Biography
Childhood and Education
Oluwatoyin (Toyin) Olatokunbo Ajibike Ogundana was born on December 1, 1970 to Professor S.K. Ogundana and Mrs B.E. Ogundana in the city of Ibadan. She is the second born of five children. Toyin attended Sacred Heart Private School Ring Road, Ibadan and later moved to Ile Ife where she completed her elementary education at Staff School University of Ife. For her secondary education, she started at Moremi High School, Ile-Ife and continued at Federal Government Girls College, Bida, Niger State. She later transferred to Federal Government College Akure, Ondo state where she finished her secondary education in the 6-3-3-4 system. While at FGGC Akure, she developed an entrepreneurial mindset by selling provisions to other students in the school. After leaving FGGC Akure in 1988, she proceeded to the Polytechnic Ibadan for 2 years to study banking and finance before returning to Obafemi Awolowo University where she graduated with a B.S. in Management and Accounting.
Profession, Business, and Career
Upon graduation, she proceeded for her National Youth Service in Imo State and later transferred to Lagos State where she worked at Ernst & Young Accounting Firm as a youth corper and was retained as a full-time employee. While working in Lagos, her entrepreneurial drive continued to inspire her and she began the endeavor of selling Ankara fabrics, before she moved to London, UK and subsequently, Toronto, Canada. While in Canada, she worked with several organizations such as Royal Bank of Canada, CB Richard Ellis, and Maple Engineering Construction Company as an Account Officer. At the same time, she pursued her Investment and Insurance License. She later became an Investment Advisor with Primerica Financial Services. In 2004, she moved with her family from Canada to Clearwater, Florida where she worked as a Budget Coordinator with Richmond American Homes in Tampa, FL. Having worked in the real estate departments at various organizations, working at Richmond American Homes inspired her to go into real estate herself. She obtained her real estate license in the state of Florida in 2006. She also worked as Account Manager at Kenneday Medical Center in Tampa, FL for 2 years before she resigned to become a full-time stay at home mom. Toyin was a stay at home mom for 9+ years. During this period, apart from taking care of the homefront, she acquired various skills such as jewelry making and graphic design. In 2009, she started her promotional items business named Beulah Promotions. In 2014, she returned back to school for her Master’s Degree in Forensic Studies with a specialization in Accounting. Toyin later returned to the workforce in 2016 and became a licensed real estate agent in the state of Maryland. She specializes in helping people with the purchases and sales of residential and investment properties. She is a Licensed Tax professional both in Canada and Maryland. She is also Notary Public in Maryland and a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).
Spiritual Life & Ministry
She gave her life to Christ in her third year at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife at Rhema Chapel and became more active in the work of the ministry when she transferred back to Lagos state for her National Youth Service. She attended RCCG Faith Chapel, Ojodu, Lagos under the leadership of Pastor Adeola Mensah. She was later transferred as one of the pioneer members to plant RCCG House of David Parish, Ogudu, Lagos. She served in the finance department of the church and the building committee.
When she moved to Canada in 1998 and became a member of RCCG Covenant Chapel, Toronto under the leadership of Pastor Daniel Ishola and subsequently Pastor Tayo Ojajuni. In 2000, she became one of the pioneer members of RCCG House of Praise, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada where she served in different departments like Hospitality, Pastoral Care, Ushering, Children’s Church, and Bible Study under the leadership of Pastor Wale Akinsiku. In 2004, when she moved to Clearwater, Florida and became a pioneer member of RCCG, Good Seed Assembly and served in various departments during the initial stages of church growth. In 2009, she was ordained as a Deaconess in the RCCG by the General Overseer, Pastor E.A Adeboye and she and her husband were sent forth to start a parish, RCCG Good Shepherd Pasture in Saint Petersburg, Florida. In 2012, when she moved to Maryland she became a member of Jesus House DC, under the leadership of Pastor Ghandi and Pastor Omo Olaoye. She currently serves as the minister in charge of the Hospitality ministry. Toyin has always had a passion for helping people, especially less privileged children, orphans, and widows.
Toyin is also a member of the Awesome Treasures Foundation.
Family/Personal Life
She met her husband Olatunji at a friend’s house while on holiday in Ogba, Lagos State, Nigeria and they got married in 1997. They both moved to Toronto, Canada where they had their first child Oreofe in 1998 and second child Tolulope in 2002. As a stay at home mom, she spent valuable time taking care of her wonderful children while her husband travelled weekly for work. With both children now in college and graduate school, she is an “empty nester” and is now able to pursue her career and business. Toyin is always looking out for the welfare of the entire family including her siblings and in-laws. She has the gift of remembering everyone’s birthday and reaching out to them. She is also blessed with numerous children who were born while staying with her, who fondly call her “Grandma Tampa”.
Toyin loves traveling, shopping, and reading (but it is never a burden for her to clean the entire house at any given time!) She is blunt to a fault and tells you exactly the way it is without mincing words. Her favorite quote is – “No Pressure, No Diamonds” and favorite scripture is Psalm 71:7 “I am as a wonder to many; but thou art my strong refuge.”