The group chairman, Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi has been described as a worthy ambassador of Obafemi Awolowo University and will on Saturday be honoured with Distinguished Great Ife Alumnus Award by the University.

This was conveyed in a letter signed by the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Eyitayo O. Ogunbodede.

The VC remarked that the award of excellence was in recognition of Dr Akin Ogunbiyi's support and dedication to the growth of the University. He stressed that Dr Ogunbiyi is a “passionate, supportive and dedicated Great Ife Ambassador”.

The awardee graduated from the University of Ife, now OAU, in 1986 with a Second-Class Upper Degree. The class of the degree is a testimony that he has always been focused and understood what to do even as a young man. He also earned himself Honorary PhD. in Insurance and Risk Management because of his hard work, passion for knowledge, strategic business management skills and great human relations.

He obtained a master’s degree from the University of Navarra, Spain. He is a graduate of Yale School of Management, Harvard Business School, Advanced Management from the University of Oxford and many more. His quest for knowledge distinguishes him and makes it easy for him to be able to relate with every man and woman in different spheres of life including in business.

Dr Akin Ogunbiyi became Managing Director of a company four years after leaving University. He went from there to begin the path of building many business conglomerates including Mutual Benefits Assurance Group that now employs thousands of Nigerians and is contributing to the economic development of the Nation. At present, the business is worth billions of naira today.

For Dr Ogunbiyi, it takes not just knowledge to build business but charisma and the ability to manage resources of which human capital is the bedrock. He relates well with both old and young. His respect and empathy for humans is more than a gift but borne out of his humble background himself. He was born and raised in Ile-Ogbo, Osun State.

You can understand why it is very easy for him to set up a foundation that supports many students with scholarships. This and many more reasons is why it is not surprising when OAU decided to confer on him the Distinguished Great Ife Alumnus Award in recognition of his contributions to Nations building.

It should also be noted that what makes the USA, China and Europe great and different is because of industrial revolutions and the ability to empower their citizens. The leaders of these developed countries are great minds, selfless, knowledgeable, strategic, charismatic and these are the qualities inherent in Dr Akin Ogunbiyi.

Furthermore, the likes of Dr Ogunbiyi understand that quality education and training are vital to creating a successful business. They understand that our schools and the whole education system need proper attention so we can have employable graduates that can help sustain the economy. Great minds and successful businessmen and women understand that there has to be a security of lives and properties as these will affect their business and investment.

This is why Dr Akin Ogunbiyi wants to lend himself to the service of Osun State. This is what Dr Ogunbiyi will do if elected as Governor of Osun State come 2022. The fact that governance is a serious business is underscored why Governors are also referred to as Chief Executive Officers. We need experienced great minds like Dr. Ogunbiyi to wake up the crumbling economy of Osun so that an end will come to borrowing for unjust cause or not being able to meet up with the social responsibility as a state.