My Trial Taught Me Valuable Lessons Of Life, Says Ex-Skye Bank MD

After a two-year-long tussle with the country’s anti-graft agency, a former managing director of Skye Bank (now Polaris), Mr. Timothy Oguntayo, has finally been exonerated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who eventually withdrew the charges against him after reviewing its investigations.

Recall that the EFCC had in 2019 accused Oguntayo alongside other Skye Bank chiefs of money laundering and breach of trust.

The case lingered in the Federal High Court, Abuja until 2021 when it was finally struck out after EFCC withdrew the case.

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The experience, however, Oguntayo noted, has left him with a different outlook on life, especially concerning managing relationships.

“I will first give God all the glory,” he heaved a heavy sigh as he spoke.

“It was a process of teaching me lessons of life that I could not have learned any other way. There were so many things that I didn’t understand about people that I came to understand during that period. Secondly, I must thank the professionalism of the men and women in the government agency involved, especially when the current chairman came in. They were able to see clearly that whatever action was taken while in office was not for personal gains.

“There were things that should have been done better, though. Nonetheless, the relevant parties were thorough and professional and were able to put things in proper perspective. They eventually came to the logical conclusion that there was no point dragging the case further,” he said.

He also explained that, despite his legal challenges, he was still committed to playing his part in developing the Nigerian society.

“I am always proud that Nigerians are breaking ground in different spheres of life. The resilience, brilliance, creativity and tenacity of purpose of Nigerians are unimaginable and inspiring.

“Despite my challenges, I stayed committed to making significant contributions to the growth of several businesses. I also made sure I gave back to my community, no matter what. I believe that financial wealth is not the only tool to leverage in giving back to the community; I believe one can achieve significant achievement using hers/his time, resources and talent.

“I wanted to reflect on my beliefs, so there was no way I was going to relent. Court case or not, I needed to play my part as a development stakeholder, leveraging my perseverance, hard work and talent. Today, I am proud I took those steps,” he added.

With over 35 years of experience in the banking and finance sector, Oguntayo has cut his teeth in the professional financial advisory scene. Since he set up his DLK Investment and Financial Advisory firm in 2016, he has helped myriad of businesses scale and some on the way to getting listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Drawing upon his decades of experience as a bank executive, Oguntayo is a well-respected expert in the African corporate sector. Some of his key career highlights include the first-ever close-ended Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) to be listed on The Nigerian Stock Exchange (Skye Shelter Fund). It was subsequently launched in the Nigerian capital market.

He has also been awarded a laurel of excellence for his role as a community ambassador in his community by the Ministry of Community Development and Cooperatives, as well as Odeda local government council authorities in his native Ogun State around 2014.