Nigeria’s new President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, recently appoints Ms. Olubukoka Arowolo Verheijen as a Special Advisor for Energy.
ADVERTISEMENT
Before her appointment, Ms. Arowolo was the Managing Director at Latimer Energy.
She is an energy expert with nearly two decades of transactional project development, investment and policy experience in the energy and infrastructure sectors.
She currently serves as an Advisory Council Member of the US Millennium Challenge Corporation and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Energy for Growth Hub.
She is also the Founder of the BFA Foundation, which funds scholarships for women and other disadvantaged groups to expand their career advancement opportunities in high-growth sectors including the energy sector.
Her past roles include a Deal Lead and member of the Governing Board of an upstream JV at Shell and partner and investment committee chair at an early-stage investment firm with a pan-African portfolio of distributed renewables companies.
Education
Between 2003 and 2005, Olubukola pursued her higher education at the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School, where she obtained a master’s degree in public policy, with a focus on Financial Markets Analysis, Business, and Government Policy.
This academic achievement further solidified her understanding of the intricate dynamics between economics, politics, and policymaking.
Earlier in her educational journey, she attended Long Island University from 1995 to 1999, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science. This foundational education equipped her with a broad understanding of economic principles and political systems, providing a strong basis for her subsequent professional endeavours.
By combining her academic accomplishments with her extensive practical experience in the energy sector, Olubukola possesses a comprehensive skill set that enables her to navigate complex economic and policy landscapes.
Her educational background, coupled with her expertise in the energy industry, positions her as an asset in shaping effective policies and driving sustainable economic growth in the energy sector.
Background
Olubukola is the oldest daughter of Pharmacist Ifejola Arowolo, the retired Chief Pharmacist of Ondo State.
Olubukola is an Akure original. She is the grand daughter of late Pa Gideon Arowolo and his wife Oyatuke Oshatuke, the daughter of Sao Ofobutu the Generalissimo of Akure traditional Armed Forces on her father side.
On her mother side, she is the granddaughter of retired late Police Chief Pa Fagbuyi and his wife from Iju town in Akure North Local Government.
According to Dr Wumi Akintide in his article, he believes that the attributes and the academic profile of this young Akure Indigene prompted the brand new Nigeria President to spread his dragnet half way around the globe to tap the brilliant young scholar to become his Special Adviser on Energy as the representative of the Youths and the representative of Women in his nascent Administration.
It is therefore a peculiar honor and recognition for Ondo State, the intellectual Power House and Corner stone of Nigeria.
It is also an honour for Akure the Ondo State Capital and for our Kabiyesi Odundun II, Oba (Dr) Ogunlade Aladelusi Aladetoyinbo cfr, the Deji of Akure Kingdom and the Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
Peoplesmind
Credit: Energy News Africa
Dr Wumi Akintide