7 Things You Need to Know About Dr. Charles Akindiji Akinola, the Newly Nominated Managing Director of SWDC

1. A Seasoned Public Policy Advisor and Development Strategist

Dr. Akinola has over 30 years of experience in public service, international development, and strategic governance, specializing in agricultural development, sustainable economic growth, and policy implementation across Nigeria and West Africa.

2. Holds Prestigious Academic Credentials from Global Institutions. He earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural Extension from the University of Ibadan and a master’s in public policy & administration from Harvard Kennedy School, where he was an Edward S. Mason Fellow.

He also studied at Cambridge, Cranfield, and MIT, gaining advanced expertise in cross-sector partnerships, enterprise development, and conflict resolution.

3. Instrumental in the Formation of the SWDC and the DAWN Commission

Long before his nomination, Dr. Akinola played a key role in founding the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission for regional integration. He was deeply involved in shaping the vision of the SWDC.

As Chairman of the Technical Committee under the Southwest Governors’ Forum, he led the review of the SWDC Bill and coordinated regional consensus on development priorities.

4. Former Chief of Staff in Both Federal and State Governments, He served as Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State (2018–2022) and later as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola (CON), while also acting as Senior Special Assistant on Marine and Blue Economy to President Tinubu.

These roles gave him frontline experience in both subnational and national policy execution.

5. A Leader in Community Engagement and Sustainable Development, Dr. Akinola has worked with major oil & gas companies, including WAPco, designing sustainable livelihood programs across Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. His contributions helped establish the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoUs) as an industry benchmark for community development in the Niger Delta.
6. Active Global Policy Thought Leader.

He is a member of the Dean’s Council at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and was a Fellow at Harvard’s Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs. His thought leadership focuses on governance, economic innovation, and institutional reform.

7. Arts Collector

Dr. Akinola is a lover of the arts and culture, collects works of indigenous artists, such as Jimoh Buraimoh, Demas Nwoko, Tola Wewe, Nike Okundaye, among others.

Career Highlights

• Dr. Charles Akindiji Akinola is a Public Policy Advisor and Administrator whose work has traversed the agricultural and agribusiness, sustainable community economic development, international affairs, and development sectors, developing strategies that shape policy implementation.

• Dr. Akinola holds a Ph. D. in Agricultural Extension from the University of Ibadan, and a master’s degree in public policy & administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

• He also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Cross-Sector Partnerships from the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, and attended certificate courses in Enterprise Development and Management from Cranfield University, Cranfield UK, and in Negotiation, Mediation, and Dispute Resolution from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, USA.

• Until recently, Dr. Akinola was Senior Special Assistant to the President on Marine & Blue Economy and concurrently, Chief of Staff to the Honourable Minister.

• He served as the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Osun State between 2018 and 2022. During his tenure, he supported the Governor in developing and implementing policy objectives and strategic and operational plans of the administration.

• As Chief of Staff, the Southwest Governors Forum appointed Dr. Akinola as the Chairman of the Technical Committee to review the South-West Development Commission (SWDC) Bill and aggregated the position of the six Southwest States towards a joint memorandum to the Governors and subsequently to the National Assembly.

• He has worked with major oil & gas companies within and outside Nigeria including the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) / West Africa Gas Pipeline Company (WAPco) covering Nigeria, Republic du Benin, Togo, and Ghana by designing and implementing programs that addressed issues of Sustainable Development and Livelihoods in the Niger Delta and West Africa region.

• He advised and collaborated with International Oil companies in the development of the New Community Engagement Strategy, premised on the Participatory Regional Development Model (2005), guided by the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoUs). The model was adopted as the industry standard in Community engagement and development by the joint ventures of the National Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Oil companies in the Niger Delta.

• In previous roles, Dr. Akinola was the Director General of the Office of Economic Development and Partnerships (OEDP) between 2011 and 2018. The OEDP was the strategic Think Tank, Policy Advisory, and Implementation agency domiciled in the Office of the Governor. Dr. Akinola played a central role in the activities leading to the establishment of the Development Agenda of Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission.

• He was Chairman of the Osun State Planning Commission between 2011-2014 and in this capacity collaborated with leading development partners to deliver sustainable development in the State.

