Olubukola Abubakar #Saraki: A true Son of Kwara state?
Early life
Abubakar Bukola Saraki was born on 19 December 1962 to the family of Olusola Saraki, a senator (1979 – 1983) and a one time Senate Leader of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his mother Florence Morenike Sarak
Education
He attended King's College, Lagos, from 1973 to 1978, and Cheltenham College, Cheltenham, London from 1979 to 1981 for his High School Certificate. He then studied at the London Hospital Medical College of the University of London from 1982 to 1987, when he obtained his M.B.B.S (London).
Medical and banking career
He worked as a Medical Officer at Rush Green Hospital, Essex, from 1988 to 1989. He was a Director of Societe Generale Bank (Nig) Ltd from 1990 to 2000.
Political appointments
In 2000, President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Saraki as Special Assistant to the President on Budget. During his tenure as Special Assistant to President on Budget, Saraki initiated the Fiscal Responsibility Bill.
Saraki also served on the Economic Policy Coordination Committee, where he was responsible for the formulation and implementation of several key economic policies for Nigeria.
International work and appointments
In 2012, Dr Saraki was appointed onto the Leadership Council of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, an initiative led by the United Nations Foundation that supports the use of public-private partnerships to create a market for clean cookstoves and fuels.
In 2013, Dr Saraki established GLOBE Nigeria as an affiliate of the Global Legislators Organisation, establishing a platform for legislators to advance environmental and sustainable development laws in Nigeria. He currently serves as GLOBE Nigeria’s President.
Dr Saraki has also spoke and campaigned internationally on issues such as better governance, deforestation and economic development.
Personal life
Bukola Saraki is married to Toyin (née Ojora) Saraki. They have four children together.
Awards
Saraki was the first serving Nigerian governor to be awarded the National Honor of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2010. Other former governors also received the award that year.
 and won. He was sworn into office in May 2003. He ran again for re-election in 2007 and won his second term. As governor of Kwara, he led reforms in agriculture, health, education, finance and environment policy. One of his major achievements was inviting displaced white farmers from Zimbabwe to Kwara State and offering them an opportunity to farm. This led to the establishment of Shonga Farms programme, which is now being replicated across Nigeria. His charisma among his fellow governors got him appointed as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum.
Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum
Dr Saraki became Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum in 2007. Under Saraki’s Chairmanship, a reformed Forum was established, with a fully resourced secretariat, with a technical and administrative division that was entirely focused on delivery.
Senatorial career
After his two-term tenure as governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki ran for the office of Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing the Kwara Central Senatorial District and won, succeeding his sister, Gbemisola Saraki-Forowa. He was appointed as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology and is also a member of the Senate committee on capital Markets and Finance. He also pushed a motion in the Senate to end the fuel subsidy regime in Nigeria which has been an excessive waste of the country’s national resources.
Saraki expressed regret after his supporters died in a human stampede at his residence. This was not the first time that people had been killed during his family's habit of distributing money and food to their supporters.
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International work and appointments
In 2012, Dr Saraki was appointed onto the Leadership Council of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, an initiative led by the United Nations Foundation that supports the use of public-private partnerships to create a market for clean cookstoves and fuels.
In 2013, Dr Saraki established GLOBE Nigeria as an affiliate of the Global Legislators Organisation, establishing a platform for legislators to advance environmental and sustainable development laws in Nigeria. He currently serves as GLOBE Nigeria’s President.
Dr Saraki has also spoke and campaigned internationally on issues such as better governance, deforestation and economic development.
Personal life
Bukola Saraki is married to Toyin (née Ojora) Saraki. They have four children together.
Awards
Saraki was the first serving Nigerian governor to be awarded the National Honor of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2010. Other former governors also received the award that year.
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