Our Board

Partners Profile ( AAWON Directors )

PROF. BOLANLE AWE

She is a Professor of History who started her academic career as an historian of Yoruba social history; she became the first Nigerian D.Phil in History (1964), the first Nigerian woman professor of History (1978), the first Nigerian Woman Director of the Institute of African Studies (1983), founding Committee member of the International Federation of Research into Women’s History (1989), and Fellow of the Historical Society of Nigeria (1982).

Prof. Awe’s academic career first peeked with her doctoral thesis, “The Rise of Ibadan as a Yoruba Power (1851-1893)”, which was awarded in 1964 by Oxford University. The work became a classic and a centre of reference for Scholars of Ibadan and nineteenth century Yorubaland; in fact, it remains the most comprehensive historical study of Ibadan and the development of the Imperial system of Ibadan.

As the Director of the Institute of African Studies, she contributed a great deal to gender studies, especially with the setting up of WORDOC (Women’s Research and Documentation Centre), a centre that eventually became a rallying point for female academics. She organized several conferences on women and development as well as women’s studies.

Prof. Bolanle Awe has done a lot and achieves much for the feminine gender and has inspired no less number in men. With her dazzling academic achievements and her impeccable public service, she is the perfect role-model to many young women. She is the First National Secretary, Nigerian Association of University Women (NAUW); two times Commissioner in the old Oyo State; former Country Coordinator, MacArthur Foundation, Nigeria and many more. No doubt, the life of Professor Awe remains a model to as many young women and female activists as there are. When the history of women studies in Nigeria are to written, Professor Awe’s name will be in gold.

PROF. MOSUNMOLA OBIDIKE
Professor Omibiyi-Obidike is an outstanding music scholar and a renowned musicologist.

She was born on 20th January 1943. She had her Secondary education at Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls School Yaba Lagos from 1956-1961. She started her University education on Western State Sholarship in 1963 at the University of Nigeria Nsukka. This was temporarily interrupted by the Nigerian political crises in 1966. She then proceeded to the University of California Los Angeles in 1967 on full Scholarship of Western State Government of Nigeria.

Professor Omibiyi-Obidike got her B.A(Music) at University of California Los Angeles in 1968, M.A(African Studies) specializing in Ethnomusicology from University of California Los Angeles in 1969 and Ph.D(Education) in Curriculum Development and Instruction in Music in 1972 from University of California Los Angeles.

Her fields of specification are:

Ethnomusicology and Education:

Curriculum Development and Instruction in Music.

Professor Omibiyi-Obidike worked as a Research Fellow in Music at the Institute of African Studies , University of Ife, Ile-Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) from 1970-1975, the Polytechnic Ibadan as a Lecturer in Music 1976-1977. She joined the Institute of African Studies University of Ibadan as a Research Fellow/Lecturer in 1978.

Professor Omibiyi-Obidike has conducted research on different aspects of Nigerian Music within the context of her special areas of interest which are:

  1. Human migration and diffusion of musical instruments with particular reference to Bantu migration.
  2. Safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage with particular reference to documentation , achieving of all forms of music and
  3. Standardization of Nigerian African musical instruments for performance in concert with non-African instruments. These ideas have been expressed variously in her publications.

Professor Omibiyi-Obidike has served in different capacities as Consultant to Creative Arts of Africa, Black Studies Project, Deparment of Music, Fisk University, Nashville Tennessee USA and Ethnic Heritage Project Bowie State College, Bowie, Maryland, USA. She was a member of the National Committee of the Nigerian Musical Instument. She was a member of Women’s Research and Documentation Centre (WORDOC) of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan and was a Former Coordinator of the centre. She is the Coordinator of the Nigerian Secretariat of the International Centre for African Music and Dance at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, an Institution set to coordinate musical activities in Nigeria. She was former President of the Association of Nigerian Musicologists.

In 1981she was awarded the Fellowship of Alexander Von Humboldt Shiftling which enabled her to conduct research in Germany and Europe on African Musical Instruments in European Muscums. In 1989, Professor Omibiyi-Obidike was appointed Professor of Musicology at the institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, thereby, becoming the first Nigerian and African Woman to be elated to that position. She served as the Director of the Institute two times: 1995-1998 and 2001-2004. She has published several articles in Local and Internal journals and two publications. Nigerian Musical Instruments and Children’s Songs from Nigeria- are in press.

Professor Omibiyi-Obidike, apart from her academic activities is a Singer of Repute and has performed variously in concert on Television and Radio here in Nigeria and Abroad.


PROF. ZAYNAB ALKALI
Professor Zaynab Alkali was born at Garkida, Gombi Local Government of Adamawa State to parents of Borno and Adamawa States. She had her early education at Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin, Kwara State, and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria where she obtained B.A. English and M.A. in African Literature in English in 1980. She obtained a Ph.D in African Literature in 1995 at the Bayero University, Kano.

