Biography Of Hon Kola Salami, Chairmanship Aspirant In Ede South LG

The biography of Hon Kola Salami, chairmanship aspirant in Ede South local government area of the state of Osun.

Many have had the opportunity to take the humbling and enlightening path that Kolawole Salami has had.

Born into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Salami of Adéònù’s compound, Ede South local government, he started from a very humble beginning. His parents instilled in him the core principles that built him up into a strong, diligent, and principled man that he has become.

He started his academic journey at Ola-Olu nursery and primary school, Ede before proceeding to Mapo Arogun Comprehensive High School, Ede for his secondary school education. His endless quest for more knowledge took him to Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomoso, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. He had his National Youth Service in Delta state where he diligently served his country.

While at Lautech, he discovered his burning desire for service. He was very active in the Students’ Union and served as a parliamentarian in the Students’ Union. At the SUG, he was the Chairman House Committee on Budgetary and Finance. His journey through the public education system in Nigeria gave him the enlightenment and clarity needed to understand how to put his skills and intellect to use in the service of his people.

Being a staunch believer in relentlessly pursuing excellence, he proceeded to the UK where he obtained a Master’s degree in Management & Finance, in 2009. Whilst in the UK, he worked hard to carve a path for himself. Never the one to sit and wait for things to happen, he took multiple menial jobs during his study in the UK to help relieve the financial burden on his parents.

In spite of the challenges of living in different culture, he immersed himself in his new environment. He found a way to strike a balance in his life; he worked hard, studied hard, and networked. His time at Southampton Business School helped him gain a lot of clarity. There, he successfully developed the necessary skills required to thrive in the UK professional environment through various work experiences.

Being a person that has never been held back by stereotypes and barriers, he transcended major stereotypes and barriers that were stacked against him to become a finance professional. As a finance professional, his roles have included: Finance Officer in a UK local government council; Management Accountant and Financial Analyst across FTSE companies.

Seeing the need to further develop himself professionally and politically, he decided to stay in the UK to continue his development. His political and professional growth have made him more equipped to serve in different capacities. His work experience in the UK includes being a management accountant at various UK FTSE companies including a leading energy firm with annual revenue in excess of £4 billion. He was required to prepare and present management account information and financial report for shared services across the UK to directors and executives to very tight deadlines.

He has also had the opportunity of working as a Financial & Planning Analyst in one of UK’s leading security firms, where he was responsible for analysing trends in revenue, cost of sales and expenses across regions and branches, monitoring indicators, highlighting trends and analysing causes of unexpected variance, among many other things. Working with people from all walks of life; from staff, senior management to key stakeholders and directors has equipped him with great interpersonal skills.

Beyond the lessons learnt from schools and society, his parents have always been his biggest inspiration. His father, Mr. Ganiyu Oyedemi Salami is a hardworking man who believes in discipline, diligence and honesty. These values were instilled in all his children, giving them the necessary foundation to overcome life’s challenges. Through his dedication and hard work, he rose to the position of Director in the Osun state civil service, becoming the most senior civil servant in Ede prior to his retirement. His mother, Mrs. Lydia Oluwakemi Salami is an accomplished primary school teacher who exceled greatly in her line of work. Loved by her students and colleagues, she rose to become an early childhood educator of note in Ede.

Both his parents are great entrepreneurs and humanitarians; they have both created several employment opportunities for youths of different backgrounds in Ede. This is in line with their belief that those who have been lucky enough to make it to the top should help those coming behind. This strong belief in helping people was passed to Kolawole Salami who has invested financially and physically in making kids from Ede and other states in Nigeria have better education opportunities. In 2018, he facilitated the distribution of books and other education materials to the ‘Street to School’ initiative in Lagos. Never the one to forget his roots, he has also invested quality time and resources into helping his Alma Mater become a better institution of learning. He continues to empower many students in Osun State, giving them easier and better access to education.

He is also a dedicated family man who enjoys spending time with his wife and kids. He is married to a smart and beautiful wife, Cynthia Arinola Salami. After studying Law at Brunel University, she qualified as a lawyer in November 2012. She is a brilliant lawyer who spent the first 6 years of her career specialising in Employment and Contracts Law. She has a wealth of experience working in different capacities in her 8 years of legal practice. Her work experience includes working in Local Government advising various stakeholders from counsellors to committee members. She also represented various Councils at Employment Tribunal hearings. Her work at the time and her endless quest for knowledge led to her completing her diploma in Local Government Law and Practice in 2016.

In 2018, Arinola decided to merge her passion for mental health and law and began working for one of the leading children’s mental health charity in the UK. She currently works as a Legal and Compliance Manager for the charity. She manages all legal and compliance aspects such as data protection, contracts, risk, employment law and much more for the charity.

Arinola is a passionate lawyer who aspires to make a difference in any capacity she finds herself. She has been a major and dependable pillar of support towards her husband’s aspirations too. The couple share, among other things, a mutual enthusiasm to make the world a better place. They are blessed with two beautiful boys.

Kola Salami has always been actively involved in political developments in Osun state. His active involvement is motivated by his undaunted interest in the progress of the state. He has made himself available for the building of a strong and viable political alternative for young people in Osun state. During the last election he shuttled between the UK and Nigeria to help build a strong political campaign for the APC’s candidates of choice. He has used, and continues to use, his personal resources and platforms to actively campaign for progress and development of the party and the state.

As opposed to the mass apathy that is often prevalent amongst the youths towards the Nigerian political landscape, Kolawole Salami has made himself active politically, making him an example for other progressive youths to follow. He has committed himself to the progress of Osun state both politically, financially, and physically.

In addition to his wide range of experience as a finance and management consultant, he is also a prolific writer who has a wonderful grasp of new media. He brings to the table an unmatched experience and portfolio. More than that, he brings to the table a genuine and sincere interest in seeing Ede South Local Government become a pace-setting local government that she is capable of being.

Thanking you as you join Kola in his quest, standing on the shoulders of giants, of our forebearers in building a prosperous society.
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