Michael Otedola
Encyclopedia
Sir Michael Otedola is a Nigerian
politician and the former Governor of Lagos State
, Nigeria
.
Otedola was born on the 16 July 1926 into a Muslim family at Odoragunsin, Epe
Local Government Area of Lagos State. After moving to Lagos
to pursue his education he won a scholarship to study Journalism at the Regent Street Polytechnic
in London
where he graduated in 1958.
He began his career as a teacher before working as a reporter at the St. Pancras Chronicle, then as a reporter and later sub-editor at The Guardian
and The Times
in England.
On his return to Nigeria in 1959 he became an Information Officer in the Western Nigeria government, and while in this post he was appointed the Editor of the Western Nigeria Illustrated.
In 1961 he moved into public relations, working for Western Nigeria Television/Western Broadcasting Service (1961-1964) and Mobil Oil Group of Companies (1964-1977), continuing as a consultant to Mobil after leaving the company.
He was elected governor of Lagos State from 1992 to 1993 on the platform of the National Republican Convention
(NRC), leaving office when General Sani Abacha
came to power.
His administration facilitated establishing the Yaba College of Technology
campus in Epe, his home town.
After leaving office, he continued his career as a writer, a consultant holding positions on the boards various businesses, and a philanthropist.
In February 2010 ThisDay newspaper announced that he was among 15 eminent Nigerians who had won Lifetime Achievement Awards.
His son Femi Otedola
became the billionaire owner of Nigerian oil giant Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
politician and the former Governor of Lagos State
Lagos State
Lagos State is an administrative division of Nigeria, located in the southwestern part of the country. The smallest in area of Nigeria's states, Lagos State is the most populous state in Nigeria and arguably the most economically important state of the country and west Africa, containing Lagos, the...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
Otedola was born on the 16 July 1926 into a Muslim family at Odoragunsin, Epe
Epe, Nigeria
Epe is a town and Local Government Area in Lagos State, Nigeria located on the north side of the Lekki Lagoon. At the 2006 Census the population of Epe was 181,409.-References:...
Local Government Area of Lagos State. After moving to Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
to pursue his education he won a scholarship to study Journalism at the Regent Street Polytechnic
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
where he graduated in 1958.
He began his career as a teacher before working as a reporter at the St. Pancras Chronicle, then as a reporter and later sub-editor at The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
in England.
On his return to Nigeria in 1959 he became an Information Officer in the Western Nigeria government, and while in this post he was appointed the Editor of the Western Nigeria Illustrated.
In 1961 he moved into public relations, working for Western Nigeria Television/Western Broadcasting Service (1961-1964) and Mobil Oil Group of Companies (1964-1977), continuing as a consultant to Mobil after leaving the company.
He was elected governor of Lagos State from 1992 to 1993 on the platform of the National Republican Convention
National Republican Convention
The National Republican Convention was a Nigerian political party established by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida and ultimately disbanded by the incoming military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1993.-Alignment:...
(NRC), leaving office when General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
came to power.
His administration facilitated establishing the Yaba College of Technology
Yaba College of Technology
Yaba College of Technology, founded in 1947, is Nigeria's first higher educational institution. It is located in Yaba, Lagos. The college is a center of culture and heritage...
campus in Epe, his home town.
After leaving office, he continued his career as a writer, a consultant holding positions on the boards various businesses, and a philanthropist.
In February 2010 ThisDay newspaper announced that he was among 15 eminent Nigerians who had won Lifetime Achievement Awards.
His son Femi Otedola
Femi Otedola
Femi Otedola is a Nigerian businessman. He is the CEO of African Petroleum Plc, and appeared as one of only two Nigerians to appear on the 2009 Forbes list of 793 dollar-denominated billionaires in the world, with an estimated net worth of over USD$1.2 billion.Femi Otedola is the Nigerian...
became the billionaire owner of Nigerian oil giant Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited.