The valedictory speech delivered on the 26th of May, 2011 titled: “The Giant Is Awake, Ogun State Has Been Repositioned” was not only a summary of the 8-year Administration of Otunba (Engr.) Justus Olugbenga Daniel in Ogun State, it was sort of synopsis of the shape of things to come; an eye opener to the current turnaround being witnessed in many sectors of Ogun economy. Presenting the score card of his Administration between 2003 and 2011, he said in the speech: “At the beginning of our Administration, we set a goal for ourselves. Our objective was to awake the sleeping giant of which Ogun State was in May 2003. It was a State that was reeking in high unemployment, low commercial activities and very parlous economy despite inconceivable opportunities and potentials literally begging for tapping. We set to give Ogun State a conspicuous presence in the global arena, the first among equals in virtually all area of human endeavours in the entire length and breadth of the country”……..“our eternal joy is that we came, met Ogun State as a sleeping giant and we are pleased to submit that the giant is now awake and Ogun State has been repositioned for greatness”.
Widely known in political circles as OGD, Otunba Daniel is an accomplished Engineer, a consummate politician, a quintessential manager and philanthropist, two-term governor of Ogun State and the Founder/Chairman, Kresta Laurel Limited, Lagos, an engineering firm specialising in elevators, power systems, overhead travelling cranes and hoists which has remained a leader in its area of competence.
Starting as a designer engineer at Mandillas, he quickly rose through the ranks in the corporate world. He became the Factory Supervisor at Metalbox, Distribution Manager at African Petroleum, Acting Department Chair at the Lagos State Polytechnic, School of Engineering, Assistant Commercial Manager at Metal Construction Nigeria Limited and the
Deputy Managing Director, H.F. Schroeder West Africa Limited, all in his 20s and 30s.
Born on 6th of April, 1956, Otunba Daniel, brilliant, audacious and intuitive as a college boy, attended Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta, the School of Basic Studies at The Polytechnic, Ibadan and later studied Engineering at the University of Lagos, where he won several scholarships and became acquainted with the legendary Prof. Ayodele Awojobi.
During his National Service year at the School of Engineering of the Lagos State Polytechnic, he supervised the construction of the Engineering Complex of the institution and also conducted the semester examinations for the School of Engineering, without any whiff of leakage or scandal. Daniel was to proceed to earn a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos and subsequently attended the Lagos Business School for an executive programme.
A distinguished Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Otunba Daniel cut his professional teeth with Metal Construction (West Africa) Limited and later joined the then multinational company H.F. SCHROEDER West Africa Limited in 1983 as a young Engineer. Two years later, being the only qualified engineer in the company and industrious, he was promoted and seconded to control the affair of the LIFT Department as Assistant General Manager (1985). Two years later, he became the General Manager of H. F. SCHROEDER (1987). Like an automatic but unwritten rule, Engr. Daniel received another promotion two years later to the post of Deputy Managing Director, the position he held until his resignation from the company in 1990.
In between the years in H.F. SCHREODER as AGM (LIFTS and DEMAG|), he secured many lift contracts for H.F. SCHROEDER W/A, Prominent among these are Mamman Kontagora House, Marina – FMBN, First Bank, Iganmu, Crusader Insurance House, Lagos, Elephant House, Chief Arthur Nzeribe House, Bamigbose, Lagos, LSDPC House, Lagos, Law Union & Rock, to mention just a few. In H. F. Schroeder, most staff saw him as kind, selfless and many describe him as a Philanthropist – his passion as a leader, socialist, ‘welfarist’ and counsellor made him the doyen of everyone.
His stay in H. F. Schroeder could be viewed as a period of grace to the company and blessing to the workers. No wonder then that when having seen that the exodus of the expatriates could affect the encompassing goal of the company; and also the expatriates believing in his ability to turn around things did not hesitate to pass on to him the clients being managed by Lifts, DEMAG and Generator Departments under H.F SCHROEDER. They believe that he would not only keep but continue the business relations with those clients; an idea that gave birth to his Engineering Company, one of the best in the history of privately run companies in Nigeria.
In the course of his leadership in H.F. Schroder West Africa, his friends cut across professionals who had made a statement in their choice careers. In the Engineering profession Otunba Daniel excelled and demonstrated his business acumen by running a successful company that gave job to many and restored pride in the Nigerian professional.
