President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Olori Onikepo Olufunmike Akande as she joyfully marks her 80th birthday on October 29, 2024.
Onikepo Akande holds the honour of being Nigeria’s first female Minister of Industry and the second female President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In celebrating her, the president highlighted Olori Akande’s trailblasing record and her contributions to Nigeria’s public and private sectors.
Affectionately known as Nike, she is revered not only as an exceptional leader but also as the Iyalaje Iyalode of Ibadanland, a devoted wife to Oba Adebayo Akande, the Ekaarun Olubadan of Ibadanland, a proud mother and beloved grandmother.
In the early 1990s, she served as a director of the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (NICON) and the Nigeria Industrial Development Bank (NIDB), now known as the Bank of Industry. She was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Centre for Women Development in Abuja from 1992 to 1994.
The president commended her exceptional service as a boardroom player, public administrator, community leader, philanthropist and business executive.
He also praised Nike Akande for her tenure as Minister of Industry, acknowledging her dedication and commitment to driving progress in the nation.
He said her Her remarkable career, bolstered by her Harvard education and expertise in investment, has earned her numerous national and international accolades, particularly in empowering women in commerce and entrepreneurship.
The president expressed gratitude to Nike Akande for her unwavering commitment to mentoring and uplifting others, asserting she is a role model to countless women across Nigeria.
He honoured the Iyalaje Iyalode of Ibadanland as a symbol of beauty, diligence, courage, affection and kindness.
The president also noted her exemplary role as a supportive wife to a respected traditional ruler and as a mother whose children have achieved great success.
He prayed to God Almighty to bless Nike Akande with continued health and longevity, allowing her to share her inspiring life story and encourage others to embrace optimism and resilience.