Entrepreneur, Author & Motivator, Chief Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Blessing Abiodun Awosika (Nee Adekola) was educated at the University of Ife now (Obafemi Awolowo University) and holds professional qualifications in Chemistry, Business Administration and Enterprise Management.
She started her working career with Akintola Williams & Co. as an audit trainee. Upon completion of her National Youth service, She got a job with Alibert Nigeria Ltd, a furniture company as a Showroom Manager, though her time here was short-lived, she reckons that her three and a half months in that Company was the most defining period of her life, as her working in the furniture industry and the freedom it offered rekindled her love for architecture and the ability to play with space all of which gave birth to her creative ingenuity.
At the age of 25, Ibukun established her own Furniture manufacturing company that started with a staff number of seven but paid them according to their unit of work done, as she had no start -up Capital.
Thus by sheer dint of hard work and referrals from clients whom Ibukun had served diligently, her portfolio continued to increase. When in 2004, the Federal Government banned the importation of Furniture into the Country, she saw a great opportunity to expand her Business. Today, her Companies have grown into multi-million Naira Conglomerates- A worthy testimony for her commendable Skills as an Entrepreneur.
Mrs Ibukun Awosika, founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Chair Centre Group has also served our country in numerous capacities. She is a member of the National Job Creation Committee (NJCC), Corporate Governance Committee for the NNPC Board, member of the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund and Member of the National Economic Summit Group (NESG)
Ibukun also chairs a number of corporate and non-profit Organisation’s Boards. She is Chairman, First Bank Nigeria Plc, the first woman to attain that position since the Bank’s inception. Chairman- Convention on Business Integrity (CBI), Chairman-Afterschool Graduate Development Centre (AGDC), a facility which she promoted to help address youth employability and enterprise issues in Nigeria and also Chairman- International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC).
A Fellow of the African Leadership Initiative, Aspen Global Leadership Network, Institute of Directors, Nigeria, and Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria; Chief Ibukun Awosika, was also Chairperson, Board of Trustees of Women in Management, Business & Public Service.
Author of The “Girl” Entrepreneurs and Business His Way,
She has also received many Awards among which are: FATE Model Entrepreneur, Pan-African Organization for Women’s Best Female Entrepreneur of the Years 2006 & 2007 and many more.
Ibukunoluwa is happily married with children to Chief Abiodun Awosika.
Ladies & Gentlemen, we are proud to invite Chief Mrs. Ibukunoluwa Blessing Abiodun Awosika to receive the Hallmarks of Labour Role Model Award for Outstanding Contributions in Entrepreneurship.
Please accept our congratulations!