By Anthony Maliki, Abuja
The saying “A Golden Fish has no hiding place” aptly applies to His Excellency Dr. Phillips Omeiza Ozovehe Salawu. A man of value and valour, the former Deputy Governor of Kogi State from 2003 to 2012, is somebody people trust because of his pedigree. Steadfast and resolute, he was the pioneer National Director of Finance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998 and has a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Banker, designed and implemented the Accounting System for the Party. Besides, he also offered professional advice for the successful Fund-Raising Outings of the PDP, during the Party’s crucial moments of financial scarcity.
He is a committed member of the party in thick and thin and sought after to be become the National Chairman of the PDP in its upcoming National Convention slated for 29 and 30 March, 2026.
Born in Ihima District of Okehi Local Government Area in Kogi State on the 29th of October, 1957, Dr. Salawu has all it takes to lead the PDP. He meritoriously earned a B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD, D.Sc (Hc), PhD, (Hc), FCA, FCIB,FCS,FCTI, FFIA,FCCrFA, FCCFI, CPFA, AICMC,LLB,BL. and a whole other academic and professional qualifications.
He is indeed an Academic Star from GSS Okene, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE, London; Emily Woolf College of Accountancy in High Holborn London; University of Jos, Baze University Abuja, FCT, and the Nigerian Law School, Abuja Campus.
He made Division I with Distinction at his WASCE, made a First Class Distinction at his B.Sc Accounting Degree and won all the prime academic prizes for the B.Sc degree program and also led his PhD Class in the Course Work Program.
Dr. Salawu made Distinction Grades in the Practice of Banking and in the Management of Financial Institutions’ papers at the Nigerian Chartered Institute of Banking Associateship Examinations. He took a second position, at first sitting, in the Nigerian Chartered Institute of StockBrokers’ final qualifying examinations. He is a Fellow and an Associate of Nine Reputable Professional Bodies Worldwide.
He is a Financial Technocrat, a Chartered Corporate Accountant, a Chartered Public Finance Accountant, a Chartered Banker, a Chartered StockBroker, a Chartered Tax Consultant, a Chartered Mediator & Conciliator, a Certified Forensic Accountant and a Forensic Auditor; a Certified Fraud Investigator and Fraud Examiner; a Lawyer, a Barrister and a Solicitor at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
He was a leading light in the Private Sector and worked as a Career Banker for twelve years in the Merchant Banking sector of the Nigerian Economy at four different Merchant Banks, where he rose from the position of a Financial Analyst to Deputy General Manger, (DGM), in Corporate Banking and International Banking Operations. Furthermore, he also held an earlier portfolio as the head of the Capital Market Division of one of the four Merchant Banks.
During his banking career, he was trained by the following International Banks in the core areas of banking operations. These are Chase Manhattan Bank of New York, USA, Citibank of New York, USA and Australia-NewZealand Bank in London, UK.
He voluntarily resigned his appointment in the Merchant Banking Sector to successfully establish his private business outfit in 1996, the Omegah Business Conglomerate, with business interests in Hospitality Industry, Real Estate, Agriculture, Oil and Gas; Mining and Quarrying; Education, Training, Business Consultancy, Forensics and Allied Services.
He also has vast political experience spanning decades. As elected Deputy Governor of Kogi State for almost nine years he had a cordial relationship with his political boss, the Executive Governor of Kogi State. He was selected on merit to serve as a Member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP in February 2013. He was selected as a Delegate to the Nigerian National Conference of 2014, to represent the North Central GeoPolitical Zone.
He also served as a Governing Council member for the University of Calabar between 2013 and 2017 and chaired the Council’s Audit Committee as a Chartered Accountant.
A man of repute, in all his private and public sector engagements, Dr. Salawu had no blemish and was not associated with any known financial or moral scandals and had been honored by numerous reputable organizations in the course of all his engagements. He was selected twice as the “Most Royal Deputy Governor in Nigeria” during his nine-year period as the Deputy Governor of Kogi State.
Dr. Salawu was selected by the West African Students’ and the African Students’ Bodies, for the Kwame Nkrumah and the Nelson Mandela Prizes respectively, as a pillar of support for the international students’ movements.
He was awarded a D.Sc Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Management by USAM in Porto-Novo, Benin Republic for his contributions to the Nigerian Economy and its Political Stability and also awarded PhD, Honorary Doctorate degree in Political Science by the International Peace and Conflict Management University, in recognition of his Exceptional Leadership and Governance Expertise.
A dedicated family man, Dr. Salawu is happily married to Her Excellency, Mrs Grace Itopa Omolola Salawu; and the marriage is blessed with six children and six grand children, for now, all to the glory of Almighty God.
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