• Dr. Akinola was the Founder and Executive Director of Enterprise for Development International (EfDI) between 1999 and 2009. In this role, he coordinated EfDI’s varied consultancy assignments in community economic development in Nigeria, including the expansion of EfDI’s portfolio of development activities in the Niger Delta and the strengthening of local institutions.

• Between 2001 and 2005, Dr. Akinola was the National Coordinator of the Sustainable Tree Crop Program (STCP), a multi-agency, public-private sector effort to facilitate the improvement of smallholder agricultural systems based on tree crops in West Africa with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Chocolate Industry Worldwide.

• Between 1993 and 1998, Dr. Akinola was the Nigeria Country Director of TechnoServe, a US-based international development organisation that worked in 17 countries in Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

• He taught at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria from 1984 until 1989 and was on the training and research faculty of the Pan African Institute for Development (PAID) in Buea, Cameroon 1990.

• Dr. Akinola was an Edward S. Mason Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and, subsequently, a Fellow at the Harvard Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs (WCFIA). His work focused on Innovation for Economic Development and Governance between 2009 and 2011.

• He is currently a member of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Dean’s Council.

Mr. Magic: Dotun Oladipo @ 55

By: Ajagbe Adeyemi Teslim

The true quality of a leader reflects on the standard they set for themselves and their followers – Ray Kroc

“An Adage from my village says ”Asesile nla bowaba” meaning “good deeds begot favour” and probably that is what we are all enjoying today in the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) family and The Eagle Online, where Mr. Dotun Oladipo is the Publisher; having shown and exhibited quality leadership both in season and out of season.

It will be recalled that Maureen Chigbo, Publisher of Realnews Magazine Online who is the president of GOCOP took over the office from Mr. Oladipupo of the EagleOnline who led the Guild successfully from 2018 till 2021.

I recalled that Dotun took over from Musikilu Mojeed of the Premium Times who is the current President of the International Press Institute (IPI), while Mojeed took the mantle from the pioneer GOCOP President, Dr. Malachi Agbo of The Citizen News who is serving presently as the Honourable Commissioner for Human Development and Poverty Eradication under Governor Emeka Mbah of Enugu State.

As at the time of filing-in this report, GOCOP has over 119 online professional publishers who have excelled in their past field as journalists and editors before establishing their own online platforms.

The key purpose of establishing the Guild is to ensure that members uphold the tenets of online journalism.

History has it that the much talked, anticipated, reliable and respected GOCOP of today started directly inside Oladipo office in Ogba Lagos which was situated on 27, Joseph Odunlami Street, off Thomas Salako Street, which eventually became the registered address of GOCOP.

Another great selfless service Oladipo rendered the Guild, include the building of GOCOP official website, among others.

Not only that, Oladipo as a team builder, a successful career counsellor and foremost touch bearer of digital journalism in Nigeria.

For instance, during one of the lecture he delivered at the GOCOP 6th Annual conference in Sheraton Hotel, Lagos, he shared insights with members on how to spread their ‘site wings.’

No doubt, Oladipo is one of the few GOCOP members who have a verified Google adsense website and another 2 Google accredited YouTube Channel, which are EagleOnline TV and Pop News with its trending regular ‘Erotic Monday night with Tiwa.’

Oladipo did not just find himself at the top of affairs of the Guild, he has really paid his dues and that is why many would attest that he also served as the chief scribe of the Guild during Musikilu Mojeed tenure. His excellent performance then made all members of the Guild to vote him in to continued to steer the wheel of the association.

Many will be asking where I came up with the name Dotun (Mr. Magic) Mr. Magic was not fabricated by the writer but was given to him publicly on the GOCOP Loop when Mr. Olumide Iyanda of QEDNG commended him for the great role he played during the successful outcome of the Kogi Conference.

Oladipo, a handsome, ebony, huge, clean shave father of three is no doubt a silent achiever, an orator with clear and loud voice is a leader, with open door policy to his media colleagues and any body that comes his way.

Recently, Oladipo was elected as the President of Innovative Media Partners Cooperative Multipurpose Society (IMPCMS), which beckons on him to bring his wealth of experience to bear on the group.

Permit me to state my personal experience with Oladipo, starting with the popular saying that behind every successful man there must be a woman and the woman beside Oladipo’s success story is Ayanba to those who know him very well .