Her first job in life after graduation was with Kano State Government as Headmistress, Shekara Girls’ Primary Boarding School, a feat she attained at a tender age of 24.

Professor Zaynab Alkali has worked in the University system most of her life, 1st Bayero University, and then, University of Maiduguri. In 1999 she left the University to gather experience from other areas of endeavours. She became a Founding Member and the 1st Administrative Secretary, Women’s Right Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), a pet project of Justice Fati Abdulsalami, the first lady of the nation at the time. Then between 2000-2003, she was a Deputy Director, Head of Health Care Resource Centre, National Primary Development Agency (NPHCDA), Abuja.

Having discovered that the University was her proper base, she returned and joined the Nasarawa State University, Keffi in 2003. In 2004, she became a full Professor of African Literature and Creative Writing. She was the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Admin) for four years , 2005 – 2009 after doubling as the Dean, Faculty of Arts for two years. Currently Professor Zaynab Alkali is the Dean of Post-Graduate Studies Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

She has authored many Books, prominent among which are the following: The Stillborn(1984) (ANA Award Winning), The Virtuous Woman(1987) (Spectrum Award Winning), The Cobwebs and other Stories(1997) (ANA Award Winning), Salzolose Asche, co-authored with Flora Nwapa and Gracy Osifo (1989) published in Germany, The Descendants(2005), The Initiates (2007), her current novel. The Stillborn has been translated into German, and French, and currently all five books are being translated into Arabic. The Saltless Ashinto Japanese. Professor Zaynab Alkaliis widely traveled, for instance, she has been to Austria, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Germany, United States, Brussels, Canada, Holland, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Niger and Senegal.

She is also an editor, Reviewer and Ghost Writer, etc.

Her recognition made her to be assigned the following national duties:

  1. Telefest Judge – December, 1987
  2. Council Member, Nigerian Copy Right Council – 1989-1994
  3. Council Member, National Commission of Museums and Monuments – 2001-2003
  4. Editorial Board Member, National Council for Arts and Culture –

2002 to date

  1. Consultant Evaluator (short-term) International Institute for Education, San Francisco, USA – July-October, 2003.
  2. NLG, Judge Nigerian Literature 2003 – 2008
  3. NLG /Academy of Letters Judge – Hall of Fame 2010
  4. NLG, Member – Nigerian Literature 2003 – Date
  5. Member, African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) – July 2005 to date, Abuja.
  6. Member, Vision 20-20-20
  7. NAFEST Judge, Abeokuta -2005, Benue-2007, Niger-2009.
  8. Member National Women Coalition on HIV/AIDS (NAWOCA), Nasarawa State Chapter. 2008.
  9. Member, National Council for Intangible Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Arts and Culture, Abuja 2008 to Date.
  10. Member, Governing Board, Centre for Human Security, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Foundation. 2010
  11. Board Member, Capital Science Academy, Abuja, 2011-to-date

She has won a total of twenty nine Awards, but to mention a few.

  1. Merit Award for Letters, National Council for societies 1997.
  2. Association of Nigerian Authors’ Awards for two Books: The Stillborn, The Cobwebs 1985, 1997.
  3. Spectrum Publishers Award one of 25 best Books of the year. The Virtuous Woman, 2002.
  4. Merit Award for Literature, Association of Women Academics, Abuja, November 2000.
  5. National Council for Arts and Culture Merit Award for (NCAC) Literature conferred on the 13th December, 2001, Abuja.
  6. Platinum Millennium Model Award, Platinum Bank Limited, 10th September, 2001.
  7. ICON of Hope Award Africa Leadership Forum by President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigerian head of State, October 1st 2002.
  8. Special Award for Service to Literature “International Conference on African Literature and the English Language (ICALEL) 2004.
  9. Award of Excellence for Loyal Service rendered to the University as Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, 2009. Nasarawa State University, keffi.
  10. Woman of Distinction Award, Dame Patience Jonathan. October, 2010.
  11. Internationally,Professor Zaynab Alkali is a
  • Fellow, of Cambridge U.K. 1997
  • Fellow, of Stiftung Kulfursfond Germany, July 1998

Nationally:

  • Member, Association of Nigerian Authors
  • Member, Nigerian Academy of Letters.
  1. Woman of Substance MMerit Award for Academic Achievements, 2nd October, 2011 by Governor Murtala H. Nyako, Adamawa State.

Professor Zaynab Alkali has six (6) children among whom are, a Medical Doctor, Two (2) Lawyers, a Computer analyst, a Civil Engineer and an Undergraduate Student of Languages and Linguistic.

She has also been recognized by her local community in Adamawa State, and was given a chieftaincy title, Magiran Garkida in 2001.

MRS. AHLONKOBA GEORGETTE AITHNARD

She is a sociologist who started her career as a teacher, after which she worked in several areas; she eventually rose to become the Minister of Social Affairs and Women Development in her country, Republic of Togo.

