kinwunmi Ambode is the Governor of Lagos State. He worked with the Lagos State Government for 27 years and as financial consultant before joining politics in 2015.
Background
Akinwunmi Ambode was born on the 14th of June, 1963 into the family of Festus Akinwale and Christianah Oluleye Ambode. He is a native of Epe, Lagos. His father was a teacher, while his mother, Christianah Oluleye Ambode (nee Oresanya) was an entrepreneur who ran a thriving sewing business in her prime. In 1967, when Akin was still four years old, his father moved to the mainland part of Lagos with the family and continued his teaching career until his death in 1981.
Education
Akinwumi Ambode had his primary education at St. Jude’s Primary School, Ebutte Meta, Lagos. After his primary school, he gained admission into Federal Government College, Warri, Delta State in the year 1974. He later gained admission into the University of Lagos, where he studied Accounting and graduated in the year 1984 at the age of 21. He became a chartered accountant at the age of 24, also having his Masters Degree in Accounting.
He was awarded the US Fulbright Scholarship for the Hubert Humphries Fellowship Programme in Boston Massachusetts. He also attended the Wharton Business School, for Advanced Management Programme. Other institutions he attended for courses and programmes, includes Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield, England, the Institute of Management Development, Lausanne, Switzerland, INSEAD Singapore and Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Boston, U.S.A.
Akinwunmi Ambode practiced his profession in the Lagos State civil service. He worked as an accountant, an administrator and a public finance management expert. He founded Brandsmiths Consulting Limited – a firm that specializes in public sector finance management. He served as the Assistant Treasurer, Badagry Local Government. He worked at the Shomolu Local Government as an Auditor. Mushin Local Government appointed him a Council Traesurer. In the year 2005 he became the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Lagos Sate. Eventually he was appointed the Accountant-General of Lagos State.
He began his tenure as the governor of Lagos on 29 May 2015, he succeeded Babatunde Fashola.
Achievements
Religion
He is a devout Christian. In one of his public address, he urged people to love one another irrespective of their background and religious beliefs.
Politics
His political views are seen in his works. Under his watch, the state treasury office revolutionized the way Lagos State finances were raised, budgeted, managed and planned resulting in the state’s budget performing at an average of 85 percent annually.
He ensured payment of civil service staff salaries before the end of the month, payment of running cost by 1st week of each month and introduced end of the year package and special/specific welfare for staff.
He launched the e-payment platform for the monthly staff salaries
He renovated the state treasury office, created a conducive working environment, introduced a corporate dress code and provided laptops for all directors.
Views
Quotations:
"They are looking at it, exploring it. But there is nothing definitive yet, they intend to come back."
Membership
Akinwunmi Ambode is a member of several professional bodies including: Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management.