A cyber security expert, Samuel Adesanmi Daramola, has been selected as the next Olupele of Ipele in Owo East Local Government of Ondo State by the kingmakers.
The 41-year-old Oba-designate was one of the seven that contested for the stool, which became vacant last April following the passing of Oba Victor Agaun.
Daramola, who is from the Okeriwo Ruling House like the other contestants, got the backing of five of the eight kingmakers.
Olatunbosun Isijola, Ayodele Oginni and Temitope Abu got one vote each. The three remaining contestants are Olabode Olatosin, Olukayode Dairo and Olusola Ayuba.
They entered the race for the stool last November 28 and signed an undertaking last month to maintain the peace, irrespective of whoever was selected.
In his reaction, former Daily Times editor, Mr Dapo Aderinola, who is from Ipele, said God “makes kings and He has chosen who He prefers”.
Aderinola said: “The victor forgot; the vanquished remembered.
Everything depends, not on what we humans want or do, but only on God’s grace”.
Born in 1983, Daramola on completion of his education at home travelled to the United Kingdom (UK) for further studies.
He obtained certificates in General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Anti-Money Laundering (Operation Licence) from HM Revenue and Customs, UK.
The Oba-designate also has certificates in customer service skills and cyber security, fraud prevention and financial crime.
Between 2010 and 2011, Daramola was Account Officer 2 at Power-Bag Nigeria Limited. He started working at Emprise Service Limited, UK in 2011 as the area operational manager. He joined Amazon UK as lead driver in 2015.
From 2016 to 2018, he was chief executive officer (CEO) of Zardan Foods Limited. Prior to his selection as Olupele, he has been Director of Operations for Zardan Import and Export Limited in Nigeria since 2020.
He is still serving at Zardan foods, Zardan Import and Export.
The Oba-designate is Finance Director of BNC LIMITED, UK (an International Bureau De Change Company).
Some Ipele indigenes were upbeat about his selection yesterday. They said he would bring his experience in cyber security and anti-money laundering to bear on securing the town and addressing other social ills.