The Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria, CIFCFIN, on Thursday, February 22, 2024, conferred its Fellowship on the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Mr Ola Olukoyede.
The fellowship, the highest professional Award of the Institute, was conferred on the EFCC’s boss in the full glare of the management team and council members of CIFCFIN, as well as top management staff of the EFCC at the corporate headquarters of the Commission, by the Institute’s President and Chairman, Governing Council, Dr. Ilyasu Gashinbaki.
At the impressive ceremony beautified by the citation of Olukoyede, Gashinbaki disclosed that the fellowship was only conferred on persons the Institute considered worthy in character and professional calling “and reserved for people of distinction.” He further disclosed that the honour bestowed on Olukoyede was well-deserved, adding that it was a great addition to the institute’s profile to have an accomplished, globally well-regarded personality like Olukoyede as a fellow.
“On this note therefore, by the powers conferred on me as the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria, I Dr. Ilyasu Gashinbaki, confer on you, the fellowship of the Institute as a fellow, Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria”, he said.
Olukoyede, also a member of the Fraud Advisory Panel, United Kingdom, thanked the Institute for the honour, which he dedicated to the EFCC management team and the anti-corruption fight. “The honour is not only on me but on what I stand for and what I represent and by extension on other members of the management team and the entire staff of the EFCC. I want to thank you immensely and promise that I will abide by the Institute’s rules and regulations”, he said.
Dr Gashinbaki took out time to commend the efforts of the Commission and its Chairman in tackling the current foreign exchange crisis in the country. “We want to commend you for the steps you have taken so far with your intervention in the foreign exchange space. As the steps are reinforced, we want to call on the Commission to ensure that every one that is involved, the high and the mighty, the politicians and the banks are called to order so that our country is not destroyed”, he said.
On his part, Olukoyed commended the good intentions, passion and genuine commitment of President Bola Tinubu to grow the economy, maintaining that the government’s best efforts would not be allowed to be thwarted by saboteurs. He noted that the country’s foreign exchange rates rather than being driven by market forces are now being determined by forces of speculation. He called on Nigerians to support every effort being made to sanitise and strengthen the economy.
“ Nigerians should be more patriotic. Somebody who gets fish from the river, dries it within the country will tell you that it is the dollar that made him or her increase the price. More than 90 per cent of the raw materials for cement is derived in Nigeria. I think we all need to be more patriotic and join hands together to grow the economy”, he said.
