Gbenga Daniel

Otunba Gbenga Daniel
Ogun State Governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel (center), September 28, 2004
Governor of Ogun State
In office May 29, 2003 – May 29, 2011
Preceded by	Olusegun Osoba
Succeeded by	Ibikunle Amosun
Personal details
Born	(1956-04-06) 6 April 1956
Political party	Template:Labour Party of Nigeria

Gbenga Daniel is one of the most influential Nigerian Politicians from South West Nigeria who gained political prominence when he campaigned for governorship and won in 2003. He is the longest serving Governor of Ogun haven served for two terms (Eight Years) serving as Governor from May 29 2003 to May 29 2011. His administration will be remembered as the administration that got almost everybody in the state involved in governance and prepared the state for industrialization, some of which were kick started when he was in the office. It will also be remembered that his administration was as well rocked with crises owing to various factors ranging from the grouse with House of Assembly and the clash within his former Political Party People’s Democratic Party (PDP) when the party was divided into his faction and the faction of the former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo. Before his advent into Politics, he was a successful Engineer, Business man and notable philanthropist in Nigeria; a platform which made his rise to political prominence easier when he eventually fully ventured into it. He is fondly called OGD by his followers meaning Otunba Gbenga Daniel and he is believed to be the most influential politician of the present generation in Ogun State as he commands massive followership amidst many controversies trailing him. He is currently a member and a Leader as well in the Labour Party of Nigeria.]

Early life

Born on 6th April, 1956 into the family of the Most Reverend Adebola Daniel of Makun, Sagamu and late Madam Olaitan Daniel of Omu-Ijebu, Otunba Daniel's leadership traits manifested early while he was at the Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta which he attended from 1969 to 1973. He represented the school in debates and quiz competitions - a factor which made him exceptionally popular among his contemporaries and stimulated his inclination towards intellectual pursuits.

His School years

File:Otunba Gbenga Daniels.jpg

A derivative from Gbenga Daniels Site

Gbenga Daniel was a delight to his teachers from his secondary school days at the famous Baptist Boys High School. He attended the same school with former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Chief Ebenezer Obey and the Nigerian Democracy hero Chief MKO Abiola. He was a brilliant student who tops his class and was tipped for greatness by his teachers.

Leader from Teenage Years

He represented the school in debates and quiz competitions - a factor which made him exceptionally popular among his contemporaries and stimulated his inclination towards intellectual pursuits. He won many laurels in these competitions for the Baptist Boys High School which made him a model student to his fellow students. His deep knowledge of the subject Technical Drawing must have inspired him to study Engineering; a field through which he became a global icon.

His Exploits in Higher Institutions

After high school, he proceeded first to the School of Basic Studies at The Polytechnic, Ibadan for his A/Levels and thereafter to the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Lagos, where he won several laurels back to back which included the National Television Quiz Show by the Engineering Legend Ayodele Awojobi; this endeared him to the legend himself who greatly influenced him in Engineering.

It was also whilst still an undergraduate that he was initiated into the Committee of Friends of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, indeed, as the youngest member of that select Committee that later metamorphosed into the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). During his National Service year at the School of Engineering of the Lagos State Polytechnic, he supervised the construction of the Engineering complex and also conducted the semester examinations for the School of Engineering, without any whiff of leakage or scandal.

That feat was described by an appreciative management as “quite remarkable in an environment where examination fraud was quite rampant”. Daniel was to proceed to earn a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos and subsequently attended the Lagos Business School for an executive programme.

His Engineering Career

After he graduated from the School of Engineering at the University of Lagos as one of the best graduating Engineers, Gbenga Daniel joined the then multinational company H.F. SCHROEDER West Africa Limited in 1983 as a young Engineer moving from lecture theatre of Lagos State Polytechnic where he taught in the school of Engineering. Burning with the euphoria of lecturing of courses he accepted the offer to manage the post of a Commercial Manager for the Demag and Carbon brushes department.

Professional Exploits

H. F. SCHROEDER West Africa Limited, He was the only qualified engineer in the company and industrious, he was promoted and seconded to control the affair of the LIFT Department as Assistant General Manager (1985)

Two years later, being the only qualified engineer in the company and industrious, he was promoted and seconded to control the affair of the LIFT Department as Assistant General Manager (1985). Two years later, he became the General Manager of H. F. SCHROEDER (1987). Like an automatic but unwritten rule, Engr. Daniel received another promotion two years later to the post of Deputy Managing Director, the position he held until his resignation from the company in 1990. It is important to note that Daniel was the first African to hold such highly exalted position in H. F. SCHROEDER West Africa Limited.

In the course of his leadership in H.F. Schroder West Africa, his friends cut across professionals who had made a statement in their choiced careers. The likes of Arc. Towry Coker (TCA), Otunba Adekunle Ojora, Chief Dolapo Balogun, Otunba Subomi Balogun, Arch. Anibaba, Engr. Adeola, Prof. Ibidapo Obe (former VC Unilag) and Otunba Jimmy Olaghere

The downturn in the economy caused largely by the International sanctions against Nigeria during the Military rule in the late eighties (80s) led to the mass exodus of the expatriates in H.F. SCHROEDER and probably a closure of some departments within the organization. In between the years in H.F. SCHREODER as AGM (LIFTS and DEMAG|), he secured many lift contracts for H.F. SCHROEDER W/A, Prominent among these are: • Mamman Kontagora House, Marina - FMBN • First Bank Iganmu • Crusader Insurance House, Lago • Elephant House • Chief Arthur Nzeribe House, Bamigbose, Lagos • LSDPC (Taxaco) House, Lago • Law Union & Rock, to mention just a few.

