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Dr., Honorable Olawale Okediran

Wale Okediran was born in Oyo town, the historic military capital of the Yoruba Kingdom. He completed his secondary
Education at Olivet Heights before attending the then University of Ife (now Obafemi
Awolowo University, Ile-Ife). Wale variously represented UnIfe (now OAU) and Oyo State in

competitions which earned him academic scholarships. In 1980, he obtained his MB, ChB
degree as a medical practitioner. After completing the National Youth Service, he established

his private practice, the Cornerstone Medical Centre in Ibadan. A Fellow of General Medical
Practitioners of Nigeria and Fellow of Public Physicians of Nigeria, he went into active politics after first being

appointed Chairman, Oyo State North Hospitals Management Board. In 2003, he contested and
won a seat in the Nigeria Federal House of Representatives, Abuja, for his hometown Iseyin,
Oyo state. Honorable Dr. Wale Okediran has been a public servant for almost 30 years,

simultaneously developing a breadth of experience contributing to advocacy, regional dialogue,

and development of public policies leading to improvements in health across the nation: Polio
Eradication, Sustainable Energy and Climate Change, Prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. Dr. Okediran has provided
oversight for Teaching Hospitals, Federal Medical Centers, and The National Health Insurance Scheme on behalf of the

Federal House of Representatives. With a firm grasp on good governance, he has been involved in the Action for West
Africa Region (AWARE) HIV/AIDS project, helping develop the HIV/AIDS Model Law and policy initiatives adopted in
countries including The Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. He has consulted for several International and Local

Development Agencies such as Constella Futures International USA, National Democratic Institute for International
Affairs, USIS, UNAIDS, NPHCDA, NACA and UNICEF. In addition to his extremely busy schedule, Dr. Okediran is an award
winning and prolific writer whose literary oeuvres are deeply rooted in contemporary Nigerian society. Started as an
interest in his secondary school days at Olivet Heights, Wale’s writing career has resulted

in publishing over 15 novels, including nine are adult and three children fictions. As National
Treasurer, General Secretary and then National President of the Association of Nigerian
Authors (NAN, 2005 – 2009), he did and continues to contribute immensely to the

development of Literature in Nigeria through establishing ANA branches, organizing Literary
Seminars, Conferences and Publications. His national and international literary awards
include: Boys at the Border, The Rescue of Uncle Babs (ANA Prize for children’s literature),

Dreams Die at Twilight, Strange Encounter (2005 ANA Fiction Prize), The Weaving Looms. The highly acclaimed novel,

TENANTS OF THE HOUSE which is a fictional account of his years in the House of Representatives, was the 2011 Co-
winner of the Wole Soyinka Prize for African Literature. His books are in reading lists for institutions such as the
University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Ahmadu Bello

University Zaria, Nasarawa State University and University of Maiduguri. “Tenants—“ is a recommended read for
Nigerian legislators. He has written several biographies including FEARLESS; The Emergence of a Virile and Formidable
Opposition Leader, a memoir of Hon Femi Gbajabiamila. In 2010, together with a few friends, he established the first
Writers Resort in Nigeria; The Ebedi International Writers Residency in Iseyin, Oyo State, an initiative providing writers

from all over the world respite for artistic expression. Currently Wale runs an Abuja based Consultancy Service whose
clients include The National Assembly Abuja, the National Primary Health Development Agency Abuja, Nigerian
Governors Forum, the Senate Committee on Health and the House Committee on HIV, Malaria and TB.
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