A Life in Public Service
Engineer, international environmental consultant, and traditional leader — a biography built from his own record and public history.
Anthony Olawunmi Ojeshina was born on March 5, 1954, in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He attended Baptist Boys' High School, Abeokuta (1966–1970) and Comprehensive High School, Aiyetoro (1970–1972), before earning a B.Sc. in Chemistry & Chemical Engineering from St Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (1974–1979).
He began his career in 1980 in the United States as an environmental consultant, and was among the pioneer environmental consultants to the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Rising through leading American environmental firms, he became President & CEO by 1990, later founding his own firm before establishing its Nigerian arm in 1993. Over more than 40 years, he has consulted for the World Bank, UNEP, UNIDO, UNDP, the African Development Bank, US-EPA, Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Environment, and companies including Chevron Nigeria, Mobil Producing Nigeria, Shell Production Development Corporation, and Enron.
He was Managing Director/CEO of Global Environmental Technology Ltd before his appointment in 2003 as the pioneer Commissioner for Environment of Ogun State, a post he held for four years (2003–2007), establishing the state's Ministry of Environment from scratch. Though reconfirmed for a second term, he chose not to accept it given the demand for his consulting services from multinational clients.
Beyond environmental engineering, he has chaired the board of Glanvill Enthoven Insurance Company Ltd, serves as a director of several companies spanning solid minerals, venture capital, waste management, and pension fund administration, and chairs the Board of Trustees of the D.S. Adegbenro Foundation. He is also politically active — twice a contender for Governor of Ogun State (2011 and 2015) before standing as the SDP's consensus candidate in 2023 — and holds the traditional titles of Asiwaju of Owu Kingdom and Osi Balogun-Erunmu, Owu Kingdom.
He is married, a mentor to youth across several countries, and a Minister of God's word. In August 2024, in recognition of his public service, he was conferred an honorary doctorate by the Immanuel Theology Institute International in conjunction with the Priesthood Leadership Development Initiative (PLDI).
The values we live at home as men are the values our children carry into society. If we want an honest and disciplined society, it begins with how we treat our spouses and respect elders.
4th Men-Only Town Hall, Women FM & Owu Palace, Abeokuta