As a result of her interest in children issues, she has been a representative of UNICEF in Niger, Guinea, and Ivory Coast.

She is currently the Social Adviser to the Head of State of Togo, and Chairperson of the National Commission for the health of Women and children in Togo. She is also involved in the UN campaign for reducing maternal and child morbidity and mortali

TOKI MABOGUNJE

Toki is a business development consultant interested in the growth and management of small and medium enterprises on the African continent. As a business consultant Toki Mabogunje has particular interest in business development service provision, strategic organization and management, business plan development, training, knowledge management, business re-engineering, due diligence and capacity building for small and medium enterprises.

Toki Mabogunje has a degree in Law from the University of Ife, Nigeria, a postgraduate degree (LLM) in International Business Law from the University of Exeter, England, Executive Management Training in Strategic Organization and Management from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Training in SME Policy development from the International Labour Organisation’s Training Center in Turin Italy and Training in Value Chain Development at MDF in the Netherlands.

Over the last 28 years, Toki Mabogunje has been involved in commercial and business enterprise from both a public and private sector perspective. As Assistant Legal Adviser to the Ministry of Defence and later Senior State Counsel in the Mercantile and Industrial Law Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Toki was involved in public sector policy formulation, regulation and monitoring of commerce and industry nationwide. Toki provided legal advice to the Federal Government in its cross border business negotiations with other governments and commercial enterprises worldwide.

Toki’s move to the private sector provided her with the opportunity to attain a well-rounded perspective of business enterprise in the Nigerian environment. She worked as Group Head Legal and Corporate Affairs for a start up broadcast enterprise, which grew into a global business concern known as Minaj Media Group. Toki was part of a dynamic management team that grew this local broadcaster into a satellite television operation. Toki’s experience with this start up operation extended to other markets within Africa, Europe and theUnited States. Her management expertise and skills earned her the position of CEO of the American subsidiary of the Group, Minaj Inc.

Toki Mabogunje is the founder of Toki Mabogunje and Co. (TMC), an eleven year old firm of business development consultants. She brings her skills, expertise and experience to bear when consulting with clients seeking to grow their market share in Nigeria or elsewhere. Toki is quite involved in the business community and is currently Vice-President South West of the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, Council Member of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairperson of the Professional Practice Group of the Lagos Chamber amongst others. Toki has a great passion for impacting positively on society and the communities she serves. She serves as Trustee on the Boards of some NGOs such as Volunteer corps, Habitat for Humanity Nigeria, Idea Builders amongst others. In recognition of her contributions, various associations have bestowed Toki with various awards. Amongst these have been the award by Volunteer corps in 2008, the volunteer of the year award by fate foundation in 2007, induction into the fate foundation hall of fame and an award in 2010 for ten years of dedicated service to Fate Foundation, the mentor of the year award 2009 in the WOMEN MENTORING WOMEN programme run by idea builders and vital voices of America, as well as well as an award of excellence by the Ghana business women association amongst others.

Toki is married with two grown children. She has interests in non-fiction literary pursuits, writes poetry, has co-authored and staged the dramatization of the poetry book she published with her son called the DUET which is available on line as well as in bookstores in Nigeria. The book is currently available on amazon.com and Barnes and Noble on line..

Coordinator

DR. KEMI WALE-OLAITAN

Kemi is a retired broadcaster from the service of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria; while in service, she had her interest in women issues and had interviews with several notable women in the course of her duty as a producer in the service of the Federal government. Her interest in broadcasting was informed by her creative writing prowess; she has been very active in creative writing since her undergraduate days, and she has written a few fictional works in form of short stories and novel. Some of her short stories have appeared in anthologies of Short stories. Kemi was also very active in the establishment of the Women Writers Association of Nigeria (WRITA) and she served on its first Executive Council.

With a PhD in English, and more than a decade experience in the broadcast industry, Kemi went into the business world, trying her hands in various endeavours; beginning with the plastic recycling business, then moving into fish farming which she handled successfully. She set up her limited liability company after her successful stint in fish farming and then moved on to export of farm produce to Europe. This has been her major area of interest, and had led her to form alliance with a few likeminded business people with whom she relates now. By virtue of her hard work and passion for the development of the non-oil export of the Nigerian economy, she became very active in the Ibadan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was eventually nominated on the Executive Council of the Chamber. She has been active in the several endeavours and has been a member of some professional organization, including:

  1. Member, Women Writers in Nigeria (WRITA)
  2. Member, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA)
  3. Member, National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ)
  4. Member,Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)
  5. Member, Ibadan Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  6. Member, Nigerian Expanded Export Programme, Lagos

Currently, she has founded a media consulting company, in conjunction with other notable women in Nigeria, which is set to take on the world and project the image of African Woman to the next level.