BE INSPIRED I AM WOMAN SHEROS #IWD2016: Inspired by Glory Presents Nigeria’s First Women PART 2

Nigeria’s first women- a list of Nigeria’s female trailblazers…

Chief ‘Folake Solanke (SAN) is the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria and the first Nigerian female lawyer to wear the silk gown as Senior Counsel. She is the first Commissioner of Western State and is a former Chairperson of the Western Nigeria Television Broadcasting Corporation (WNTBC). Solanke has received numerous awards, including the National honour of the Commander of the Order of Niger and the International Bar Association’s Outstanding International Woman Lawyer Award

Dr. Abimbola Ayodeji Abolarinwa is first female Urologist in Nigeria Her medical career started in 2004 after graduating from University of Ibadan. She worked as a Medical officer for 2 years before she commenced her residency training at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

In 2013 she became qualified to practice as a Urologist and emerged as the first female Urologist in Nigeria. She’s currently working as a Urologist in the Department of Surgery of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, (LASUTH) Ikeja.

Captain Abimbola Jayeola (Captain AB) is Nigeria’s First Female Helicopter Captain. In February 2016, Captain Jayeola was widely celebrated for her heroism in saving the lives of 11 Nigerians onboard a 5B BJQ Bristow helicopter headed to Lagos from Port Harcourt. Jayeola’s shrewd decision-making and astute skill has been hailed as exemplary and one of the main reasons why no lives were lost.

Olabisi Alofe-Kolawole is the first female public relations officer (FPRO) of the Nigeria Police Force. She has a degree in law from Ogun State University and a master’s in police leadership and management from University of Leicester, UK. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002 and has also served in the following United Nations Missions; in East-Timor 2000, Kosovo 2004, Liberia 2006 and at the DPKO UNHQ, New York 2007. She is also a member of the pool of investigators assisting the office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague in the investigations of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence as international crimes.

Dr. Salamat Ahuoiza Aliu: is a neuro-surgeon at National Hospital, Abuja. She is the first indigenously trained female neuro-surgeon in Nigeria as well as the first female to be certified a neuro-surgeon in West Africa.

 Margaret Ekpo  is nationally and internationally recognized as an Icon of Nigerian politics and a pioneer activist of women’s rights. Margaret Ekpo was one of three women appointed to the House of Chiefs, in the 1950s. The others were Chief (Mrs) Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti (appointed into the Western Nigeria House of Chiefs); and Janet Mokelu (appointed along with Margaret Ekpo into the Eastern Nigeria House of Chiefs). Today, her distinguished name graces the Calabar International Airport and Ekpo Refectory at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Initially attending political meetings on behalf of her husband and completely unsatisfied with being the only woman present, Mrs Ekpo launched and ingenious scheme to bring other women into politics. Since this was after the Second  World War and scarcity of basic household items still persisted, Margaret Ekpo deposited money for all available bags of salt thus ensuring she was able to control its sale to members of her Aba Market Women Association only. Any woman who was not registered as a member was denied access to salt. The Aba Market Women Association therefore become a veritable platform through which she could convey all the information she heard at the political meetings. She also used the association to promote women solidarity as a platform to fight for the economic rights of women, economic protections and expansionary political rights of women. She was also instrumental in extracting the promise of Universal Adult Suffrage from Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe.

 Tara Fela-Durotoye: She is a Nigerian makeup artist and lawyer. A pioneer in the bridal makeup profession in Nigeria, she launched the first bridal directory in 1999, set up international standard makeup studios and established the first makeup school in Nigeria. She is the founder and CEO of House of Tara International, and creator of the Tara Orekelewa Beauty range, Inspired Perfume and the H.I.P Beauty range.

In 2007, She was awarded the Africa SMME Award and the Entrepreneur award in South Africa and in 2013, Forbes listed her as one 20 Young Power Women In Africa. She is a graduate of the prestigious Stanford SEED Transformation Program and this has aided her work as a mentor for thousands of young women across Africa and a standout entrepreneur

Mo Abudu: Mosunmola is an entrepreneur and pacesetter in the media industry. She is the first woman in Africa to launch a pan African TV Channel. From starting the Moments with Mo Talk show that inspired many to building an enviable brand with Ebony Life TV, Mosunmola Abudu is on a roll. Her latest movie project Fifty, has also received several local and international awards/accolades