Bimbo Daramola
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Bimbo Daramola | |
|---|---|
| In office 2011–2015 | |
| Constituency | Ekiti North Federal Constituency 1 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 November 1967 Nigeria |
| Political party | All Progressives Congress(APC) |
| Residence(s) | Abuja and Ekiti, Nigeria |
| Alma mater | Christ's School, Ado-Ekiti |
| Occupation | Lawmaking |
Abimbola Oluwafemi Daramola (born 9 November 1967) is a Nigerian scientist and legislator in the House of Representatives, representing Ekiti North Federal Constituency, Ekiti State, South- West Nigeria [1] since 2011.
Early life
Bimbo Daramola was born in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State by Francis Adebayo Daramola, a former Chairman (Mayor) of Oye Local Government Area[2] when Oye Local Government Area was under Ondo State, out of which Ekiti State was carved in 1996 by the military government of Nigeria then headed by late General Sani Abacha.[3] His mother's name is Joan Taiwo Daramola (now late), a retired Head Teacher - Secondary School Principal. His father was also an educationist.
Education
Daramola started his formal education at Emmanuel Anglican Primary School, Ado-Ekiti. He was then transferred to St. Joseph Primary School, Aramoko-Ekiti in 1973 when his father was posted from the famous Christ's School, Ado-Ekiti to Aramoko District Commercial Secondary School, ADICO, Aramoko Ekiti [1]. In 1978, Daramola returned to Ado-Ekiti as a student of Christ's School, having sat for and passed the entrance examination into the school founded by Archdeacon Henry Dallimore.[4] Upon completion of his secondary education at Christ's School, he had a one-year stint at Ado Grammar School where he had to resit for West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) when there was delay in the release of the results of his first attempt by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC], the body charged with the responsibility to conduct the examinations. He went ahead to study Geology in 1984 at the then Ondo State University (OSUA), Ado Ekiti, then University of Ado Ekiti, (UNAD) and now known as Ekiti State University.
He graduated in 1989 and was thereafter posted to Kaduna State, North West Nigeria, where he participated in the one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps. His place of primary assignment during the NYSC scheme was Water Survey (Nig) Ltd, a subsidiary of Water Survey (UK), an international geophysics and hydrology consultant outfit with activities in Nigeria since 1960s, and Botswana. He proceeded to the University of Ilorin for his masters degree in Business Administration, (MBA) in 1995.
Career
Bimbo Daramola's career in geology took off when Water Survey (Nig.) Limited offered him a permanent employment four months into the NYSC scheme in Kaduna. He was part of a geophysical team on the World Bank sponsored boreholes project in Kaduna State and rural water supply scheme for Enugu and Anambra States in conjunction with DHV Consultants, Holland, as well as the 17 communities shallow aquifer in Osun State and the water supply for Faru Village, Sokoto. He resigned from Water Surveys (Nig) Ltd in 1993 and took up an appointment in banking at Savannah Bank. After Savannah Bank, Bimbo Daramola went on to co-found and became the Deputy Managing Director of Rucie Communications, a marketing communications outfit. The company produced a documentary, titled From Prison to Presidency, which chronicled the life, times and works of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Bimbo Daramola is Chief Executive Officer of The Bridge Concepts Nigeria Limited. The company researched, compiled, solved and published JAMB Q&A: A Publication of Past Questions and Answers 1983 – 2004. The book consists of over 12,500 solved questions and comes with a CD-ROM. The Bridge Concepts also conceptualized and designed the logo for the 18th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2003, CHOGM 2013 Abuja, which was held from 5th–8th December, 2003, and chaired by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Politics
Bimbo Daramola, under the aegis of his company The Bridge Concepts, came in contacts with Nigerian politicians while selling the idea of mobile billboard campaign strategy to them to discourage use of posters and handbills.
