Amosun at 61: Buhari says Amosun is a great man

President Muhammadu Buhari has praised Senator Ibikunle Amosun “for legions of achievements and successes in various fields of human endeavour.”

Buhari made the commendation in a goodwill message marking Amosun’s 62nd birthday tomorrow, 25 January.

Although Buhari did not mention specifically Amosun’s legions of achievements, he said the former governor’s “dedication to public service and contributions to nation-building, both at state and federal levels are highly commendable”.

The President joined Senator Amosun’s family, friends and other well-wishers to celebrate with him on this joyous occasion.

He prayed that Almighty Allah will grant the celebrator long life and good health to continue in the service of the nation and humanity.

Ibikunle Amosun, a two-term senator, representing Ogun Central and two-term governor of Ogun state, is the closest ally of Buhari in the South West.

Amosun was first elected Senator in 2003. In April 2007 he made an unsuccessful bid to be elected governor of Ogun State. He ran for governor again in 2011, and this time was elected on the Action Congress of Nigeria platform. Last year, he ran for the senate again and was elected on the APC platform.

Amosun was born on 25 January, 1958 to a Muslim family. He had his primary education at African Church Primary school in Abeokuta (1965–1970). He then went to African Church Grammar School, also in Abeokuta (1971 – 1977). Thereafter, he went to Ogun State Polytechnic, where he had a Higher National Diploma (HND) in 1983.

He gained an Associate membership of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in 1990. He became a fellow of the Institute in 1996. He also became an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (1998).

In 1990, he set up his own own accounting firm in Lagos, Ibikunle Amosun & Co. (Chartered Accountants), where he was the principal partner. Later, he went to the University of Westminster in London, United Kingdom, where he obtained a Master of Arts in International Finance in 2000.