PROFILE OF KOLAWOLE LAWAL MOBOLORUNDURO- KLM
BACKGROUND
A thorough digest of the personality of Kolawole Lawal Mobolorunduro -KLM, especially his evolution from a humble background to stardom reveals him as an epitome of many virtues; ranging from resilience to self-motivation, hard work, vision, sagacity, integrity, kindheartedness and humility.
With providence propelling him all the way, he has been able to blend all the qualities, overtime, to reach the pinnacle of his chosen profession while impacting positively on humanity.
CHILDHOOD/ EDUCATIONAL CAREER
Born about 54 years ago at Eyo Quarters, Oke-Odan in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, Adele Oba Wasiu Kolawole Lawal started his formal education at St. James’ Anglican School, Oke-Odan which he completed in 1972.
Unlike children born with silver spoon who enjoy smooth academic voyage, KLM had a chequered educational career, typical of children from humble background. It started with a 6-year break after his primary education from 1972 to 1978, which was enough to drift him away from formal education at such an early stage.
In between the time, he moved over to join his uncle in Owode-Yewa where he became an apprentice in different trades including Bicycle Repairing, Houses and Vehicles Spray Painting, Public Letter Writing and Documentary Services until 1978. All the while, he did not give up the hope and possibility of better and higher western education.
Providence was kind to him, in line with his vision, as he resumed school in 1978, this time, at Area Community High School, Owode-Yewa where he was a pioneer student.
As one cut out for greatness by destiny, the huge endowment in him began to manifest in diverse ways from his first year in the newly established school. He was exceptionally and consistently brilliant, cool headed and reliable. All these made him to be made the first Senior Prefect of the School. Despite combining academics with the leadership responsibilities, his brilliant performance never waned.
He was not only taking the overall first position throughout his five years sojourn in the school, his West African School Certificate (WAEC) was the best, both in the school and the environs in 1983 that he passed out.
His determination for accelerated tertiary education made him seek admission into the University of Jos at that time. Though, he succeeded in getting the admission, his humble background again denied him the opportunity of taking it.
But like the biblical farmer, who, having set his hand on the plough, refused to look back, Kolawole Lawal maintained his focus. He was determined to acquire quality higher education no matter the cost. His resilience however paid-off in the end. Today, he holds an HND in Accountancy from Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State, B.Sc. in Banking and Finance and MBA in Management all from University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt. Giving his levelheadedness and strong appetite for knowledge, he is currently back in the ivory tower as he has a Law Degree in view from the University of Lagos.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Kolawole Lawal’s work experience has been quite remarkable. More than his school days, it has offered him good opportunity to demonstrate in more concrete terms, those virtues that had defined his path and propelled his vision since his childhood days.
KLM has a 5-year stint with Associated Breweries and Company Limited, Agbara Estate in Ogun State where he rose to become an Acting Distribution Manager. He left the employment for greener pasture in 1988.
From 1990 to 1991, he underwent his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Programme with Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (an oil and Gas Multi-national Exploration and Production Company).
Like a golden fish that has no hiding place, his sterling qualities soon stood him out such that he was adjudged the best youth corps member at the end of the service year. The feat was so endearing and irresistible that the Management of the Company deemed him the only one out of the 50 youth corps members, worthy of offer of contract employment as an Accountant and later as a permanent employee.
He rose to various leadership positions including Regional Head of Accounts payable for the company’s Eastern operations covering Bonny, Port Harcourt, Rivers State with Headquarters at Eket, Akwa Ibom State. Due to the passion he has for the people of his state and his will to serve them, he opted for an early retirement from the company in February 2010 and left the company as a Management Executive in the Venture Relations Department of the organization.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
His work career has equally been enhanced by the many professional courses and e-training he has attended in Nigeria, Europe and the Americas. Some of them include:
Member, Nigeria Institute of Management (Chartered)
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Environmental and Public Health Management of Nigeria
Certificate in Managing Workplace Conflict – Mediator Training Institute, South Africa.
Certificate in Team Leadership, North American Training Development Institute, Huston.
Certificate in Leadership Motivation – Harvard Business School, USA.
Certificate in Petroleum Accounting and Exploration, Lagos, Nigeria.
Certificate in Cash Management- MACTAY, UK.
Certificate in Inventory Management – MACTAY, UK.
Certificate in Petroleum Exploration, UK.
Certificate in System Analysis and Application, Houston, Texas, USA.
Certificate in General Accounting- Reading, UK.
Certificate in Accounts Payable – Chicago, Illinois USA.
