Ibukunoluwa Awosika- Nigerian Businesswoman And Author

Ibukunoluwa Abiodun Awosika is a Nigerian businesswoman, inspiring speaker, and author. She was born Bilkisu Abiodun Motunrayo Omobolanle Adekola on December 24, 1962. She used to run the First Bank of Nigeria as its Chairman. In September 2022, she was chosen to be a part of the Binance Global Advisory Board.

Ibukun Awosika has three kids with her husband, Abiodun Awosika.

Educational Background

Ibukun was born in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. She was the third of seven children. She went to St. Paul’s African Church Primary School in Lagos and Methodist Girls’ High School in Yaba for her primary and secondary schooling. After that, she went to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and got a BSc in Chemistry, even though she had wanted to study architecture. She also took some elective courses in accounting. She has an MBA and a postgraduate degree in business from the Lagos Business School and the IESE Business School at the University of Navarra.

Career

Ibukun Awosika did her mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) service in Kano State as an audit trainee at Akintola Williams & Co., which later became Deloitte. When she got home at the end of the service, she went to work for Alibert Nigeria Ltd. as a store manager. In 1989, she started a business making furniture called Quebees Limited, which later became The Chair Centre Limited and then SOKOA Chair Centre Limited after a partnership with SOKOA S.A. and Guaranty Trust Bank in 2004.

Ibukun Awosika is a member of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, a board member of the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund, and a past chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Women in Management, Business, and Public Service. She is also a fellow of the African Leadership Initiative and the Aspen Global Leadership Network.[12][13] In 2011, she helped start the Afterschool Graduate Development Centre. This is a job center that was made to help with Nigeria’s high unemployment rate.

After Prince Ajibola Afonja quit on September 7, 2015, Ibukun became the first woman to be named Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria.

The International Advisory Board (IAB) at IESE includes Ibukun Awosika. She is also on the boards of directors for both Digital Jewel Limited and Cadbury Nig Plc.

Media Figure

Television

Ibukun Awosika was one of five Nigerian businesspeople who were on the first African version of “Dragon’s Den” in 2008. She also has a TV show called Business His Way, which she leads. She was also in the movie 2020 Citation with Temi Otedola, which was made by Kunle Afolayan.

Books

The “girl” business owners.
His Way With Business
The “Girl” Entrepreneurs: Our Stories So Far [Kindle]