In very recent years, Nigerians have become more agitated and much concerned with the many complexities associated with governance. Today, leadership roles are increasingly in the public domain and since important questions concerning its role and performance in Nigeria have been raised, the general public and the entire academic community have shown an intense on who should lead. Sociologists as well as political scientists have begun to view the issue of leadership as a subject for serious study. Nigerians are asking questions as to why much progress had not been made since the nation’s independence. The readily made answer is that there is strong leadership vacuum and hence, the development in all sectors has become a mirage. Leadership failure has been the bane of many African countries, but in recent times, there is a loud call for a paradigm shift and Pastor David Adebanjo Jimoh has joined the queue for this call.Kogi State like other Nigerian states cannot continue like this in the face of the competitiveness among states in the country to bring advancement as well as development to their people.This piece of work is not only about the biography of Mr. Jimoh, but also to record his strong passion to govern Kogi State and the other activities of a true leader whose presence on the political landscape has gradually become a kind of big time celebrity politically. For many who may not know him very well, here is a brief run-down of his bio-sketch.
Pastor David Adebanji Jimoh is a res
pected gentleman, politician and wizard in the banking industry with over a quarter of a century banking experience. He was born on the 8th of September, 1966 into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Jimoh Owogbemila. He hails from Kabba in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.Banji grew up to love education and his great passion for education aided him to crave for it. And he got it. Right from his tender age, he knew that it was only good education that would banish ignorance and poverty. Today, he is a successful individual and has promised himself to return part of his wealth to help the masses in his community and even beyond.He started his journey into education in 1971 as a pupil of St. Paul’s Primary School, Kabba and obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1979. He later proceeded to St. Augustine’s College, Kabba between 1979 and 1983 for his secondary school education and came out as the overall best student in form four but later completed it at St, Barnabas’ Secondary School Kabba in 1984. His best subject while in Secondary school was Economics.David was a student at the Federal School of Arts and Science Ondo between 1984 and 1986 for his advanced level certificate (‘A’ Level) and he graduated as an award winner in History and Geography. His success story at various levels of his education made him a strong candidate for university education; David got admitted to the Premier University of Ibadan and graduated in 1990 with Bachelor of Science degree Upper Division in Economics. He holds Master degree in Business Administration (MBA). Banji as he is profoundly called by his friends and colleagues had his one year mandatory national service (NYSC) from 1990 to1991 in Anambra State where he was posted to the Nigerian Bottling Company Onitsha and worked in the Accounts department. He was actively involved in sales, promotion and other assignment placed on his doorstep by the company.On his completion of his higher education, he worked with some renowned organizations where he displayed high sense of discipline, absolute honesty, dexterity, adept, punctilious, obsequious and ratiocination.Due to his versatile and workaholic nature, Adebanji got employed at VT Leasing Lagos as an Associate where he worked for some couple of years before leaving for Chartered Bank now Stanbic IBTC in 1996. While as the Stanbic Bank, he won the Managing Director’s award as the Most Dedicated Staff. In 1999, Adebanji joined Standard Trust Bank and 2001, he moved to City Express Bank where he was promoted to the rank of an Assistant Manager Credit and Marketing. Due to the high demand for him at various financial houses, Adebanji left for another, Global Bank where he was made Branch Manager in Kano. In 2003, he was with Ecobank Transnational as a full Manager for Kano and later moved to Lagos in 2004 to support the commercial banking of the bank. As a result of his hard work coupled with his absolute honesty and high integrity, Adebanji was sought after by the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and he was made a Senior Manager of the bank in 2006. He was the head Corporate Banking as well as the head Manufacturing and Durables office in 2007. He was a senior staff with Access Bank in 2007 where he was made Branch Head-Apapa Commercial Banking Group. In 2009, he was invited to Union Bank as an Assistant General Manager. He left Union Bank as Regional Executive-North in 2020. Adebanji is a renowned banker, administrator and well respected professional.He is a Fellow of the Institute of Credit Administration of Nigeria, Honourable member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HCIB) amongst other certifications.There is only one reason to admire Pastor David Adebanji Jimoh, he always