By Femi Alufa
We celebrate Erelu Bisi Fayemi as always,She is our benefactor and role model; she is one of the world’s finest leaders, a feminist, activist, writer and policy advocate, philanthropist and the former First Lady of Ekiti State of Nigeria.
She emerged winner of the impressive Ekiti Summit News Magazine Personality of the Year -2020 after a rigorous screening process.
Ekiti Summit New Magazine Person of the Year is a merit and value-based Award, a rigorous, screening process to recognize and celebrate leaders and people of influence that make our lives sublime as a people in Ekiti State of Nigeria.
Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi was born in Liverpool, England on June 11,1963 to Nigerian parents.
She has a BA (1984) and MA (1988) in History from the University of Ife, Nigeria (now Obafemi Awolowo University).
She also received an MA in Gender and Society (1992) from Middlesex University, UK.
She has experience as a Feminist Thinker and Writer, Social Entrepreneur, Policy Advocate, Trainer, Social Change Philanthropy Practitioner, Communications Specialist and Social Sector expert.
She was first lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria as wife of Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi from 2018 to 2022. She previously served as first lady from 2010 to 2014 during her husband’s first term in office.
In 2001, she co-founded the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), the first Pan-African grant-making organisation. She serves as a UN Women Nigeria Senior Advisor, and was appointed as a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King’s College, University of London in 2017. She is CEO of Above Whispers Limited, and runs an online community called Abovewhispers.com.
As a former First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Adeleye -Fayemi influenced our lives in Ekiti communities for better with great impacts and has done the most to influence the event in the past years especially in campaign on Gender Based Violence(GBV) which has get national commendations and she is also in the forefront in curbing COVID-19 Pandemic in Ekiti State among myriads of her great works.
Mrs.Fayemi has clearly laid down legacies of development as the founder of Ekiti Development Foundation(EDF)and we appreciate her efforts as she continues to make sure that our Ekiti communities gravitate from potentials to prosperity in all ramifications of our life.
Out of office as a former First Lady,She continues to serve as an inspiration model that motivates, stimulates and encourages the youths and adults alike to achieve good success in their career and calling.
Mrs. Fayemi is one of the most vocal women’s rights activists and thinkers on the African continent. During the years in which women’s rights issues began to receive attention in the global policy arena, she played a major role in ensuring that African women’s issues were addressed and their interests represented.
Her published works includes:
‘Speaking above a whisper’ , Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, an autobiography, October 2013
‘Speaking for myself’: Perspectives on Social, Political and Feminist Activism, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, October 2013.
‘Loud Whispers’ , Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, a collection of essays, October 2017.
Mrs. Fayemi holds the honorary traditional chieftaincy titles of Ochiorah (Women Leader) of Imezi Owa, Ezeagwu Local Government, Enugu State, Nigeria (April 2008), Erelu (Queen Mother) of lsan Kingdom, in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State (March 2011) The Ajiseye (Philanthropist) of Ado-Ekiti (December 2013),Fiwajoye of Otun-Ekiti (August 2022),Yeye Oba of Erinmope -Ekiti (August 2022), the Akorewolu of Ilawe-Ekiti (September 2022) and several other titles.
As usual on June 11th annually,we say shout out of Hip!hip! hurray of Happy Birthday to a true heroine, role model and benefactor!
Mother General,Erelu Bisi Fayemi,may your day be filled with joy, love, and celebration, and may the coming year be filled with even more success, happiness, and inspiration.
Thank you Ma’am for being there for us always as an inspirational model with magic wand and midas touch and such an amazing influence in our lives.
Happy birthday Mother General, May your decades be prolonged by God’s bountiful grace and favour.Amen.
#EkitiSummitNews