Ekiti Governor appoints Niyi Adebayo as Chief of Staff, reassigns other officials

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has announced a reshuffle in his administration with the appointment of Mr. Oyeniyi Adebayo as Chief of Staff. The appointment takes effect from January 2, 2025.

Adebayo, who currently serves as the Commissioner for Budget, Economic Planning, and Performance Management, will step into his new role with a mandate to leverage his extensive experience in finance, management, and planning to enhance the coordination of activities in the Governor’s Office.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, Governor Oyebanji also approved the following changes:

Hon. Femi Ajayi: Currently the Special Adviser, Independent Project Monitoring Office, Ajayi has been named the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, reverting the ministry to its original name. Ajayi, a former commissioner for the same ministry, will resume his new role on January 2, 2025.

Prince Wole Ajakaiye: Previously Director General and Special Adviser on SDGs, Ajakaiye has been appointed Special Adviser in charge of the newly created Office of Special Services. The office will oversee SDGs, Independent Project Monitoring, and other functions assigned by the Governor.

Barrister Tajudeen Akingbolu: A former member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Akingbolu has been appointed Director General of the newly established Ekiti State Transport Agency.

Adebayo, a native of Usi-Ekiti, joined Governor Oyebanji’s administration as Special Adviser on Budget, Economic Planning, and Performance Management in November 2022 before his appointment as Commissioner in August 2023.

He holds a B.Sc. in Forest Resources Management and an M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ibadan, as well as an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He has attended management courses at prestigious institutions, including Harvard Business School and INSEAD.

A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Adebayo has a distinguished career spanning global financial institutions, including Merrill Lynch and Capital Alliance Private Equity. He has held executive roles in Nigerian banks such as UBA, FCMB, and Enterprise Bank.

Before his public service career, Adebayo founded Bodani Advisory Services Limited, a management consulting firm.

Governor Oyebanji urged the appointees to justify the confidence reposed in them by ensuring effective service delivery and advancing the administration’s developmental goals. He expressed optimism that their appointments would bring enhanced governance and service to the people of Ekiti State.