19/03/2024
I have been Grief stricken, to the extent of slipping into depressive episodes.
My darling brother .
A an ICON died 8th Feb.
He was in top form, no sickness or disease whatsoever. My family have been too shocked to talk since his passage.
We’re all just coming out of the tsunami of tears and constant waves of depression. My family has been utterly shattered devastated and gutted.
Egbon mi was a star, charismatic. His core task was being a blessing to others the type that will clothe other people’s shame, meeting them at the point of their needs without muting a word to the next person
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS AND APPOINTMENTS
Bros Edward had a total of 35 years post qualification banking experience that cut across many
banks some of which were International Merchant Bank (IMB), CITIBANK, Manufacturers
Merchant Bank, Lead Merchant Bank, and Hallmark Bank.
He was a guru and reference
point in Treasury, Foreign Banking Operations, Credit Risk Management, Portfolio
Management and Trusteeship.
He was one of the very experienced bankers that CBN often appointed to Committees to
craft Fiscal and Monetary policies, Compliance and Regulations, most of those fundamental
policies endured till date.
At Hallmark where he served as Executive Director, Treasury and Operations, he doubled as
the Deputy Managing Director and he held the forte as Managing Director Chief Executive at
different times.
He was the arrowhead of the highly successful turnaround story of Hallmark Bank Plc
from a Local Privately Owned Commercial Bank to an immensely successful public
quoted ccommercial bank.
He led the strategic growth & Development of Hallmark Bank
Plc. over a 10 year period (1995 – 2005) from a balance sheet size of N220M to over
N93Bn. He and the team he led, designed and launched several of the bank’s successful
products. He played a strategic role in the formation of First Consolidated Banking Group
during the regulatorily induced consolidation by the CBN-the first of its kind in Nigeria,
and indeed Africa.
He had an exceptional deal structuring ability. Anyone that knew Bris mi, would say of
him that he was very strategic, with his eyes always on the big picture.
He was sociable and would bring life and excitement to wherever he found himself.
Brother, had exceptional gift of discernment; of joyfully meeting people at the by point of their needs, without broadcasting it to another person.
Until he breathed his last, bros Ed was a serial entrepreneur. He was the Group
Executive Chairman of EOA Holdings, a consortium of companies comprising: Real
Estate, Hospitality, Bureau de Change (BDC) OR Casa de Cambio Dealership, Stock and
Security trading and Financial and HR Consulting.
He maintained an imposing presence in
each of these businesses.
2017. FEDERAL APPOINTMENT
Edward Olamijulo Ajayi was appointed as a Judge of the Investment & Securities Tribunal in
2017, his proven skills and competences in Securities trading, Investment and Portfolio
management could not be separated from this noble appointment. He served Nigeria in this capacity for 5 years.
IBOKUN COMMUNITY
In his town of nativity (Ibokun) his star cannot be dimmed, his contributions speak
volume and they are there for generations to see. His love for Ibokun is unparalleled. The love is genuine and unadulterated, not self-seeking.
He narrowly
missed the ownership of the present day Access Bank, part of his passion and plan was
to make Ibokun a very big Financial hub. This was his turf, this was what he knew how to
do best, but when crookedness prevailed in that transaction, he used his good contact
with his bossom friend and well-meaning others to birth what is known today as Obokun
Micro Finance.
In running the place for his town, he sacrificed so much, God saw his heart, and He
breathed on the bank and sustained it.
Greater things will manifest in Ibokun, the
foundation had already been laid by this gentleman and his team.
We pray that those projects he intended for the town will see the light of day with the
help of God and those who share his vision and are real and genuine as he was. We pray
for the survival and continued success of his subsisting projects, especially tending the
hitherto un-bankable Ibokun publics and giving them financial literacy and exposure,
ease of transaction, better life, etcetera.
We read some of Bros Ed’s achievements in the
tributes written by IDA, thank God for those achievements and many others that are
written in the hearts of men that cannot be obliterated.
Ibokun community will miss you sore Brother Edward, your age long true friends (some of who are
going to be at your funeral) would miss you.
Your communities in the United States and
Canada will miss you,
Nigeria will miss you,
D.L Ajayi family just lost 50 people rolled in one!
Know what Panko, Asunmo, omo ajo? Some crestfallen folks still envy you even in death.
Adieu our very smart dude! May God keep all that you left behind
The Spirit of God, gently ministered to my heart; he is resting at the feet of Christ.
Adieo, Egbon mi.
