. That was where I was appointed as the Insurance Manager of Cadbury Plc, Lagos in 1983 and from where I joined Crusader Insurance Plc in 1984 as the Branch Manager in Ibadan and I rose to the position of the National Agency Manager covering the then 19 states of the country before leaving in 1990. After this, I joined the Vigilant Insurance Company Limited as the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer and left in 1993 to promote the establishment of Elmac Insurance Company Limited where I worked and made exploits till I left in 2001 to establish Riskguard-Africa Insurance Brokers Limited after which I established Riskguard-Africa (Nigeria) Limited, an insurance consulting firm
What is the focus of your mandate?
The mandate I have will not allow me to just continue with the good works of my predecessors because the constitution I am to operate with is a new one with clearly defined goals of unity and development. My tenure is the fourth phase which is supposed by our law to focus on empowerment. The first phase was the tenure of Chief S.I. Amole and Chief Tunji Bello, which focused on creation, the second phase which focused on consolidation is the tenure of Chief Bode Amao and Alhaji Y.A. Akande while the third phase which is on relevance is the tenure of Chief Bayo Oyero and Chief Wole Akinwande. So, it is already laid down that I must focus on certain things and all these are provided in our constitution; to provide forum for development of Ibadan land – economic, social, educational, cultural which means that necessary development institutions and structures will be provided by the current executives.
What should Ibadan people expect during your reign as President General of CCII?
By the grace of Almighty God, my reign will be a peaceful one focused on development. I have come home to serve Ibadan land and in the next two to four years, with the grace of God and the support of good people especially the members of our great association, CCII will transform from a council to an institution and the venue of our meeting from a house to a secretariat. I will consult widely, but I will not promise to use everybody’s advice or try to please everybody because by attempting to please everybody, I will end up not pleasing anybody. And moreover, the period I will spend here will ultimately be called Yemi Soladoye’s tenure and not anyone else tenure.
I promise leadership that will initiate, stimulate, illuminate and focus the minds of the great people of Ibadan land on issues of truth, progress, unity and development. I promise a leadership that will be truly revolutionary and transformative. I will ensure that there is consistent flow of dynamic, vibrant and modern ideas so that we do not give yesterday’s advice to Ibadan of today about the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. I will ensure the relevance of each generation of Ibadan people in the affairs of CCII.
How do you intend to achieve this?
This has already started through a project tagged “Ibadan Next” which I initiated on December 16, last year. This is based on my belief that for Nigeria change’s agenda to succeed, the revolution must start from the community level. No serious minded community in Nigeria today should expect the government to provide for all its needs. We the present crops of Ibadan have a duty to do things that will make our forefathers proud in their graves as otherwise; we will just pass away without anything to make our own children to be proud of us. We need to give back to Ibadan the political and economic might it has lost in Nigeria.
We will take advantage of the ongoing infrastructural projects of the Oyo State government; good intra city road network, Ibadan circular road, Oyo State Safety and Security Trust Fund, Technical University, our gateway position to Lagos and the northern part of Nigeria, our size as the second largest market in Nigeria, our crude oil land, cheap labour and agricultural research institutes, the eighth-lane Lagos- Ibadan Express road, the standard gauge rail system and many others to attract industry, promote agriculture and housing as well as create jobs for our youths and adults particularly in the informal and artisan sector.
What will you do for the actualisation of the Olubadan palace project?
It is my resolve to bring the age-long embarrassment of the new Olubadan palace project to an immediate end. To this end, I will mobilize all available resources to ensure that the Olubadan moves into the palace within the year 2018 and this will also ensure that the governor of Oyo State, senator Abiola Ajimobi, who started the building of the palace in 2014 after 22 years of abandonment of the allocated land is also the same person who will by the grace of God inaugurate the palace. My vision is to make Ibadan a national role model and international reference point in self-help community development programmes to the rest of Nigeria.
What do you wish to tell the members of CCII?
I will use the words of the first caliph of Islam, Abu Bakr Sadiq, “Oh my people, a big task has been assigned to me though I am not better than you. Obey me as long as I obey the wishes of Allah and Prophet Muhammed (SAW).” I hereby say to my elders, brothers and sisters on behalf of the seventh executive council of the CCII that they should please obey us, as long as we work for the unity and development of Ibadan land in line with the CCII constitution, otherwise, do not obey us. We recognize the supremacy of the collective authority of members that has put us in the position of leadership and we will not disappoint; we will reject participation of blame, hatred and resentment in the affairs of the CCII. We will not just serve from our head, but also from our heart, there will be no room for arm-chair patriotism, vested interest or divided loyalty in the seventh executive council.
and then