PROFILE OF SAYYIDAH BILQEES GRILLO FCA, FCIB, FCTI, MBA

        

                   بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم                          

 

SAYYIDAH GRILLO is a graduate of three local Islamic schools where she studied the recitation of the Holy Qur’an [AKOREDE MADRASSAH] and completed same at an early age of 8years. She was enrolled into Ansar Ud Deen  Islamic School, Alakoro Lagos where she spent three years learning classical Arabic between the ages 12-15years. She then proceeded to Jejewiyah Islamic and Arabic School where she studied Arabic language through the learning of Arabic fiqh books such as Ashimaawi, Al-Akhdariyu, Qala Sheikh, Ta’alim Muta’alim, Zabur of Dawud, Sabha-l-mathani, fawaqiu amongst many others. She also learnt tajweed, seerah, hadith and Qur’an memorization and translation, aruud and qaseedah nabiy under the tutelage of the School’s Proprietor, Shaykh Thani Jeje, on whom be peace. By the age of 17years, she had acquired these knowledge.

In addition, she took the Islamic, written Arabic and oral Arabic courses in her secondary school for 5years and obtained Secondary school – Ansar Ud Deen High School Surulere where she had a distinction and two credits in her WASCE. After these, she began a self-help effort through “Arabic by Radio” – Cairo broadcast and also the study of tafseer through the “Al_Qur’an Society, UK via correspondence. 

All along between the age of 13-18 years, she had become versatile in attending television Broadcast invitation as a discussant, lecturer or paper presenters, these in NTA, MITV, and Channels TV to mention a few. She also continued attending her Arabic school for many years till after she began and completed her professional examinations. These lasted till 1990.

In 1998, she came in contact with an erudite scholar and a diplomat who is widely travelled and grounded in knowledge, and thus became his student. The teacher is Shaykh Ahmad Tijani Ibrahim Niass. Here she was exposed to higher levels of oral Arabic communication since the man could only speak Arabic, Hausa, French but very little English. She remained since 1998 till date as a student of the Sheikh acting in the capacity of a bi-lingual Secretary, listening to his instructions in Arabic and translating same into letters in English.

After 10 years of loyal and dedicated service to his office, his eminence authorized the founding of an Islamic Peace Foundation, - an NGO dedicated to the cause of improving knowledge and worship. She became the Founder under the shaykh’s chairmanship. He was encouraged to recommend this step due to the fact that Hajiya Grillo had within a span of 5years made 10books of translation of the Shaykh’s father’s spiritual lectures from Arabic to English. After the founding of the NGO, she continued and wrote books, journals, lectures etc and garnered a national recognition amongst the Muslims particularly, the MSS – Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, NACOMYO –Nat. Council for Muslim Youth Associations, the various Sufi groups all over the country. She got countless numbers of Awards from these religious associations and had become renowned in presenting Islamic views on issues as a lecturer.

She also obtained many written commendations and certifications from her Teacher, the diplomat from Senegal as a result of her steadfast nature, humility, honesty and commitment to all high ideals. She had attended Hajj in year 2000 and acted as Amiratul Hajj. She also acts as guidance and counsellor to Lagos state Hajj pilgrims for some years. 

Mrs. Bilikis Bolajoko Grillo is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. She is also an associate member of both the Chartered Institute of Marketing of Nigeria and the Nigerian Institute of Management. She holds MBA Degree from Lagos State University, Ojo.

Mrs. Grillo has about 35 years’ experience in banking and finance, accounting, marketing and general management. She had her professional accountancy training with BDO Binder Balogun & Co. (formerly Balogun, Ayanfalu, Badejo & Co.), an international firm of Chartered Accountants and Management Consultants. She started as an articled clerk (under deed) responsible to a named principal for a period of five years.She continued her audit and management training after her articleship in the firm for four more years and rose to Audit Supervisory position before leaving for AVIS Petroleum- a small, private, independent oil marketing company as a Chief Accountant / General Manager with overall responsibilities for day- to- day administration of the company. After a brief stay, she left for Republic Bank Limited as an Assistant Manager and rose to the position of a Manager. This is where she completed her professional banking examinations in 1990.

In 1994 she joined the services of TBS Consultants Limited – a small, private financial, HR and training specialist outfit where she rose from a Senior Manager position to the position of General Manager. She left the firm in 1998 and joined Wema Bank Plc as a Senior Manager (Head of Budget and Accounts) and later as Head of Central Accounting Operations. In April 2008, she was promoted to the post of Chief Accountant with overall responsibility of manning the entire financial operations of the bank. In year state 2001, she was made the Regional Director II (Mainland) in charge of 21 branches in Lagos state. However from September 2002 she joined the services of a consulting firm where she worked as an Executive Director. In 2012, she commenced her full-fledged firm as a Managing Partner handling a myriad of professional assignments for clients. In addition she has authored many unpublished seminar papers/write-ups and has nine publications of religious books and journals to her credit under her NGO.

Mrs. Grillo has attended various courses, seminars and workshops on Audit/Secretarial/Taxation Functions, Banking, Finance, Marketing, Customer Intimacy, Strategic Management, Advanced Credit/Treasury courses, General Management, etc. She is computer literate.

As a versatile, disciplined and skilled professional, she is identified with such qualities as dedication, thoroughness, competence, loyalty and integrity. She has equally participated in, and presented papers at training courses, seminars and workshops in banking, finance, marketing and general management.

She is also active in the marketing forefront and her naturally-endowed friendly and persuasive disposition coupled with innate skills, has assisted in marketing her organizations to maximum advantage.

Hajiya B.B. Grillo is happily married with children.