Moyosola Niran-Oladunni, Kalesanwa and the New Phase of Ondo State Politics
Ayodele Ologunola
It was Shakespeare who said, “Some people are born great, some achieved greatness, while others have greatness thrust upon them.” The man, Moyosola Niran-Oladunni, is in the same league as those who achieved greatness by a dint of hard work, determination and sheer resilience.
Niran-Oladunni is a man in whose dictionary you will never encounter the word, impossibility. He always demonstrates exceptional courage and remarkable self confidence in the face of daunting challenges.
Added to this is his unrestrained philanthropy and community oriented mindset, which over the years have come to define his personality.
His ever present smile, calmness, and welcoming and reassuring demeanor are the first things that will strike you on a close encounter with him. The incandescent glow on his face which radiates whenever he smiles attests to a man who is at peace with himself and his environment. It also attests to a man who had been through more than his fair share of life’s challenges, yet found a way overcome them all. Not unlike the proverbial cat with nine lives.
Moyosola Niran-Oladunni was born into the illustrious, yet humble, Oladunni family of Akunnu Akoko, Akoko North East Local Government area of Ondo State over five decades ago.
He started his elementary school at Ikare Akoko and proceeded to Victory College, Ikare Akoko; where he sat for his West African School Certificate Examination and passed with flying colours. He, subsequently, gained admission into the then Ondo State University now Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy. He also obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Lagos Business School. He is a member of several professional bodies.
He began his professional career with the defunct Gateway Bank in 1999 and rose rapidly to the position of Product Manager. His efforts contributed significantly to the bank’s digital transformation, through the introduction of innovative banking products. From there, he joined Cards Technology Limited as a Manager and rose to the position of Assistant General Manager within a very short time. He achieved several milestones in leadership, strategic planning, and technology integration before leaving in 2007 to start his own company, Integrated Intelligent Imaging West Africa Limited (I-CUBE).
The company under his leadership pioneered many innovative imaging and technological solutions, while also initiating several impactful corporate sustainability initiatives.
Niran-Oladunni ventured into the hospitality industry with the conceptualisation of Ala Resorts Limited (which is Africa’s first Aerotropolis), where he currently serves as Executive Vice Chairman with responsibility for providing strategic direction and ensuring operational excellence.
Concurrently, Niran-Oladunni, has made giant strides in politics and has served in various capacities within the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was among the party’s frontline aspirants in the 2016 governorship election in Ondo State.
The example of Niran-Oladunni aptly reminds us that we have the innate capability to resist the excuses that prevent us from showing love to the less privileged. Whatever amount of power we possess, whatever is the level of our wealth and attainment, the only way our lives can a have true meaning is through the measure of our humanity. And this is precisely what Niran-Oladunni’s life has proven beyond a shadow of doubt.
Simply put, philanthropy is at the heart of everything Niran-Oladunni does.
His spiritual life is no less worthy of emulation. He has often credited his closeness and devotion to God as the source of his irrepressible motivation to succeed. He has indeed shown that there is no substitute for God’s grace in the pursuit of excellence.
He is a man of substance, who has made positive impact in the lives of his people. He is diligent, hardworking, honest and humble. His story serves as a motivation for future leaders, even as he remains a worthy role model for both young and old.
Niran-Oladunni joined the murky water of Nigerian politics with a singular desire to lift his people out of poverty. He is also motivated by the desire to set a new standard in public service and political leadership. It is for this purpose that he teamed up with like-minded people to form a socio-political organisation, christened Kalesanwa.
Kalesanwa is a socio-political and strategic economic development group created with a vision to becoming a formidable political pressure group with enormous political capital and whose support for any candidate or political party will automatically translate into success at the polls.
The group is poised to resuscitate the core values of the people of Ondo State such as uprightness, selflessness, humility and service to humanity, while also promoting the basic democratic principle that allows the people to choose their leaders freely without any imposition or interference.
The group is equally focused on empowering young people by providing them with employment opportunities and financial assistance.
Niran-Oladunni is indeed a man of many parts, whose ability to successfully navigate the complexities of both corporate and political landscapes vindicated the intersectionality of business and public service.
*Ologunola is the publisher of The Focus Magazine based in Akure.
