Biography of Olufunmilayo Adunni Olayinka (née Famuagun)

Olufunmilayo Adunni Olayinka (née Famuagun; 20 June 1960 – 6 April 2013) was a Nigerian banker and politician who served as the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State from 2010 until her passing in 2013.

Early Life and Education
Born in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Olayinka attended Holy Trinity Grammar School in Ibadan, where she earned her First School Leaving Certificate with distinction. She later attended Olivet Baptist High School in Oyo State, Nigeria, where she obtained her Higher School Certificate (HSC).

Olayinka pursued higher education in the United States, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing (1981) and a Master’s degree in Public Administration (1983) from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. She was recognized three times on the Dean’s Honour Roll for her academic excellence.

Career
Olayinka began her professional journey in banking as a marketing analyst with First Bank of Nigeria Plc in 1986. She went on to serve as a relationship manager for corporate accounts at Access Bank, Merchant Banking Corporation (MBC), and United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc.

In August 2002, she transitioned into corporate communications, becoming the Head of the Corporate Affairs Division at UBA. Her responsibilities later expanded to overseeing brand management, where she led initiatives that strengthened UBA’s brand image and aligned it with the bank’s strategic goals.

Between 2002 and 2004, Olayinka served as the Second Vice President of the Association of Corporate Managers of Banks.

During the merger between United Bank for Africa and Standard Trust Bank, Olayinka played a key role as co-chair of the Branding Sub-Committee and contributed to the Media Relations Sub-Committee.

Before her election as Deputy Governor, she was the Head of Corporate Services at Ecobank Transatlantic Inc., where she managed public relations, administrative services, and internal communications for the bank.

Political Journey
Olayinka contested the 2007 Ekiti State gubernatorial elections as the running mate to Dr. Kayode Fayemi under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Following a contentious election process that declared Segun Oni of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner, Fayemi and Olayinka challenged the results in court.

After a prolonged legal battle, the Elections Appeal Tribunal in Ilorin, Kwara State, overturned the earlier decision on 14 October 2010 and declared Dr. Kayode Fayemi as Governor of Ekiti State. Consequently, Olufunmilayo Olayinka was sworn in as the Deputy Governor, becoming the second woman to hold this position in the state’s history.

Death
Olayinka passed away on 6 April 2013 after a prolonged fight with cancer. She was laid to rest in her hometown, Ado-Ekiti.

A devout Christian, she was survived by her elderly mother, her husband, and their three children.