Some of his close associates who can testify to Ayaaba humility and humanitarian services are Mallam Sakibu Olokojobi of Frontpage Online and our own legal luminary, Ayo Odeyemi of YouNews will quickly grab that name, the woman is truly a woman of substance, a caring and highly supportive wife.

My experience started the day we were asked to converge at Oladipo’s office for the just concluded Kogi conference, I got to the venue as a visitor getting to the area for the first time, the respect and accolades the woman was earning from both young and old on that building and street was what prompted my curiosity to ask the security man who is this beautiful woman? and he quickly told me joyfully, “habaa, walai that naa oga wife oo, her name na Ayabaoo” adding that her humility is second to none, I started given her close marking so as to truly know her very well but she was busy looking after us, her husband’s GOCOP guests because our then Coordinator who was Sakibu Olokojobi of Frontpage Online came late from his Ijoko Ogun State resident due to traffic and the poor stage of roads.

So when Sakibu arrived, he quickly put a call straight to Ayaba and she drove down immediately from Oladipo house and took us home, during the ride home the fun and comic between Sakibu and Ayaba was overwhelmed as the woman inculcated us into the discussion, but that is a story for another day.

On getting home, Immediately, we were served chill table water, she called out all her 3 beauty queen to come and honor the visitors which they all did politely, the air condition was switch on to reduce the stress we had gone through ,she also switched on the plasma TV for our relaxation asking what channel we would like to watch either sport or News due to our profession.

As that was going on, a delicious meal full of chicken and wine was served. in spite of her three grown up girls Ayaba still took it up upon her self to serve us in a proper way of a well culture Yoruba woman setting and manner, asking if we still care for more, after the dinner, she went into the visitors room to bring out mattress to the parlour for us to sleep and some souvenir of her hubby’s 50th birthday stressing it was kept for us since we did not show up during the celebration, she now engage us in a well constructive discussion before we all departed to bed, the most surprising thing was that at around 11:45 pm another GOCOP member, Mr. Felix Douglas of Energy Focus called to be at the gate when Ayaba had Already slept off.

hmmmmm, The ever energetic Ayaaba still stood up with enthusiasm to go down and received her husband guest simply because he is a GOCOP member, at around 5.am the following day as we were set for the trip Ayaaba had woke up and still drove us to the office where the Luxurious bus that would pick us to the kogi conference. (kudos to you Ayaaba).

Oladipo, is just a man full of blessings and unique styles, let us also look at the good character, simplicity, honesty, Love and Respect he Portrait during the mixed up of luggages between his humble self and Our 2006 Award winning CNN Journalist who is the publisher of Crestng.com Mr. Shola Oshunkeye after our return from the kogi conference, Honestly Oladipo worth celebrating.

Dotun Oladipo is an enigma that whenever he talks everybody cares to listen, he is a cynosure of all eyes on every occasion, he is truly a prince of hope many would want to associate with due to his humility and ability to serve humanity.

Even the Writer of the piece Mr. Ajagbe Adeyemi Teslim of August24news.com got the news about GOCOP during Oladipo tenure as president and eventually got inducted thereafter.

Having said all this, kindly join me to celebrate a senior Colleague, a mentor, a a professional media icon, a strategist, as every 19th day of December remains your day sir, Mr. Dotun Oladipo a.k.a Mr. Magic.

Felicitating with Dotun is his predecessor and Editor of Premium Times, Mr. Musikilu Mojeed “I have always known you to be a loving, hardworking and resilient person who is ever focused on achieving desirable results in everything. As you add another year today, I pray that God in his infinite mercy guides and elevates you to a greater height and makes you someone that successful people will always be eager to associate with.

On the heels of celebrating Dotun 55th Birthday, over 200 publishers across the globe both from GOCOP, NUJ, NGE, IMPCMS and  beyond sent congratulatory greetings to him on different notes which cannot be published on this edition alone.

First on the list is Dotun’s successor, the incumbent president of GOCOP and publisher of of Realnews magazine Online, Ms Maureen Chigbo, who said Oladipo is just a gift to GOCOP and Nigeria media.

Second is the Publisher of Freedom Online, Mr. Gabriel Akindewon describe Dotun as a phenomenon in the journalism world, an achiever, whose footprints in the digital media space and GOCOP cannot be erased. he is a friend, a brother, an ally you can call at midnight over any issue who will reliably and confidently tell you ‘I will fix it’.

