Secretary to the State Government
Far away from the every day!
Dr. Folashade Arike Ayoade
The Kogi State Biochemist was born on 27th August, 1965 to the family of late Pa Aliu Alaira Olorunfemi Obaro and Mrs. Aliu Kikelomo Victoria in Ibadan. She attended C.A.C Primary School, Ibadan and Saint Mary`s Grammar School, Iwo between 1972-1982.
Thereafter, between 1982- 1984 she proceeded to School of Basic Studies, Kwara State College of Technology, Ilorin (Now Kwara State Polytechnic) where she obtained IJMB A’ Level and later got her B.Sc Biochemistry from the University of Ilorin, 1985-1988 whereupon she proceeded to University of Lagos where she obtained M.Sc Biochemistry, 1991-1992.
Between 1996-1997, she attended Carl Durlsberg Gesellschaft, Saarbruken, Germany for Diploma in German Language as well as Fachhochschule, Trier, Germany for Diploma in Quality Assurance of Food.
Mrs. Ayoade obtained her Ph.D in Biochemistry from University of Ilorin in 2017 with speciality in Mycotoxins.
Mrs. Ayoade started her career with the Federal Ministry of Health, Food and Drug Division as a Scientific Officer in 1990-1994 and later moved to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) when it was created in 1994 and remained until 2016. In between her career, she took time out in 1997 to work with Chemisches Untersuchungsant (Chemical Investigation Authority), Germany.
She has attended various courses, conferences, seminars and workshops, Nationally and Internationally which include: Quality Assurance of Food in Germany, 1996-1997; FAO/IAEA Training Workshops on Advanced Instrumental Techniques Pesticides Residue Analysis in Austria, 2002; Mycotoxins Analysis of Food and Feeds (Seibersdorf Laboratories, Vienna, Austria, 2002-2003; Analysis of Aflatoxins and Ochratoxins (Central Laboratory, Yorkshire, UK) 2007; Regional Workshop on Rapid Alert System for Food and Feeds (RASFF) (Casablanca, Morocco) 2008; Food Safety Management System: (Pretoria, South Africa) 2009; Food Safety Management System: Internal Auditing (Pretoria, South Africa) 2009; Quality Management System: Internal Auditing (Johannesburg, South Africa) 2009; among others.
Dr. (Mrs.) Folashade Arike Ayoade is a member of various Professional bodies including: Member, Institute of Public Analyst of Nigeria (MIPAN); Fellow, Mycotoxicology Society of Nigeria (FMSN); Member, Biochemical Society of Nigeria (MBSN), Fellow, Academy For Entrepreneurial Studies, Nigeria (AES) among others.
Dr. (Mrs.) Ayoade owns and manage a Non Governmental Organization (NGO)- Folashade Ayoade Initiative For Widows & Orphans (FAIWO) where she had empowered several hundreds of Widows and Orphans.
She has received several awards from different Organizations and Institutions among which is the Award of Excellence as a Role Model by the National Council for Women Societies.
The longest serving SSG in Kogi State is an ordained Assistant Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). In her words “The greatest asset to me is being Born Again”.
After the tenure of Alhaji Yahaya Bello CON on 27th January, 2024, the new Executive Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo reappointed her to the position of the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State, a position she controlled for eight years.
She is by the grace of God currently a three term Secretary to the Government of Kogi State (SSG) and the longest serving SSG since the creation of the State. A position she holds since 2016 to date. Coincidentally also, the only female SSG in the 19 States of Northern Nigeria.