Story by Iyiola Ayomide
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has strengthened its War Against Drug Abuse (W.A.D.A) campaign with the induction of the Director-General of the Association of Enterprise Risk Management Professionals (AERMP), Dr. Olayinka Odutola, FERP, as W.A.D.A Ambassador.
The investiture took place during a recent courtesy visit by AERMP representatives to the NDLEA office in Lagos. Speaking at the event, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended AERMP for its consistent efforts in promoting risk awareness and compliance frameworks that contribute to drug abuse prevention across the country.
According to Brig. Gen. Marwa, the ambassadorial recognition reflects the agency’s confidence in AERMP’s commitment to advancing public education and advocacy against substance abuse through professional risk management approaches. He emphasized that as W.A.D.A Ambassador, Dr. Odutola is authorized to represent Nigeria’s anti-drug advocacy efforts both nationally and internationally.
Represented by the NDLEA Director of Seaport Operations, ACGN Archie Abia Ibinabo, Brig. Gen. Marwa decorated the new ambassador with the official insignia of the office and charged him to uphold the values of integrity, discipline, and excellence that the NDLEA stands for. He urged him to continue to promote awareness, education, and preventive measures in the fight against drug abuse.
The courtesy visit, which has other members of the institute in attendance (including the President of the Institute, Dame Sylvia Taiwo Ige who was equally inducted as an ambassador) also provided an opportunity for both institutions to explore areas of collaboration aimed at enhancing institutional risk management, strengthening compliance systems, and improving operational resilience within Nigeria’s drug enforcement framework. Discussions included the development of an Enterprise Risk Management Framework tailored to NDLEA operations, as well as capacity-building initiatives to support the agency’s ongoing efforts in combating substance abuse nationwide.
This partnership marks a significant step toward fostering synergy between the NDLEA and AERMP in the collective pursuit of a drug-free and resilient Nigeria.
Dr Olayinka Odutola holds a Bachelors Degree, BSc, in Management, and three Masters Degrees (MBA in Marketing from OAU, Ile Ife, MALD - Masters of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from UNIJOS and MSc in Finance from Covenant University where he also bagged a PhD in Finance and emerged the Best Graduating PhD Student.
Dr Odutola is a chartered accountant and a chartered banker and equally a Fellow of several high ranking professional bodies like the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants of UK (CIMA), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, Association of Enterprise Risk Management Professionals, AERMP and is also a Chartered Global Management Accountant, CGMA. In addition, he is an Associate of several professional bodies like the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, CIPM, Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, NICArb, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, NIMN. He is a member of the Global Association of Risk Professionals, GARP and recently qualified as a Chartered Stockbroker, awaiting Induction. Dr Olayinka Odutola is a banker with over three decades experience that cuts across commercial, mortgage and microfinance banking and is a top class facilitator in banking, finance, risk management, compliance and human capital management. He is also passionate about teaching entrepreneurship and developing a new generation of entrepreneurs including the Small and Medium Enterprises.