[3] Otunla was born on 12 June 1955, in what is now Oyo State, in southwestern Nigeria.
He had his secondary education at Baptist High School, Saki where he obtained the West African School Certificate in 1972 before he proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University where he received a bachelor's degree in Financial accounting.
He left the organization in 1989, to join the Oyo State civil service as Chief Internal Auditor, the same year he became the Director of Finance.
[7] On 28 June 2011, he was appointed the Accountant General of the Federation by Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the former President of Nigeria.
[8] On 12 June 2015, Otunla retired honourably from the Civil Service after attaining the mandatory age of 60 years.