Otunba Bimbola Ashiru was born in Ijebu- Ode to the illustrious Ashiru family. His father, late Pa Simeon Adeyemi Ashiru was a distinguished Ijebu Statesman, while his morther Omo’ba (Princess) Moradeun Ashiru is from the Fidipote Royal Family of Ijebu-Ode and the ruling house of Owu-Ijebu.

He is well read, graduating with a degree in Marketing, Purchasing & Supply, with a Masters’ Degree in Strategic Management. With this background, he entered the services of the then Chartered Bank in the year 1989. In a successful career that has spanned two decades and taken him to various institutions, he has served in various capacities of Management – as Head, Private Banking Unit; Branch Manager; Head, Institution & Professional Banking; Regional Coordinator; Country Director, Personal and Business Banking; Director, Corporate Affairs and Corporate Social Investments; until his last position of Group Head, Public Sector with Stanbic IBTC Bank. He was the pioneer head of the department.

Otunba Bimbola Ashiru is a man with a desire for developing people around him, and this translated into his appointment as the representative of the Awujale of Ijebuland on the Ijebu Development Initiative on Poverty Reduction (IDIPR). He has distinguished himself in this field and represented his people favorably to the best of his ability. He was also on the Technical and Communications Committees of the 17th Nigerian Economic Summit (2011).

He is a member of The Metropolitan Club, Ikoyi Club 1938 and a member of the Ijebu Heritage Group and Ijebu Renaissance Group.

Otunba Ashiru is a Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria; National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria [FNIMN] and Chartered Institute of Commerce of Nigeria.

In recognition of his selfless service to society and having distinguished himself as a true son of Ijebuland and an astute banker of repute, Otunba Bimbola Ashiru was presented with the royal title of Otunba Adeona Fusigboye of Ijebuland in December, 2006 by His Royal Majesty, The Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona CFR.

He was the Honorable Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in Ogun State. A position he has held from 2011 and was re-appointed to the same ministry in 2015. Under his stewardship, the business environment of the state developed beyond imagination with over 1, 279.84% increase in internally generated Revenue of the State. Over 300 factories/companies established their presence in Ogun State with a cumulative investment profile of about N691.77 Billion in 2014, compared to N377 Billion in 2013. This placed Ogun State in first position in Nigeria, according to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. During his time, approximately 75% of Manufacturing Foreign Direct Investment into the country between 2011 – 2016 came into Ogun State.

Also, during his tenure the World Bank Group, in its Doing Business in Nigeria 2014 Report, ranked Ogun State as one of the best five States in term of ease of doing business against the 36th position in its 2010 report. He also facilitated the creation of a One-Stop Shop Investment Center (OSSIC) which sits within the Ministry of Commerce & Industry to assist potential investors with procedures for investment and documentation processing.

Otunba Bimbola Ashiru is happily married to Olukemi Ashiru, a lawyer. They are blessed with two lovely children.