Certificate in Fixed Asset Accounting, Dallas, Texas, USA.
Paul Harris Fellow (PHF), Eket, Nigeria.
Legend in your own time award – NATD, Houston, Texas, USA.
Community/ Philanthropic Service
Realizing how much providence has been kind to him, Kolawole Lawal has, to a large extent, dedicated his life to service to humanity through community service activities. In his determination to touch as many lives as possible, he took giant leap into the philanthropic world, giving hope and succour to many people. He founded the Aseele Labowaba Foundation to enable him spread the tentacles of his kindness across Ogun State.The foundation has been involved in many life saving and transforming projects in the four zones of the State.
In tandem with the proverbial saying: Charity begins at home; Kolawole Lawal initiated and organized many developmental projects in his place of birth, Oke-Odan, Owode-Yewa and neighbouring towns. Some of the signposts of such projects include his towering contributions towards the building of Oloke-Odan of Oke-Odan’s Modern Palace and restoration of electricity supply to Oke-Odan after it was damaged by storm. He also donated befitting Administrative Block to the Oke-Odan Grammar School. Towards supporting government to provide quality health care to the masses, he provided appreciable health amenities to the Owode-Yewa Health Centre.
His kind gestures have not been restricted to Oke-Odan, Owode-Yewa and environs, as he has made great efforts at reaching out to the larger Yewa/ Aworiland. It is on record that he has maintained a record of substantial contributions to the Oronna (Ilaro) Day Celebrations. His action has been informed by the need to help preserve the cultural heritage of the people through the celebration. Impressed by his consistent support, the Oronna Day Planning Committee, in 2006 conferred him the Merit Award of Honour on behalf of the Olu of Ilaro and the entire community. He was equally a major contributor to the Yewa Unity Games (YUGA), an exercise that has been adjudged to have unleashed the sporting potentials of youth across Yewaland. His Aseele Foundation also parades an impressive record of empowerment of the masses towards quality and independent lives.
On a Statewide scale, Kolawole Lawal has made a greater effort at brightening the future of the youth of Ogun State. He has secured the academic pursuit of a reasonable number of indigent and/ or brilliant students in secondary schools across the State through provision of scholarship awards and mass distribution of exercise books. This, he has made an integral part of his philanthropic programs.
HONORS and RECOGNITIONS
Kolawole Lawal’s community service and philanthropic antecedents have naturally thrown him up for recognitions from various prominent quarters. To underscore his grassroots connection and relevance at his home town, he has been conferred with the prestigious title of the Adele Oba of Oke-Odan land. He is also the Taiyese of Ketuland, a title conferred on him by the Alaketu of Ketu Kingdom, Republic of Benin. Recognitions have also come for him from Ile-Ife, the source of the Yoruba nation, mobile-awardwhere he is the Asiwaju Osara of Ile-Ife.
Besides chieftaincy titles from prominent monarchs, Adele Oba Kolawole Lawal has been humbled by the many awards of honours/excellence bestowed on him by groups, associations, communities, educational institutions, religious bodies and corporate organizations within and outside the state as well as overseas. Some of them are:
● Award of Excellence for Outstanding contributions to the growth and development of his alma mater – Area Community High School, Owode Yewa – 1998
● Meritorious Service Award – Petroleum and Natural Gas Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) – 2002
● Resourceful Personality of the Year – National Association of Yewa Awori Students, Tai Solarin College of Education (TASUED) Chapter – 2005
● ExxonMobil Service Award – 2005
● Merit Award for Outstanding Support – Oronna Day (Ilaro) Central Planning Committee – 2006
● Merit Award of Excellence – Oke Odan Central Mosque, Oke Odan – 2009
● Life Patron, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Yewa South Local Government – 2008
● Meritorious Service Award – Sabo Owode Yewa Central Mosque – 2009
Award of Excellence – Higher Ground Christian Mission – 2009
Excellent Award of Honour – National Association of Yewa Awori Students, Moshood Abiola Polytechic
Chapter – 2009
Special Award for Outstanding Commissioner in Ogun State – Gateway News Update -2016award-of-excellence
As a man of high integrity, Kolawole Lawal has as his most cherished virtues, HONESTY.
Kolawole Lawal MobOlorunduro is currently the Ogun State Honourable Commissioner for Forestry.
KLM is, however, not without soft angle to life. At his leisure time, he enjoys reading, watching movies as well as national/international affairs analysis with bias in economic growth.
He is happily married and blessed with children.