stands on principles, truth and honesty, and nothing else. He is always resilient in his determination to pursue all goals that will promote unity in Oweland, Okunland and Kogi State. He has used the good opportunities God has given him to assist younger generations, the aged and the indigents in the society through employment and financial support to those that come his way. Pastor Jimoh will never be satisfied until the best is achieved for the people around him.He has travelled across the globe in the course of performing his duty as a banker and as a trainee. He is a member of the Executive Leadership Programme for Africa (EPL). For Banji something worked for him in his early life, his parents put him in the path of knowing Christ. The strong support of his parents for this lad to embrace Christ has helped him to commit his ways and doings to God-his maker. Today, he is strongly addicted to God’s work and a strong promoter of various church programme within and outside Kogi State. He is an ordained pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).Mr. David Adebanji Jimoh is a rising star, a man who has imbibed the thorough culture of his people which is premised on hard work, respect, moral uprightness, humility, commitment, tolerance, honesty and God-fearing principles. His rise to stardom in his community, Kogi State and Nigeria is not by coincidence or accidental but rather by hard work coupled with the strong principles impacted on him by his good parents, family members family.He is a young man full of zeal and energy who has made the state proud in the banking industry having risen to the pinnacle of his profession, he has given employment opportunities to the youths and has been given scholarship awards to several students.He is a unique and stupendous man who has a crystal-clear vision for his people. He knows their needs, he identifies with their problems, he takes time to analyze the challenges and he goes all out to solve them. He is simple to approach and accessible. He is a man with many parts. He believes in team-work. He has acquired an enviable wealth of knowledge and experience which have been an immense advantage to everyone around him, his community and Kogi State in general. He is a manager of talents and resources, he is devoted to excellence. These unique attributes have helped him in several ways to succeed in life. He has transferred these attributes to his private businesses which has equally catapulted him to the peak of the business world.As a private sector man, if given the opportunity to serve as the governor of our dear state, he will manage the resources of the state effectively harnessing the varied natural resources together with capable manpower that will usher in Kogi State to a new dawn. Banji Jimoh is a man with a large heart and one who understands the plights of the people of Kogi State. Ahead of the Kogi governorship primary election, a coalition of youth groups in the Western axis of the state has called on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to field a seasoned banker, Adebanji Jimoh, as the party’s flag bearer for the 11th November polls.It must be noted that several groups have emerged to promote Banji’s governorship ambition such as the: Kogi For Good Governance (KFGG), Kogi For A Better Tomorrow (KFBT) and Kogi West Unite For Good Governance (KWUFGG). All these pressure groups have continuously appeal to our beloved brothers in Kogi East and Kogi Central senatorial districts to give their overwhelming and massive support for Kogi West for the sake of justice, equity and fairness. Kogites need a leader with new energies, new ideas, new machineries, new innovation and that are inherent in Banji Jimoh that will be able to build on the structure of Governor Yahaya Bello for a new Kogi State of our dream.Recently, youths across the 21 Local government areas of Kogi State staged a peaceful street walk in Lokoja in support of the governorship aspiration of Mr. David Banji Jimoh who is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who they have described as ” the most competent and qualified candidate among the contestants” in the State. They also called on major stakeholders in the state to zone the governorship seat to Kogi west senatorial district and narrowing it down to Banji Jimoh who they said is intellectually mobile and fit like a fiddle for the plum job. For us in the Coalition of United Political Parties(CUPP) Kogi State chapter, we have decided to throw our weights behind Pastor Adebanjo Jimoh’s aspiration as the governor of Kogi State come 2024. We have confidence in his leadership. This support streams from his transformational traits, display of good character and capacity at all times. He is the most qualified governorship aspirant in Kogi State today.Pastor David Adebanji Jimoh is happily married to Pastor (Mrs.) Angelina Adebanji and their marriage is blessed with wonderful and God loving children. The success story being told here today about Mr. Banji is as a result of his commitment and concern for the poor and he has vowed to help them attain the best in life. Kudos to this very great man of conscience, the man of the moment! Banji deserves to be supported for the 2024 governorship bid by all Kogites for the development of the State.