He is also a professional in the media confraternity who is, forever, breaking new grounds due to his creativity and boldness, More decades in the land of the living.

Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, the publisher of ITREALMS said Dotun is a silent achiever, a complete gentleman and one whose open arms have forged friendship across the industry and the nation.

Alhaji Tajudeen Kareem who publishes Credible News, said Dotun is a compassionate fellow who sees GOCOP as a Nigeria Projects that must succeed and its currently succeeding.

Hassan Gimba, the publisher of Neptune online, described Dotun as a cool headed colleague, a great supporter of his platform who helps to publish his Weekly editorial feature since inception.

Speaking from another angle is one of the Oldest Publisher in GOCOP and Publisher of Greenbarge Report, Chief Yussuf Ozi-Usman npri described DOTUN in an acronym, viz “D stands for Dogged, O represents Originality, T for Talent, while U goes for Uplifting and N connotes Navigating.”

Dotun Oladipo showcases a remarkable set of qualities, values, and traits that embody exceptional leadership and character. These are words that align with the qualities of DOTUN says Ozi-Usman

Speaking further, he said Dotun is a Divine Opportunity Topics Under Nigeria and a blessing to any group who have the privilege of his membership.

In his own remarks, Tunde Abatan, the Publisher of Newdawnngr.com described him as a humble, selfless and devoted colleagues always ready to offer his service to all.

Crowning the birthday greetings is the President of the federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through the Presidential spokesman,  Mr. Bayo Onanuga, in a statement available to August24news.com, said Dotun unwavering contributions to online journalism in the country cannot be forgotten.

On behalf of my self, my loving and dashing wife, my resourceful children and the entire management of August24news.com and it’s sisters YouTube Channel August24news TV, we are all very proud to join other millions of Nigerians to celebrate and to felicitate with your humble personality as you just add another feather to your wing today sir.

hip!
hip!!
hip!!!
hurrayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

kindly, keep the ball rolling sir!!!(Uncle D.O)

Ajagbe is the Publisher of August24news.com, a Senior Special Assistant to Lagos Island East Council Chairman on Media and Digital Communications and a bonafide member of GOCOP writes from Lagos.

Celebrating Dupe Olusola’s Transformative Leadership as Transcorp Hotels Plc Welcomes New CEO

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

As Transcorp Hotels Plc announces the appointment of Mrs Uzo Oshogwe as the new Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer effective January 1, 2025, it is an opportune moment to reflect on the outstanding legacy of Dupe Olusola, whose tenure has redefined the hospitality landscape in Nigeria and across Africa.

Dupe Olusola’s leadership at Transcorp Hotels Plc over the past four years and nine months has been transformational. From dragging the hospitality brand out of the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic having taken over at the onset of the crisis, to driving groundbreaking initiatives, to fostering a culture of innovation and excellence, Dupe Olusola leaves behind a legacy of remarkable achievements that have positioned the company as a leader in Africa’s hospitality industry.

Under her stewardship, Transcorp Hotels Plc achieved unprecedented growth, breaking records in revenue and profitability, even in the face of global challenges. Her strategic vision ensured the delivery of exceptional guest experiences and the implementation of initiatives that align with international best practices.

A thought leader and advocate for the development of the African hospitality industry, Dupe Olusola has represented the company and the continent on global stages, contributing to vital conversations about the sector’s growth, resilience, and potential. Her participation in high-profile forums, such as the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum, has cemented her reputation as a leading voice shaping the narrative around Africa’s burgeoning hospitality market.

Dupe Olusola’s leadership has also been recognized through numerous personal accolades, including the Seven Stars Woman of the Year, as only the second recipient of this esteemed honour in the 12-year history of the awards.

The recognition celebrates her outstanding leadership and transformative impact on the African hospitality industry. Beyond personal recognition, Transcorp Hotels Plc thrived under her leadership, garnering nearly 40 prestigious awards.

Her emphasis on innovation, sustainability, and empowering the next generation of leaders has left an indelible mark on the industry and set new standards for hospitality excellence. She has built a strong foundation which the company can now build on, to actualise its growth and expansion plans, starting with the launch of the 5,000-capacity event centre which is awaiting commissioning.