Akinkanju

Emeritus Professor Seth Sunday Ajayi (NNOM) 1943–2026: Africa’s First Professor of Wildlife Conservation
Professor Seth Sunday Ajayi (1943-2026) was a visionary scholar who left a legacy of transforming Africa’s relationship with its natural heritage. As the continent’s first

Professor Olufunmilayo I. Olopade (OON): The Woman Who Taught the World to Listen to African Genes
Olufunmilayo I. Olopade was born in 1957 in Ogun State and hails from Ekiti State. She grew up as the fifth of six children, the

Amina Oyagbola: The Architect of Women’s Mentorship in Nigeria and a Blueprint for Leadership With Purpose
Amina was born in Lagos in April 1961, but her ancestral root is traced to Igan Alade, a town in the Yewa North Local Government

Kunle Soname @ 60: Nigeria’s First European Club Owner Proving Private Investment Can Transform Nigerian Football
On 27 April 2026, Kunle Soname quietly turned 60. Few lives in contemporary Nigerian history carry the weight, or the reach, that his does. He

Emmanuel Oladipo Alayande: The Man Who Built Nigeria’s Leaders Before Nigeria Built Itself
History remembers the golden era of the Western Region as the moment Nigerian development reached its peak — a time when visionary men laid the

Bukola Smith: Left Commercial Banking Scale for Merchant Banking Depth, Now Closing Nigeria’s Gender Finance Gap
Careers in the financial system are often shaped by short-term ambition and visible rewards, but that of Bukola Smith offers a compelling alternative rooted in

Professor Folasade Ogunsola OON, FAS: From Medical Microbiologist to UNILAG’s First Female Vice-Chancellor – A Life of Firsts
There is a particular kind of excellence that does not announce itself. It simply shows up with rigour, with principle, and with an almost stubborn

Remi Babalola: One of Nigeria’s Most Principled Finance Ministers with the Rare Courage to Resign When It Matters
In the Southwest, we have a proverb that says “Ìwà rere lẹ̀ṣọ́ ènìyàn” — good character is a person’s jewel; it is what truly adorns

Professor Oyewale Tomori: How the 39th Child of a Polygamous Farmer Became a World-Renowned Virologist
The life of Professor Oyewale Tomori is a compelling testament to how policy, perseverance, and purpose can converge to shape history. Born into a large

Dotun Akande: How One Nigerian Mother Built Nigeria’s First Autism Centre
Ìyá ni wúrà, ìye bíye — “mother is gold” — is a beloved Yoruba song that eulogises the impact of mothers, particularly Yoruba mothers, on

Professor Jide Owoeye @ 70: The Visionary Behind Lead City University and Nigeria’s Knowledge Economy
As Professor Babajide Owoeye marks his 70th birthday, his life offers a remarkable story of scholarship, vision, and institution-building in Nigeria’s educational landscape. Renowned as

Itunu Hotonu: Africa’s First Female Admiral
Born on 18 January 1959 in Badagry, Itunu Hotonu was raised without gender limits in an academic home that nurtured ambition and courage. From Architecture