Ibukun Awosika
Ibukun Awosika is a Nigerian business mogul, author and motivational speaker. In September,2015 she was made Chairman of First Bank Nigeria making her the first female to occupy the position.
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Background │Family
Ibukun Abiodun Awosika was born on the 24th of December, 1962 in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. She was the third of seven children. She had her primary and secondary education at St. Pauls African Church Primary School , Lagos and went on to Methodist Girl’s High School, Yaba. And for university she went to the University of Ife (Now known as Obafemi Awolowo University) from whence she graduated with a degree in Chemistry. She also holds certifications from the Lagos Business School and IESE Busines School.
Ibukun Awosika is married to Abiodun Awosika and together they have three children.
Rise to Prominence
Ibukun first worked as an audit trainee at Akintola Williams & Co and then went on to Alibert Nigeria Ltd to work as a showroom manager. She founded her own furniture manufacturing company- Quebees Limited in 1989. Quebees Limited eventually evolved into The Chair Centre Limited and later on changed name in 2004 to SOKOA Chair Centre Limited after merging with SOKOA S.A and Guaranty Trust Bank.
Ibukun Awosika is also enjoys membership of many internationally recognised organisations. She is a fellow of the African Leadership Initiative and Aspen Global Leadership Network, she is a member of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, she is on the board of Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund and is the chairman Board of Trustees of Women in Management, Business and Public Service.
She co-founded the Afterschool Graduate Development Centre and on the 7th of September 2015 she became the first woman to be made the Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria. She succeeded Prince Ajibola Afonja.
Ibukun Awosika is an consummate author. Her books include:
- The “Girl” Entrepreneurs
- Business His Way
Accolades
- In 2005 she was nominated for the Entrepreneur of The Year award at the THISDAY Newspaper Annual Merit Award.
- In 2006 she was nominated for the Female Entrepreneur of the Year prize at the Success Digests Magazine’s Annual Enterprise Award.
- In 2006 she was nominated for the Best Female Entrepreneur of The Year prize at the Financial Standard and Pan-African Organization for Women Recognition.
- She won the FATE Model Entrepreneur Award of the Year at the FATE Foundation Awards.
- She won the Golden Heart Award at the International Women Society Award in 2007.
- She won the Entrepreneurial Challenge Award in 2008.
- She was nominated for the YNaija Person of The Year in 2015.
