Meet our personality of the week, Olamilekan Taiwo [SPONSORED]
Olamilekan Taiwo is an accountant, an entrepreneur, a motivational speaker and a humanitarian. He is a graduate of Accounting and Finance from the Olabisi Onabanjo University.
He started his career in the banking industry with the former Oceanic Bank International where he did his mandatory one year NYSC after which he was retained due to his exemplary performances while serving as a youth corper.
He also performed exceptionally well at the Banks training school where he came out as the best trainee/student amongst his set.
He has always demostrated his academic prowess as he also graduated with a Distinction grade during his National Diploma at the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro where he studied Financial Studies and he won the award of the best graduating student.
However, he missed the First class grade by a whisker during his university days. After a brief stint in the banking industry, he moved to the oil servicing industry where he still cuts his edge till date.
As a young man who has always loved business as a side hussle, he also co-runs a general merchandise company and an events planning and management company with his partner.
He also sits as a member of the Board of Trustees of a duly registered NGO with presence in Nigeria and USA. As a young man who loves challenges and detests been monotonous, he is already exploring other areas of interests like Information Technology.
RIDE has been my watchwords and mantra and this stands for Respect. Integrity. Diligence. Empathy. – Olamilekan Taiwo.
RM Team: Challenges faced while growing up and how you overcame.
The greatest challenge I faced was when I lost my mum at a time I needed her most. I lost my mum the very day I got my admission
letter into the Polytechnic for my ND so I was depressed while resuming into school.
But I have been told and also read that challenges are sometimes opportunities in disguise depending on your psyche and perception about how you see challenges.
I was able to overcome the challenge by making up my mind with a strong deterination that I was not going to allow my mums death affect me academically and secondly, I was going to make her proud even in her grace by coming out tops of my class and by Gods grace, I graduated with a Distinction grade and also won the award of the best graduating student in two sets combined together.
RM Team: What is your life Philosophy
I put God first in everything I do and RIDE has been my watchword and mantra. This stands for Respect. Integrity. Diligence. Empathy.
I was brought up to always accord people some RESPECT irrespective of the age, social status, academic qualifications, networth or any other factor that you can think of.
My INTEGRITY is key in my dealings with people. DILIGENCE in whatsoever I do and giving it my very best and lasty EMPATHY for people.
RM Team: Who is your role model
I have quite a lot of people as role models. Dr Mike Adenuga for his business acumen. Tony Elumelu for his smartness and intelligence business wise.
Oba Otudeko for his investment dexterity just to mention a few.
RM Team: Involvement iny charity/youth empowerment
I sit as a member of the Board of Trustees of a duly registered NGO called Hearts of Goodness Foundation with over 150,000 members on Facebook alone.
RM Team: Word for the young ones
FOCUS and PATIENCE. These are very important words for me and I will advise the younger ones to have full focus and patience on whatsoever they are doing be it academics or any passion or dream they are pursuing. Also, the GOD factor is more than important.
If you are focused and have patience with whatseoever you are doing, God and nature has ways of rewarding you for you diligence.
RM Team: Where do you see yourself in the next ten years
In the next 10 years, I want to be able to say that God has used me to affect so many peoples life positively. I want people to tell their success story and mention my name as part of the instrument God used in lifting them to that lofty height.
God makes your life more beautiful when you touch and affcet other peoples life positively.
RM Team: Worst moment/best moment
Worst moment was the day I lost my mum to the cold hands of death. And my best moment was the day I received my beautiful daughter into my arms straight from the labour room.
I have been waiting patiently for her arrival right from the conception so I could not contain my joy when she was birthed. She has been the best thing to ever happen to me and I adore and love her with everything in me.
RM Team: Passion and Driving force
I am passionate about putting smile on peoples faces. Everyone deserves to be happy in life and that has been my driving force.
Happiness is a positive energy or vibe and this automatically brings other positive vibes into ones life. I have zero tolerance for negativity.
RM Team : You can take some time to sale what you do
I co-run some businesses with my partner, Tunde Popoola. We run a general merchandise company that is into procurement and distribution and also we run an upscale events planning and management company which happens to also be the organizers of the Ogun State Cultural and Advancement Awards (OSCAA), a platform created by the company to recognize and celebrate outstanding individuals and corporate organizations who has contributed immensely to the development of Ogun State and Nigeria at large economically and socially.
Thank you.
