Mrs Folorunso Alakija, born on July 15, 1951 in Ikorodu, Lagos State, is a quintessential business magnate with remarkable imprints in the fashion, printing and oil industries in Nigeria. Once ranked by Forbes as the richest woman in Nigeria, with an estimated net worth of $2.1 billion, she is listed as the second most powerful woman in Africa and the 87th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Mrs Alakija started her educational journey at the Our Lady of Apostles, Lagos, where between 1955 and 1958, she had her nursery education. In 1959, she was taken to Hafadunas Hall in Wales, England, where she completed her primary education in 1963. However, upon her return to Nigeria later in 1963, she enrolled at the Muslim High School, Sagamu, and in 1967, proceeded to the African Church Grammar School, Abeokuta, where she completed her secondary education in 1968. In 1969, she obtained a Higher School Certificate, having attended the famous Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode. Mrs Alakija, thereafter, earned numerous diplomas and certificates including, Secretarial Studies from Pitmans Central College, London (1970-1972); Fashion Design from the Central School of Fashion, London (1985); World Class Management (Planning and Implementation), London (2004); Senior Management Programme & Best Practices, London (2004); Resolving Conflicts: Preventing and
Addressing Conflicts, Houston (2005); Mini MBA program, CWC School for Energy, London (2006); Leadership Guild, San Diego (2007); Owner Managers’ Program of the Lagos Business School (2008); Leadership Critical Thinking Innovation, Dubai (2008); Public Speaking Mastery, Dale Carnegie (2013).
WORK AND BUSINESS EXPERIENCE
With a robust educational background, Mrs Alakija was prepared for an outstanding future leadership role, not only in her private business but also in the public sphere. She started her career in office administration as Executive Secretary at Sijuade Enterprises, Lagos, Nigeria (1973) but moved in 1974 to the then International Merchant Bank Nig Limited, where at different times between 1974 and 1985, she served as the Executive Secretary to the Managing Director, Head of Corporate Affairs, and Assistant to Banking Officers. In 1986, driven by her passion for fashion, Mrs Alakija took a leap of faith and followed her creative instinct. She followed her heart and creative calling to establish her own business in the Nigerian fashion industry. What started at a 3-Bedroom apartment in Surulere, Lagos as Supreme Stitches, her fashion label created to meet the clothing needs of top level managers with a uniquely African fashion taste, later grew to prominence as “Rose of Sharon House of Fashion”.
From 1991 till date, Mrs Alakija has been a key player in industry and many other non-governmental organizations. She established and is the current Executive Vice-Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited, an indigenous Nigerian Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Company. She is the Group Managing Director (2002 till date) of the Rose of Sharon Group comprising The Rose of Sharon Prints & Promotions, which specializes in monogramming, heat/picture transfer and screen printing for promotional and gift items, and Digital Reality Print Limited, which specializes in highly technical digital large format printing. She remains the only female in that industry in Nigeria to date. Mrs Alakija is also the Vice Chairman, (2004 till date of Dayspring Property Development Company Ltd, a real estate company with investments in different parts of the world.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY
The Rose of Sharon Foundation, a faith-based, non-profit organization founded by Mrs Alakija, has been offering assistance to the most vulnerable – widows and orphans in the society It is on record that the Foundation has awarded up to 1,366 educational scholarships to children of widows, supported 970 widows with micro credits (at zero percent) and given 72 orphans scholarships. Since 2009, the Foundation has held regular annual Christmas parties for children in orphanages across Lagos State. Similarly, as Chairperson of the Street Children Rehabilitation Ministry (Busy Bees) of the Christ Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos, her philanthropic contributions have been remarkable.
In 2014, Mrs Alakija made donations to the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State for the completion of a 350- seat Lecture Theatre. She has been a major sponsor of the Agbami Medical and Engineering Scholarship Scheme, one of the most reliable scholarship schemes in Nigeria, meeting the educational needs of over a thousand people yearly.
Mrs Alakija has served nationally as Member, Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation (2012 till date); Member, Committee on World Economic Forum (WEFA 2014); Vice Chairman, National Heritage Council and Endowment for Arts (2013); Member, Nigerian Philanthropy Summit Stakeholders’ Forum (2013); Member, Committee for the Fund Support of Terrorism Victims (2014) and Chief Matron of Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs. As former National President and lifelong Trustee of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN), she left an indelible mark, promoting Nigerian culture through fashion and style.
AWARDS/HONOURS
Mrs Folorunso Alakija was appointed the first female Chancellor of Osun State University, (renamed Bola- Ige University) on 9th March, 2016. She has also received several honorary degrees and awards which include: Rotary International Nigeria Exemplary Service Award (2011); Fellow, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos (2013); Honorary Doctorate degrees: Business Administration, (University of Nigeria, Nsukka 2014); Humanities (University of Uyo 2015); Business Administration (Osun State University, 2016); Science (Ajayi Crowther University, (2016).
Her many other awards include; Designer of the Year Award, 1986/87; The Lloyds Royal Ambassadeaur De Fashion Award, 1990; Nigerian Women Awards for Fashion, 1998; Intra-Continental Media Network Gold Award for Ecowas Distinguished Corporate Achievers, 2000. The Opral Benson Beauty Training Institute (OBBTI) Award, 2005; Fashion and Style Magazine: Most Fashionable Woman of the Year Award, 2006; Episcopal Award for Excellence in Service: Anglican Diocese of Lagos, 2011; Humanitarian of the Year Award, 2011; African Governance and Business Excellence Award: Distinguished Gold Service Award for Excellence, 2013; Lagos State Support Our Schools Initiative Award in recognition of Corporate Social Responsibility, 2014; Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion Primatial Award for Excellence in Christian Stewardship, 2014; Special Recognition Award by Governor, State Of Florida for Proclamation, 2015; Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship, The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Nigeria. , 11th Western Zonal District Conference., 2017.
LIFESTYLE
Mrs Folorunso Alakija, a born-again Christian since 1991, draws her strength from her unfaltering belief in the power of God. With a sincere desire to give to those in need, especially the youth and women from all walks of life, she operates on the principle that: “Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well”. Consequently, in obedience to God and working in line with His will and purpose, Mrs Alakija and her husband founded a house fellowship, which has grown to become a full-fledged Christian Ministry known as the Rose of Sharon Glorious Ministry International. She has authored several books including, “University of Marriage”, “Alone with God”, (a free Christian Devotional), her autobiography, “Growing with the Hand that Gives the Rose”, and “The Cry of Widows and Orphans”.
Mrs. Alakija lives in Lagos, Nigeria with Modupe Alakija her beloved husband of almost four decades, their four sons and grandchildren.