•Honoured At The 22nd City People Awards For Excellence
•The Story Of Chief (Mrs) IBILOLA SOLAJA
At the recent City People Awards For Excellence held at the LEKKI Colisieum, one of those honoured at the event was Chief (Mrs) Ibiola Solaja, popularly called Madam Jumlar. Although, everyone calls her Madam Jumlar, but her real name is Mrs. Ibilola Aduke Solaja. She is a successful Lagos businesswoman. She is one of the biggest Rice Merchants in Nigeria and the Iya Oloja at Dalekan Rice Market. She was born in August 13, 1955 to the family of the late Chief & Mrs. S. S. Banjo in Ijebu Igbo and she started her Primary education at Amutebu in Ijebu Igbo and finally obtained her 1st School Leaving Certificate at Saint Saviour Primary School, Ikenne in the year 1967. She started her secondary education at Girls Grammar School, Ijebu Igbo, and later proceeded to Mayflower College, Ikenne to complete her studies where she obtained her West African School Certificate in the year 1971. Later, she proceeded to Ushi Ekiti Teachers Training College, Ushi Ekiti in the former Ondo State now Ekiti State in the year 1974. She briefly worked at Macjob Commercial College Ibara, Abeokuta as a Teacher and later joined the Presidency in August, 1978.
While in the Presidency, she was trained as intelligence personnel. She attended various surveillance and intelligence courses overseas and came back to attain the level of a top officer. She served for 19 years as an intelligence officer before she retired in August, 1994.
After her retirement, she started a trading business under a registered name of Jumlar Nigeria
Limited and has since been in the business of importation and distribution of Rice, Vegetable Oil, Sugar and Cement with a network throughout Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory. She has successfully managed the business over the years and has given birth to several other businesses that cut across Oil sector, Construction and Farming.
In 2005, she travelled to Jerusalem to celebrate her golden jubilee, there she was honoured with
Justice of Peace (JP). Also in 2009, she travelled again to the holy city and was honoured as an Ambassador of Peace.
In addition to her business carrier, she attended several management courses, home and abroad in order to acquire more management skills.
She has several awards to her credit, many in her business and from churches, among which are, the Iyalode of Emmanuel Church, Ijebu Igbo, the Olori Oniresi of Daleko Market, the Yeye Oba of Ofa Kingdom, and the Ajitowobaje of Ishan Kingdom in Ishan, Ekiti State.
She is blessed with children among who are, a present member of Ogun State House Assembly in the person of Hon. Bowale Olayinka Solaja and Ms Olajumoke Solaja, the Special Assistant to the wife of Oyo State Governor.
