CURRICULUM VITAE OF:
NAME/TITLE: - BRIG-GEN. (RTD) OLUWOLE ROTIMI, CON
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: - FEBRUARY 20,1935, ABEOKUTA
NATIONALITY: - NIGERIAN
STATE OF ORIGIN & LGA: - OGUN, ABEOKUTA
MARITAL STATUS: - MARRIED
SCHOOLS ATTENDED: AGO-OKO METHODIST SCHOOL,
LISABI SCHOOL ABEOKUTA
OLOWOGBOWO METHODIST SCH. LAGOS
KINGS COLLEGE LAGOS
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF IBADAN
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS WITH DATE:
CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL CERTIFICATE - 1954
CAMBRIDGE HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE - 1956
BA HONOURS – 1960
PROFESSION/OCCUPATION: - RETIRED MILITARY OFFICER
PRESENT APPOINTMENT: - AMBASSADOR EXTRAORNINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
CAREER PRORESSION/WORK EXPERIENCE:
1960 JOINED NIGERIAN ARMY,
SERVED IN THE UN FORCE IN THE CONGO
QUARTERMASTER GENERAL, NIGERIAN ARMY 1966
COMMANDER, IBADAN GARRISON 1969-1970
MILITARY GOVERNOR WESTERN REGION NIGERIA APRIL 1971-1975
HOBBIES/SPECIAL INTERESTS: GRAND PATRON IBADAN POLO CLUB, PATRON ABEOKUTA SOCIAL CLUB
PROFILE
BRIG-GEN (rtd) OLUWOLE ROTIMI, CON, BA (LONDON), JSSC.
Oluwole Rotimi was born on the 20th of February 1935 into a large and well known family at Oke-Ijeun quarters in Abeokuta. His father, John Oladeinde Rotimi made his mark first as a produce-buyer and later as a motor transporter while his mother, Efunwale Rotimi was a trader.
Oluwole Rotimi’s education began at Ago-Oko Methodist School and through to Lisabi School in Abeokuta. Later he attended Olowogbowo Methodist School in Lagos. From 1950 to 1956 he went through his Secondary School Education at King’s College Lagos where he obtained the Cambridge Higher School Certificate. He later went to University College, Ibadan where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree of London University (2nd class) in 1960.
He joined the Nigeria Army in 1960 and rose rapidly with his other colleagues and course mates to become a Brigadier-General in 1972. In his Military career he served in the Congo under United Nations Force between 1961 and 1962. He also attended many courses of instructions both within Nigeria and Overseas.
He had varied postings in the Nigerian Army and distinguished himself as the first indigenous Deputy Quartermaster General of Nigerian Army in 1964 and also the third indigenous Quartermaster General in 1966. He commanded Ibadan Garrison from 1969 to 1970.
As Quartermaster General, his department (Q Branch) provided logistics support for Federal war efforts against ‘BIAFRA.’ This was an enormous task as the Federal troops were ill-prepared and ill equipped for a war that lasted 30 months. Immediately after the civil war in 1970, he attended the Joint Service Staff College in Buckinghamshire in the United Kingdom.
In January 1971, he was appointed a member of Nigerian delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government/Prime Ministers Conference in Singapore.
In April 1971, he was appointed the Military Governor of the West. This area of Nigeria had a political notoriety of being described as ‘WILD, WILD WEST.’ Through the incumbent’s style of governance Western Nigeria was tamed. Under a peaceful and stable polity it was possible to achieve greater economic advancement and sustain existing infrastructural developments. The Rotimi Military Administration succeeded in establishing the following industries:
1. The Cement Factory at Shagamu
2. The Wire and Cable Factory in Ibadan
3. The Ceramic Factory in Abeokuta
4. The Wood Processing Factory in Ondo
5. The Palm Oil Mill at Okitipupa.
The Military coupe of 1975 terminated Brig. General Rotimi’s meritorious military career.
The Muritala/Obasanjo Military regime instituted an intensive probe of the 12 Military Governors/Administrator that served Gowon’s administration. The probe exonerated Brig. Gen. Rotimi and one other Governor as both were found neither to have abused their offices nor guilty of corruption.
From 1975 and up till now, Brig. Gen. Rotimi has scrupulously refrained from partisan politics or any controversies whatsoever, devoting himself to his business and his family. As a patriotic citizen and an aspiring statesman, he contributes to all measures that promote the unity of Nigeria and elevate her to higher moral and ethical standards.
It is in this quest for a better Nigeria that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo administration identified Brig. Gen. Oluwole Rotimi to head a Commission of Inquiry for the Investigation of Federal Government Landed Property in 1999.
From his distinguished and meritorious service to Nigeria, Brig-Gen. Oluwole Rotimi was honored with a national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2003.
In 2005, Brig-Gen. Oluwole Rotimi was appointed a member of the National Constitutional Review Conference representing Ogun State.
After intense pressure and lobbying, Gen. Oluwole Rotimi decided to join politics as a card carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria. As President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration was coming to an end, Brig. Gen (rtd) Oluwole Rotimi was appointed a member of the PDP Presidential Candidates Screening Committee.
After the emergence of H.E. Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’adua as the PDP Presidential candidate, Gen. Oluwole Rotimi was appointed South-West coordinator of Musa Yar’adua/Jonathan Goodluck Presidential Campaign Council. In this capacity, the South-West Zone delivered five states out of six States to the PDP.
As a community leader he is:
1. Chairman Ago-Oko Methodist Church Re-development project.
2. Former Chairman Nigeria Polo Association, Life Patron Ibadan Polo Club and member Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Polo Association.
3. Patron, Abeokuta Social Club.
He is married with children.
