By Whisky Okeme
The story of Sir Monday John Onyeme is an exploration into a world of grit and excellence as his unassailable credentials bear an eloquent testimony of a man who Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State appointed as the Executive Chairman of the Delta State Board of Internal Revenue three and a half years ago.

Chief Monday

Born in the early 1960’s , Onyeme attended the University of Calabar and graduated with a second class upper division in Accountancy in 1990. He subsequently enrolled with safe Association Accounting Tutors in Lagos and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1993. He began his working career as an Assistant lecturer with Federal Polytechnic Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State between 1991 to 1992.

Onyeme joined Commercial Trust Bank Lagos between 1993 to 1995 as senior Executive Assistant Audit and before then he has worked briefly at the audit department of the National Electricity Power Authority, Lagos.

Chief Onyeme also worked as Chief Accountant of the Octopus Credential Limited, Lagos between 1995 to 1996 before joining the National Agriculture Land Development Authority, Asaba between 1996 to 2000 as Head of Finance and Supply department.

Managed all the Banking operations of the College

The star in him began to radiate when he joined the Federal College of Education (Technical) Asaba as the Chief Accountant in 2000 and was promoted to the College Bursar in 2005. As Bursar of the College, he managed all the Banking operations of the College optimizing strategies to get the College on a sound financial footing.

By 2006, Onyeme was appointed the Bursar of the National Open University, Lagos. He brought his vast wealth of experience to bear on this job. So sterling were his leadership qualities that he was able to re – engineer the Finance  and Accounts sector of the University to embrace due process.

By 2015, Onyeme’s sterling qualities has become too obvious to be suppressed. Onyeme in his bid to serve his state was appointed the Head of the Board of Internal Revenue late last year. When he resumed duty as the Executive Chairman of the Delta State Inland Revenue, the first thing he did was to organize a strategic retreat at Songhai-Amukpe-Sapele to prepare his team for the task ahead. Although overwhelming it seem at the beginning, Onyeme has been able to bring to bear his over 25 years experience as an Accountant of high repute with resultant improved Internal Revenue for the State. Under his leadership, the Agency has been revamped, redesigned and repacked to meet the need of the Delta State Government.

In the past one year, oil prices have plummeted to the lowest level. Allocation to States from the federal account have nosedived and the combination of Accountability and transparency which Onyeme impacted has repositioned the Agency towards increasing revenue to support the SMART Agenda of Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, Governor of Delta State. So far he has performed creditably well and in keeping with his character of strict accountability and transparency in leadership, he will hit his projected internal revenue for the State very soon. A sticker for excellence and an unrelenting advocate of due process and upholder of the integrity which the Accounting profession epitomizes.

According to the Executive Chairman, increasing IGR is undoubtedly the only way forward for governments at all tiers in the country. He said it has become imperative to ask for the understanding and support of Deltans to pay all due tax for the purpose of provision of infrastructure across the state. Chief Onyeme said that Deltans no matter their political persuasion, should support the State revenue drive in order for government to take development to all nooks and crannies of the State. He said taxation is therefore key to democratic sustainability and impactful economic development which is in line with the prosperity for all Deltans mantra of the Okowa’s administration.

He is an optimist who believes it is necessary for man to act benevolently, if he truly desires to see the good face of God. He sees the complete picture of a worst case scenario and still believes in the best outcome. He is a live crosser and a barrier breaker and at any opportunity with friends and relations, Onyeme does not fail to seek advice on how properly to run his Agency and raise funds for the state. He can sustain continuous pressure without breaking down. He is very tough in his substantial texture but very soft with his relationship with people.

He reads people very fast and anticipates their motives quickly. He loves and has so much regards for people that are very creative and loves to assist them achieve glory. He has so much confidence in God that he believes that he can easily overcome adversities through his grace.

As the future becomes and with the kind of energy he exhibits, the future looks brighter for the Odoziani I of Ibabu Kingdom.

Whisky Okeme is an Executive Director with the forum for credible elections and good Governance in Africa.