In H. F. Schroeder, most staff saw him as kind, selfless and many describe him as a Philanthropist -his passion as a leader, Socialist, Welfarist and Counsellor made him the doyen of everyone. His stay in H. F. Schroeder could be viewed as a period of grace to the company and blessing to the workers. No wonder then that when having seen that the exodus of the expatriates could affect the encompassing goal of the company; and also the expatriates believing in his ability to turn around things did not hesitate to pass on to him the clients being managed by Lifts, Demag and Generator Departments under H.F SCHROEDER. They believe that he would not only keep but continue the business relations with those clients. An idea that gave birth to his Engineering Company, one of the best in the history of privately run companies in Nigeria.

His Business Involvement

In a bid to explore his entrepreneurial prowess, he ventured into business by starting his own Company which he registered as Krestal Laurel.

Krestal Laurel

Engineering profession Otunba Daniel excelled and demonstrated his business acumen by running a successful company that gave job to many and restored pride in the Nigerian professional--excerpts from otunbagbengadaniel.org

Otunba Justus Olugbengba Daniel established his own company in 1990. This he started off by the belief in himself and the belief in the ability of Nigerian engineers to hold their own in the horizontal and vertical moving engineering industry in Nigeria. Kresta Laurel's certification as the agency for DEMAG and SABIEM products is as a result of his proficiency in engineering details, belief and ability to accomplish projects and deliver to specification.

In the course of his leadership in H.F. Schroder West Africa, his friends cut across professionals who had made a statement in their choiced careers. The likes of Arc. Towry Coker (TCA), Otunba Adekunle Ojora, Chief Dolapo Balogun, Otunba Subomi Balogun, Arch. Anibaba, Engr. Adeola, Prof. Ibidapo Obe (former VC Unilag) and Otunba Jimmy Olaghere. In the Engineering profession Otunba Daniel excelled and demonstrated his business acumen by running a successful company that gave job to many and restored pride in the Nigerian professional.

His Philanthropic Activities

Gbenga Daniel started giving back to the community as far back as the early 80s through which a lot of people were empowered. In his bid to establish his expand his social development works, he established the Gateway Front Foundation in 1999 officially.

Gateway Fronts Foundation

Registered as a Non Governmental Organisation in 1999, the vision of Gateway Front Foundation was to narrow the gap between potential and achievement in Ogun State and turn the tide from imminent retrogression into progression. It was created to see to the welfare and the development of the people living in Ogun State. Within a short period of time, GFF as it was popularly known became the most famous NGO in Ogun State< due to their voracious empowerment activities. Having representatives at the grassroots level in all the wards (smaller unit of the Local Government to carry out empowerment programmes in those localities.

The Gateway Front Foundation’s programmes included Micro Credit Scheme to indigenes of the State. The loans were interest free loans and they were recovered through small and regular deposits by the group of indigenes. Through this scheme, several thousands of people in Ogun State who had no access to traditional financial services were able to access this credit scheme which boosted many small scale businesses and as well promoted communalism amongst the people as they had to always meet from time to time as a group to monitor each other’s progress. This was a beautiful initiative that was to light up the community involvements in governance in the nearest future when he won the election as Governor of Ogun State. Other programmes include Trade Establishment Scheme where people were empowered with trade tools and machines to establish their small scale businesses. Several Sewing Machines, Water tanks, Pop Corn machines, coolers, barbing clippers, grinding machines and so many tools were distributed freely to people to establish their trade and this was a major boost to the welfare of the people of Ogun State. Gateway Front Foundation also did comprehensive health programmes especially in the remote areas. Several thousands of Children were given worm expellers; there were Free Mobile Clinic and also Screening Clinics for Diabetes, hypertension and other ailments.

His philanthropy made it easy for quick acceptance upon venturing into politics as people were greatly convinced that if he could be giving out so much with his personal funds, he would do better in Government when elected.

Controversies in Office

In June 2009 he drew criticism for his proposal to float a bond for commercial developmental projects in the state, which was said to be contrary to his stated principles about the Public - Private Partnership (PPP).

In July 2009, a scandal blew up with the publication in the Nigerian Compass of a photograph that allegedly showed Wale Alausa, a member of the state House of Assembly, taking a blood oath which the paper said was to ensure secrecy and unity of purpose in a bid to impeach Daniel. The Nigerian Compass is owned by Gbenga Daniel. Alausa said the pictures were real, but the blood oath was an oath of allegiance to Daniel, which he had taken at the governor's insistence.

.Daniel was arraigned on Monday April 16, 2012 by the EFCC(The nation's anti graft agency) on a 38 count charge which borders on misappropriation of fund amounting to over N200 million, criminal breach of trust and abuse of office while he held sway as governor of Ogun State. He was however granted bail.

Daniel's achievements while in office include building roads, recreational centres and stadiums in the three senatorial districts of the state, and setting up a University of Education. The Gateway International Stadium was a site of the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup which was held in Nigeria.

In February 2009, Daniel authorized reduction of fees at the State-owned Moshood Abiola Polytechnic to N7,000. This followed negotiations with the National Association of Nigeria Students after parents and students had protested recent increases to fees.