In 1998, he met with a team of Bola Ahmed Tinubu Campaign Organization (BATCO) which was then responsible for campaign coordination of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who was contesting for the governorship seat of Lagos State under the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD). In an interview granted to City People Magazine, he said the team was more enthusiastic about conventional posters, a gesture he was "unhappy" about.[5]
Daramola also took his mobile billboard proposal to the campaign team of then yet-to-be-elected President Olusegun Obasanjo who was the presidential aspirant of People's Democratic Party (PDP). The team accepted his proposal, co-opted him into the team by association and he became a member of PDP."[6]
In 2011, he was nominated by Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to contest the seat of his constituency, Ekiti North 1 (Oye-Ikole Local Govt. Areas) Federal Constituency, and he won.
Legislative Activities
Bimbo Daramola took oath of office as Member, House of Representatives, representing Oye/Ikole Ekiti-North Federal Constituency 1, Ekiti State, on Monday, 6 June 2011 during the inauguration of the Seventh House of Representatives. He is the Vice Chairman of House of Representatives' Committee on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). He is member of the following House of Representatives committees: Army, Banking & Currency, Civil Society and Donor Agencies, and Diaspora.[7] As a "rookie legislator,"[8] Daramola a motion titled Emerging Threats to Nigeria's Internal Security and the Need for the Establishment of Department of Homeland Security, with which he sought support of the House to address the menace of security challenges facing Nigeria, especially as posed by the Boko Haram sect.[9] Daramola moved a motion to investigate claims by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON that 140.9 Billion Naira (about One Billion Dollars), owed by Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited and Forte Oil Plc as a result of fuel subsidy scam had been paid. An ad hoc committee, headed by Femi Gbajabiamila to verify the repayment claims.[10] was constituted. Daramola heads the House of Representatives ad hoc committee to probe the allocation of plots of land to companies and individuals in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and possible cases of fraud in the process from 2010 till date.[11]
Table of Motions Moved and Bills Presented by Bimbo Daramola
| S/No | Date | Title of Motion/Bill |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | June 20, 2011 | Emerging Threats to Nigeria’s Internal Security and the need for the Establishment of the Department of Homeland Security[12][13] |
| 2. | October 6, 2011 | Motion on the 'Urgent need to investigate the federal government’s N30bn National Identity Card Scheme Project'[14] |
| 3. | February 29, 2012 | Motion on the Utmost Disregard and violation of the rights of Nigerians by Airline Operators in Nigeria and the need to get the Airline Operators to comply with Global Standards and best practices with regard to Consumer Welfare |
| 4. | March 7, 2012 | Motion on the need to forensically review every aspect of Nigeria’s relationship with South Africa, particularly our economic interest beyond the entry denial of interest 125 Nigerias’ and associated immigration issues[15] |
| 5. | June 15, 2012 | A Bill for an Act To Be Known as “Disaster Location Protection Act |
| 6. | July 3, 2012 | Presentation of National Emergency Management Agency (Establishment, etc) (Amendment) Bill[16] |
| 7. | July 14, 2012 | Deployment of 3500 Soldiers to Edo State for the purpose of the forthcoming Gubernatorial Elections[17] |
| 8. | October 11, 2012 | Investigation of Final Settlement of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited and Forte Oil Plc. outstanding debts of N140, 999, 620, 395.80 owed Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria AMCON[18] |
| 9. | November 7, 2012 | Urgent need to remove all disused, broken-down and unserviceable airplanes from the precincts, premises and airsides of all the Airports in Nigeria. |
| 10. | July 26, 2013 | The Urgent Need to Investigate the Use of Public Funds by the Bank of Industry Under the Power and Airlines Intervention Fund[19] |
Comments on National Issues
Fuel Subsidy Removal
During the national debate on fuel subsidy removal that eventually led to Occupy Nigeria protests, Daramola was one of Nigerian legislators invited to a meeting with Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria's President when the President needed the cooperation of the legislative arm of government. At the end of the meeting, Daramola was not impressed. This he expressed when he said "Mr. President did not sufficiently convince me or my other colleagues in the House of Representatives. I don’t want to be graphic on what happened there but I am telling you that it was a faux pax. I don’t think he achieved any purpose. I don’t think he moved the story forward. I would say that his reasons did not appeal to members of the House of Representatives."[20]
Near Crash of the Nigeria Capital Market
Bimbo Daramola was a member of the second ad hoc committee mandated by the House of Representatives to investigate the near collapse of the Capital Market. Described as someone who "have an uneven temperament and may be one of those to watch in the course of the proceedings"[21] Daramola lived up to this description when he pointedly told the Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), Kingsley Moghalu who was trying to exonerate CBN from the financial crises that bedevilled Nigeria's finance sector, to accept blame for the “failure of institutional regulations.” “The abuses took place directly under your watch. It was because you did not do your job. It is your fault; it is an institutional failure." CBN, through Moghalu had earlier blamed the near collapse of Nigeria's capital market to abuses of banks.[22]
Terrorism, Insecurity and Boko Haram Insurgency
Daramola said on Channels Television breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily that "the Federal Government is treating the present insecurity in the country with kid gloves."[23]
References
- ^ National Assembly (2011). "HON. DARAMOLA ABIMBOLA OLUWAFEMI".