Kresta Laurel, in a few years of its existence, became a household name, blazing the trail in a world dominated by foreign corporate giants. Kresta Laurel Limited is the foremost and the only ISO 9001 certified lift company in Nigeria.
It is also the authorised distributor of KONE; the number one elevator makers in the world. This he started off by the belief in himself and the belief in the ability of Nigerian engineers to hold their own in the horizontal and vertical moving engineering industry in Nigeria.
Kresta Laurel’s certification as the agency for DEMAG and SABIEM products is as a result of his proficiency in engineering details, belief and ability to accomplish projects and deliver to specification. Said he: “Although, high technology is perceived to be the exclusive preserve of the industrialized world, it should be possible with hard work, discipline, thoroughness and maintenance of high standards to establish a company that can hold its own in the international arena with best practices in all ramifications. The dream of Kresta Laurel is therefore that of a company aimed at providing first class products and services in the arena of technology with technical competence comparable with the best anywhere in the world”.
It was the same doggedness and penchant that made him a hugely successful businessman that he brought into politics and governance. His entrée was the Gateway Front Foundation (GFF), a non-profit organization through which has, in the past years, impacted positively on the lives of many through humanitarian and charitable activities. It was the desire to further affect the lives of the people positively that made him to offer himself for elective office, in the position of Governor.
In his characteristic manner, Otunba Daniel ran a space-age, well-coordinated and intensive campaign, visiting in the process all the 236 wards in the State the first seeker for office to do so in the history of Ogun State. During the grueling campaign, he sold the message of change and hope. He came across to the electorate as a fresh and dynamic alternative to the existing but obviously tired power structure. The outcome was a resounding victory at the polls in 2003 and subsequent re-election in 2007.
As Governor, Otunba Daniel expectedly lived up to expectation by bringing positive innovation and productive dynamism into governance. In terms of people-oriented programmes it is widely acknowledged that he is a trail-blazer who restored hope, rehabilitated infrastructure, re-engineered institutions and firmly put in place an agenda of modernisation in Ogun State. Today, Ogun State has become the “investment destination of choice” not only in Nigeria but also on the West coast of Africa. Under Otunba Daniel’s administration, the nation’s Gateway State became a shining model of good governance and development.
His achievements while in government are in public domain and could only be described in the superlatives where 1. credibility was restored in governance in such a way that people now know that government can be believed, 2. transformation of the State to the nation’s investment destination of choice, leading destination for sporting activities in the country, a place with standard educational institutions including the first University of Education in Nigeria, an enclave of thriving businesses, functional infrastructure and opportunities for people to realise their God-given potentials, creating the highest number of job opportunities in the history of Ogun State and the country and making several to be self-employed and lastly that his government was accountable to the people, ran an open government, executed meaningful projects and utilized the funds of the State in a transparent and judicious manner.
After leaving office in 2011, Otunba Daniel continued funding youth development initiatives within Ogun State. With the core objectives to prepare, produce and support young leaders to improving their opportunities and competitiveness to impact on the society significantly, he established the Political Academy (POLA) with the vision to identify, codify, enhance and propagate principles and capacities needed for effective value-based socio-political and economic leadership by offering high quality, accelerated socio-political and economic education.
In recognition of his contributions to educational development in the State Otunba Daniel has been honoured with several academic laurels and distinguished awards. He is currently the Chairman, Nigeria/Finland Business Council and one-time Pro-Chancellor/Chairman, Governing Council, Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State.
Detribalised, sociable, cultured and grassroots politician par excellence, his diverse achievements and amiable disposition has earned him honours and recognitions from far and near as well as many chieftaincy titles including the Otunba Adeoti of Omu-Ijebu, Fesojoye of Ile Ife (the Source), Otunba Asoludero of Makun, Sagamu, Arole of Remoland, OluNla of Egbaland, OgaNla of Yewaland, Aare Ajibosin of Owu Kingdom and Otunba Obalofin of Ijebuland. He is also the Asiwaju of Remo Christians.
Otunba Gbenga Daniel is married to his own priceless jewel, Yeye Olubunmi Olufunke Daniel who he described as an epitome of goodness, a pillar, woman of great care and virtue and they are blessed with five children.
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