....Acknowledges and appreciates support so far received, calls for more, as voting ends midnight

By: Temitope OYEKAN 

Dr. Oluwatoyin Sakirat MADEIN, the first female Accountant General of the Federation and one of the shortlisted nominees for the Guardian Newspaper Seven Wonder Women Awards in the Business of Public Service Category is maintaining her lead in the online poll meant to select the overall winner in the stated category.

MADEIN is leading by 75.17% with 3,097 votes out  of the 4,120 total votes cast as at 06.00 pm today, 21st March, in the poll coordinated by EP Media on the Strawpoll online voting platform.

The Seven Wonder Women Awards is a series created by Investing In Women to grow a network of like-minded people, companies, and organisations to press for progress.  These wonderful women who have been featured in The Guardian have showcased to the world in their stories how much they are capable of. They Mean Business in their various fields, disciplines, and have a passion for making a social impact. The awards will honour exceptional women across the following key sectors;

The Business of Public Service 

The Business of Philanthropy

The Business of Academia and Learning

The Business of Wellness and Care

The Business of Technology 

The Business of Financing and Investment, and 

The Business of Culture 

The voting for the general public, which began on Friday, 14th March during The Guardian Woman Festival, currently taking place at Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos will end by midnight, today, Friday, 21st March 2025.

MADEIN, who retired recently after over 30 years, distinguished career in the Federal Civil Service served as the first female Accountant General of the Federation between May 18, 2003 and March 7, 2025. Her tenure as AGF was particularly noteworthy, leaving behind an indelible mark on the national financial landscape. 

Her commitment to transparency, accountability, and probity has undoubtedly strengthened the integrity of Nigeria's financial systems. 

It is instructive to acknowledge the innovative reforms and landmark achievements recorded under her watch. These include:

The robust implementation and expansion of the Treasury Single Account (TSA)

Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS)

Capacity Building and Human Capital Development 

Regular publishing of distribution of funds to the three tiers of government from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC)

All these and more of her bold reforms were able to strengthen transparency,  curtail leakages, and enhance cash management across government agencies. 

They also improve accountability and expedite financial procedures,  as government expenditures were meticulously tracked in real time, mitigating the risk of fraud and ensuring that funds are judiciously utilised for intended purposes.

Most importantly, they solidified her legacy as a true technocrat, whose work was driven by national interest rather than personal enrichment or self aggrandisement. 

Dr. Oluwatoyin MADEIN obtained a Higher National Diploma (Accountancy) in 1988 at the Ogun State Polytechnic (now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic), Abeokuta. This was followed by a Postgraduate Diploma and Masters in Business Administration from the Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University), Ago Iwoye.

In 2019, she was awarded a Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa) by Commonwealth University.

A Fellow of the Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants (ACCA), UK; Fellow of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, (ANAN); and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN); Oluwatoyin bagged a doctoral degree in Management Finance from the Walden University, Minnesota in the United States of America in 2020.

With experience that spans over 30 years in the Federal Civil Service as an Accountant, Financial Manager and Internal Auditor, Dr MADEIN began her career in the civil service as a middle-level officer at Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), and eventually joined the team that started — The Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP), and National Poverty Alleviation Programme (NAPEP).

The Award Nominee also served in various ministries, including the Ministry of Police Affairs; Commerce and Industry; Works and Housing; and Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Abuja.

She equally worked as an Executive Officer (Accounts) in Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC), Abeokuta, before joining the Federal Civil Service,

Offices held;

Director (Finance and Accounts), Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation

Director (Finance and Accounts), Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development

Deputy Director (Internal Audit)

Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing

She was overseeing the Internal Audit Department of the Housing Sector

Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development

Deputy Director, Ministry of Police Affairs

Oversaw financial accounting and project management.

Assistant Chief Accountant, National Poverty Eradication Programme 

Principal Accountant, Raw Materials Research and Development Council

Oluwatoyin MADEIN is happily married to Engr. Adeleke Olusina MADEIN and the marriage is blessed with four successful children.

As the voting progresses, MADEIN, the quintessential civil servant and exemplar public administrator, acknowledged the support of everyone in ensuring that she emerged victorious in the contest, while also calling on those who are yet to vote to also cast theirs in her favour.

Judging by her unblemished career of several years in the Federal Civil Service of Nigeria, and her passionate and diligent service to her fatherland, she indeed truly deserves to be named and honoured as the proud recipient of the Guardian Newspaper Seven Wonder Women Award in The Business of Public Service Category. 

Temitope OYEKAN 

An Iperu indigene writes via

+234 803 967 5332

@topryno

References:

Guardian Nigeria, (2025), Seven Wonder Women Awards, Nominees 2025

OKENWA, L., (2023), The Story of Nigeria's First Female Accountant General, Oluwatoyin MADEIN, FCCA, PhD, Law & Society Magazine

AJEH, J., (2025), The Untold Story of MADEIN As Accountant General of the Federation, The Sun Nigeria