Olusola Obada

Obada began her career as Advertising Officer with Nigeria Airways before leaving the company to work as Managing Partner in Olusola Agbeja and Co. in 1986.[4] In 1990, she established Iron Gate Finance and Trust Company Limited, a privately owned finance and investment company where she served as Managing Director.[5] In 1996, she was employed as the Executive Director, Finance and Administration of Materials Management Services Limited and later rose to become the company's Managing Director.[5]

In 2003, Obada was elected as Deputy Governor of Osun State with Olagunsoye Oyinlola as governor until on 27 November 2010 when she vacated the post.[6] In January 2011, Obada was appointed into Directorate position, covering the South-West of Nigeria for the Goodluck and Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation. In July 2011, following Jonathan's victory in the Presidential elections, Obada was appointed Minister of State for Defence by Goodluck Jonathan, and then served in Jonathan's cabinet as de facto Defence Minister until a major reshuffle in September 2013.[7] On 6 March 2014, she was appointed by Goodluck Jonathan as one of the top five Nigerian elder-statesmen in the 2014 National Conference, Nigeria.[8] On 29 September 2014, Goodluck Jonathan honoured her with the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) national award.[9] On 2 January 2015, she was appointed by Goodluck Jonathan into a Directorate position for his 2015 presidential re-election campaign.[10] On 6 May 2015, she was appointed Chairman of the Federal University, Dutsin-Ma Governing Council, one of the last appointments made by out-going President Goodluck Jonathan.[11]