While at the Senate, Omisore served as chairman, Senate Committee on
Industries; chairman, Senate Committee on Intra-Governmental Affairs and chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism between 2003 and 2007. By 2007, when the sixth Senate commenced, he was appointed chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation. And for four years, the nation budget suffered no hitches, a fact that attested to his vast administrative ability. He was also the chairman Senate Committee on UNDP/NASS Support and Implementation Committee and Chairman, Boards of Fellows, Institute of Public Administration of Nigeria.
A consummate engineer and an astute manager of resources, Senator Omisore was born on 15 September, 1957 into a royal family at Ile-Ife, the cradle of the Yoruba race. He attended St. John’s Grammar school, Ile-Ife and proceeded to Ondo State Polytechnic, Owo for his diploma in Electrical & Electronics Engineering. He continued his academic pursuit at Full Technology College, Reading in the United Kingdom where he obtained the Full Technological Certificate in Electrical Testing Methods.
Thereafter, he was at Brunnel University, Uxbridge, UK where he bagged a postgraduate certificate in Mechanical Engineering and M.Sc degree in Building Services Engineering. Senator Omisore also holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Infrastructure Finance from International School of Management, Paris, France, with core specialty on Public Private Partnership.
Senator Omisore, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers, started his engineering career as Project Manager with Drake & Gordham UK, Plc in 1983 and was there till 1985 before he was seconded to Nigeria to join Drake and Scull Nigeria Limited, also as project manager. Here, he supervised the construction of 19 airfields, including the Makurdi Air base field. Apart from these, he supervised other projects like the Sokoto and Makurdi rice mills, Taraku Oil Mill and the Sokoto State University Teaching Hospital.
He was appointed General Manager in 1987, a post he held till 1997. And he handled such big projects as the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria headquarters building, Bank of the North (Now Unity Bank) Building, Podium Secretariat, Port Harcourt; Eternit Limited, Sapele; World Bank Assisted Health projects for Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa states and the Imirigi Rural Electrification project in present-day Bayelsa State.
In 1990, Senator Omisore established Chrisore Engineering Plc and Mechelec Consultancy Limited in 1993. Between the time of its establishment and 1998, Chrisore Engineering had executed many projects, including the UACN commercial complex, Apapa; the Central Bank of Nigeria governors› residence and the residences of his five deputies; Afribank headquarters and the UACN Abuja Complex, in addition to the Union Bank of Nigeria headquarters.
Also, in its 10 years of its existence, Mechelec Consultants, where he was the principal partner, had firmly registered itself in the construction industry. Projects executed successfully within this period included African Development Bank-financed projects in Enugu, Kaduna, Niger, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kwara and Imo states; World Bank Health system fund in Lagos state; World Bank Health Assisted Lagos Urban Transportation project and the Pakistani Suppliers Credit on Rural Electrification in Ondo and Niger states.
In his pursuit of excellence, Dr Omisore, also a fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, England and Wales, underwent many courses in different high-profile institutions. He did the Advanced Budgeting Course at the George Town University, Washington DC, USA; the Appropriations and Public Finance Course at the ABS Academy, Athens, Greece; the Advanced Leadership Course at the University Course at the West London College; the Public Finance Course at the Harvard University and the Aid Effectiveness and Donour Harmonisation Course at the Internationale Weiterbuildungund Entwicklung, Gmbt, Germany.
He is a fellow of many professional engineering bodies at home and abroad, namely: The Nigerian Society of Engineers, Association of Cost Engineers, Institution of Electrical Engineers, England and Wales, Nigerian institution of Mechanical Engineers, Nigeria Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, among others.
A stickler for perfection, Senator Omisore explained his emotional attachment to engineering ever since he joined partisan politics. He said: “I am not the usual politician, as I still fully practise my profession without let or hindrance. I believe partisan politics should not stop you from practising your profession within the confines of law.”
Milk of human kindness
There is no end to the kindness of this distinguished personality. His readiness to render help, indeed, has transformed many lives. Two of such examples are Eniola Adepitan, a nine-year-old cancer patient, whose leg was amputated and needed further treatment and rehabilitation and Omolara Onibudo, 22, who had cancer of the lip and needed surgery. The Eko Lions Club, which spearheaded the campaign to raise fund for the two cancer patients was stunned when Omisore in collaboration with the foundation of his beautiful daughter, Areomi, donated the N2.5 million needed for the surgery.
The Lions Club International conferred on him, recently, a Melvin Jones Fellow Award, in recognition of his modest contribution to his country and humanity and his various philanthropies. The club, in the letter conveying the conferment of the award, stated thus; “the award is usually for persons identified as supportive of the underprivileged and vulnerable members of the society which is akin to our aims. ‘LIONS’ is the acronym for Leadership, Independence in Our Nations Service.”
Many patients of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex would not forget Omisore’s generosity and kindheartedness in a hurry. On New Year Day, he was at the hospital, where he paid almost N1 million to settle the bills of many indigent patients, and this is apart from feting all patients undergoing treatment in the hospital. As his name implies, Omisore, derives pleasure in helping others and his generosity has won him many laurels. In 2007, he won the Presidential Merit Award of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, for his support and contributions to the society. By 2008, he was conferred with the Golden Jubilee Prime Award for his remarkable contributions to the growth of engineering and his society.
A selfless politician
Unlike other politicians who worry about what they can benefit, Omisore believes the electorate who entrusted him their mandate should enjoy the accruing dividends. Therefore, as chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Omisore used his office to facilitate improvement in some critical infrastructure, especially road construction and rehabilitation. Bringing his engineering experience to bear on his Senate assignment, he used his office to facilitate the rehabilitation and construction of roads, such as the dualisation of Ilorin-Ogbomoso road, repair of Ibadan roads, dualisation of Ijebu-Ode – Ibadan road, Ondo – Akure, Ore – Ondo, Ore – Ipele – Lokoja, Abuja – Lokoja – Okene, Akure – Ado Ekiti/Ado – Ifaki/Aramoko – Ado – Ijero and Gbongan – Sekona – Osogbo roads. Even now that he is no longer in the Senate, he still follows up on the work on these roads.
Omisore was instrumental to the construction of Ilesha Multipurpose Dam, Ile-ife Multipurpose Dam, Oyan Multipurpose Dam, Yemoji Multipurpose Dam in Ijebu-Ode, Abeokuta-Ota Multipurpose Dam, Ogbese Multipurpose Dam which are meant to supply both water and electricity to these environments. He also contributed actively to the health sector, poverty reduction, education and other sectors.
Omisore is also a recipient of many traditional titles in recognition of his community development efforts. Some of these titles are Apesin Oodua of the Source, High Chief Lisa of Osogbo, Bashorun of Ijesaland, Maiyegun of Ijero Kingdom, Seriki of Usi-Ekiti, Agbaakain of Ila Orangun, Ashipa of Inisha, Otunba of Ipetumodu, Akinrogun of Ede, Asiwaju Balogun of Ibadanland, Otunba of Odo-Eku and Zege Huror u Kwande man Ishan, among others.
As Omisore continues to receive accolade for sparing a thought for the less privileged, Osun, a peaceful haven that prides itself on being the Living Spring, beckons on this man of immense values to take it to the next level of human, capital and economic prosperity that have eluded it since inception.
I join millions of your admirers in Osun State, Nigeria and other countries of the world to say happy birthday to my big brother, my friend and leader, Senator Iyiola Omisore. Many happy returns.
tribune,com.ng
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