Member
Ch. Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olabisi Osundolire, born over six decades ago to Mr. Joshua and Mrs. Rachel Arigbede is a distinguished pharmacist of note by profession and a seasoned technocrat per excellence who retired as a Permanent Secretary in 2017, after the mandatory 35 years period in the services of the Ondo State Government.
She had her early education at St John's Primary School, Ilesa, and her Secondary School education at Queen's School, Ibadan, where she passed out in 1974 with a Grade 1. She attended the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, for her bachelor's degree in Pharmacy and obtained a B.Pharm. Honors Degree. (1980), and also the same institution for her Master's Degree in Public Administration where she obtained her (MPA), with Distinction in 2003.
Her career path commenced in 1982 when she took up an appointment with the Hospital Management Board of the then Ondo State Government, as a Pharmacist Grade 1 and she was posted to Ado Ekiti State Specialist Hospital, Ado Ekiti. Early in her career in 1985, she was posted to State Specialist Hospital, Ondo, (SSH) as a Senior Pharmacist acting in post as the Head/Director of Pharmacy at the SSH and the then Ondo Medical Zone, in a supervisory capacity superintending over the Pharmacy departments of 1, General Hospital, 2 Comprehensive Health Centers, and 5, Basic Health Centres.
This early experience afforded her the opportunity to cut her teeth in administrative expertise at an early age and stage in her career. It was while working at the State Specialist Hospital, Ondo in the stated capacity, that she rose through the ranks until she was promoted to the post of a substantive Director in the year 2004. In 2007, as a result of her outstanding performance, she was transferred to State Specialist Hospital, Akure, to head the pharmacy department at the State's headquarters and carry out the reform and reorganisation of the department.
Due to her distinguishing herself in her field of practice, she was given an award as the best Pharmacist in the service of Ondo State by the Ministry of Health in 1993.
In 2009, she was appointed as a Permanent Secretary (PS) by the Ondo State Government, through a merit system. This appointment made her emerge as the first pharmacist to be so appointed as a PS in the service of Ondo State.
Between 2009 and 2017 she served as a PS in three different ministries, namely Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Community Development and Cooperative Services and Ministry of Women Affairs. She excelled in her service delivery at these various ministries and made her impact, that has left behind indelible footprints visible to date so much that she was given a commendation letter by the then Head of Service, Barr. Toyin Akinkuotu.
Pharm. Mrs. Funmi Osundolire has attended many conferences both within and outside the country including being Ondo State representative on the Federal Government delegation to the UN's Women Commission, 2016.
She has received many awards both in her professional, Church, Organizations and the Community capacities, including a Merit Award Winner (MAW) of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Ondo State Branch, an award of honor from Ile-Oluji Community, a Merit Award by the National Anglican Youth Fellowship of which she was a National officer in 2004 to mention a few. She is a State Patroness of the Boy's Brigade, Nigeria. She holds the chieftaincy title of the 'Iya Ewe' of St. Andrew's Anglican Church, Ondo Diocese, Anglican Communion. She is a Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (FPSN) and a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration of Nigeria (FIPAN).
She is presently a member of the Governing Board of the Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Ondo State and; a Board Member of the newly established Ondo State Public Complaints, Anti-Corruption and Economic and Financial Crime Commission and other Matters (OSPACC).
Ch. Mrs. Funmi Osundolire is the Executive Director of Children in Peril, an NGO, seeing to the welfare of children.
Ch. Mrs. Funmi Osundolire is a humble, humane, quintessential woman of quality and integrity who fears God and has great concerns for humanity. She is a Social Crusader and a strong advocate for human rights and social justice. She is well travelled, loves reading and engaging in intellectual discussions. She is married with beautiful children and grandchildren.