- ^ Ekiti State Government. "Oye Local Government Area".
- ^ Femi Omotoso (March 2009). "Administrative problems of state creation in Ekiti State, Nigeria" (PDF). African Journal of Political Science and International Relations. 3 (3): 107–116. Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- ^ "History of Christ School, Ado Ekiti". Retrieved August 1, 2013.
- ^ Bola Davies (April 17, 2013). "Gov. Fayemi was 2 years my senior at Christ School". City People.
- ^ Daniel Kanu (February 17, 2013). "Why I dumped Obasanjo for Atiku–Daramola". Daily Independence.
- ^ National Assembly (2011). "HON. DARAMOLA ABIMBOLA OLUWAFEMI".
- ^ Yaqoub Popoola (August 25, 2013). "NASS functioning at short optimal capacity – Daramola".
...even as a rookie legislator.
- ^ Clifford Udujihe (March 14, 2013). "We need more will than dialogue to tackle insecurity – Rep Daramola".
... That was the very first motion of the Seventh Assembly of the House of Representatives and I moved it. I remembered that people were like 'is this man a ranking member?'
- ^ John Ameh (October 12, 2012). "Reps Panel to Probe N140.9bn". Punch.
- ^ Jacob Segun Olatunji, Kolawole Daniel (July 25, 2013). "Lawmakers to probe land allocations in FCT from 2010 till date". Tribune.
- ^ "We need more will than dialogue to tackle insecurity – Rep Daramola".
- ^ Bimbo Daramola. "Insecurity and Challenges Of Good Governance In Nigeria".
- ^ Adesua Tsan (October 7, 2011). "Reps To FG: Suspend N30bn National ID Card Project". Leadership.
- ^ Editors (March 8, 2012). "Reps Seek Review of Bilaterial Relations With South Africa". Leadership.
{{cite news}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^ Fourth Republic 7th National Assembly (Novemner 28, 2012). "Second Session No.60: Order Paper".
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Channels Television (July 11, 2012). "Deployment of soldiers to Edo causes commotion in House".
- ^ John Ameh (October 12, 2012). "Reps Panel to Probe N140.9bn". Punch.
- ^ Tordue Salem (July 26, 2013). "Reps probe BOI over N176bn disbursement". National Mirror.
- ^ Paul Odenyi (April 1, 2012). "Fuel subsidy: 'Jonathan can't convince Senators, Reps'". Vanguard.
- ^ Onwuka Nzeshi (April 1, 2012). "Capital Market:House Begins Journey Afresh". ThisDay.
- ^ John Ameh (May 3, 2012). "Manipulation by banks caused capital market crash - CBN". Punch.
...It was because you did not do your job
- ^ Sunrise Daily (July 10, 2012). "Government is treating insecurity with kid's gloves – Bimbo Daramola". Channels Television.