Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has appointed Hon. (Bar) Oladele Bankole-Balogun as the new Executive Chairman of the Edo State Inland Revenue Service (EIRS). This announcement was made by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Ikhilor Esq., who highlighted Bankole-Balogun’s extensive background and qualifications.
Born in 1961 into the prominent family of the late Chief Bankole Balogun in Igarra, Akoko-Edo, Oladele Bankole-Balogun has built a distinguished academic and professional career. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of Ibadan in 1984, followed by a Bachelor of Laws from the University of London and a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the College of Law in Store Street, London. He is a member of several prestigious organizations, including the Law Society of England and Wales, the Nigerian Bar Association, the International Bar Association, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in the UK.
Bankole-Balogun has held various positions across multiple sectors. His professional journey includes roles at Cadbury Nigeria Plc from 1985 to 1989, and at Pfizer UK in Sandwich, Kent, from 1989 to 1994. He has also served as Chairman of Alphabet House Ltd, a Director at Allen Angus Resources Ltd, and as a member of the Barking and Havering Hospital Trust Appointments Board. Notably, he was appointed as a Federal Commissioner for the Public Complaints Commission from 2012 to 2015, representing Edo State.
In the political arena, Bankole-Balogun has been an active participant, having aspired to and campaigned for the House of Representatives seat in the Akoko Edo Federal Constituency. Most recently, he was a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council for the upcoming 2024 gubernatorial elections in Edo State.
The announcement also included the appointment of additional board members: Deacon Idiake Patrick Akhimien representing Edo Central, Hon. Mike Ohio Ezomo representing Edo North, and Hon. Engr. Jackson Eribo representing Edo South. These appointments are expected to strengthen the leadership of the Edo State Inland Revenue Service as it continues to enhance revenue generation and fiscal management in the state.
