Chief Femi Falana, SAN ( Human Rights Activist):
Oratory on Bashorun Jaiye Kofolaran Randle, OFR
A highly-respected Chartered Accountant, prolific Writer, Public Affairs Analyst & Philanthropist, Bashorun Jaiye Kofolaran Randle is the 3rd generation of the eminent Randle Family with the initials ‘J.K.’.
Educated in Nigeria and abroad, he qualified as a Chartered Accountant [England and Wales] in 1969. As a matter of fact, his father, also J.K. Randle, had told his son that what he owed the younger man was a First Class Education, Not Inheritance.
In professional practice for over five decades to date, Bashorun J.K. Randle has been engaged in the audit and provision of accounting, taxation and management consulting services, including training to Nigerian and multi-national clients across the economic spectrum.
He started off in the Volunteer Services Overseas in the West African region, with deployments to The Gambia, the then Ivory Coast [now Cote D’Ivoire, and Dahomey [now Benin Republic]. He joined the London office of the renowned accounting-auditing firm, Peat Marwick Mitchell [KPMG] in 1970; and was transferred to the Lagos Office the next year. He progressively became a Partner in 1977, Chief Executive in 1992, and Chairman/CEO of KPMG Nigeria in 1993. During this period he variously served as Chairman of KPMG West Africa, Chairman of KPMG Africa, and a Member of the Council of KPMG International. He retired from KPMG in 2004 on attaining the mandatory age of 60.
Currently, he is the Chairman of a conglomerate incorporating: J.K. Randle International, J.K. Randle International, Sloane, Burford & Fullbright International, J.K. Randle & Co., J.K. Randle Professional Services, and Grant Advertising Nigeria Limited.
Beyond his primary constituency, our Celebrant has served as Chairman, Eko Hotels Limited; Pro-Chancellor & Chairman of Governing Council of Lagos State University; Member, Governing Council of University of Benin; and Trustee/Treasurer of Musical Society of Nigeria [MUSON].
An Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic [OFR], Bashorun J.K. Randle is a distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria [ICAN], which he also served as President. He is a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management [Chartered], and Member, Professional Accountants in Business Committee of The International Federation of Accountants.
Bashorun J.K. Randle had authored several articles and books, among which are the acclaimed The Godfather Never Sleeps, God Does Not Live in Los Angeles Anymore, Who Is Fooling Who?, The Natives Are Friendly? and The Duke And The Soul Princess.
Happily married with children, our Celebrant typifies the saying that ‘A Good Name is Better than Riches’, and has maintained a dignified presence in his official and social conducts. He is a Philanthropist of note, and among others, sponsors the Dr. J.K. Randle Swimming Competition – established in 1928 by his grandfather, Dr. J.K. Randle and is the oldest Sporting Competition in Nigeria.
Ladies & Gentlemen, we heartily invite Bashorun Jaiye Kofolaran Randle to receive the Hallmarks of Labour Role Model Award for Outstanding Contributions in Financial Auditing Services.
Please accept our Congratulations, Sir!