Nigerian Politicians

Full Name: Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola
State of Origin: Ibadan.
Date of Birth: 6 April 1965.
Nationality: Nigerian
Marriage status: Married.
Spouse(s): Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN)
Parent: Chief Adenusi Adeojo
Alma mater: Lagoon Secretarial College, University of Lagos.
Occupation: Politician, Administrator Journalist.
Position(S): First Lady of Lagos State (May 2007- May 2015).
Website: www.bimbolafashola.com

Early Life

Abimbola Fashola was born on April 6, 1965 into the Adeojo family of Ibadan, Oyo State. Her father (now late), Chief Adenusi Adeojo, was the first Nigerian Director at Texaco, Nigeria. Her mother, an Urhobo woman, used to work with NITEL. She is now retired.

She started her formal education at K. Kotun Memorial Nursery and Primary School, Surulere, Lagos, from where she proceeded to Marywood Girls Grammar School, also in Surulere. Thereafter, she went to Yejide Girls High School, Ibadan, where she completed her secondary schooling.
In pursuit of her dream of becoming a professional secretary, Mrs Abimbola Fashola enrolled at the Lagoon Secretarial College, Adisa-Bashua, Surulere, re-nowned at that time as the best school for secretarial training. There, she obtained a Diploma in Secretarial Duties. She later obtained an advanced computer certificate from the Computer Department of the University of Lagos.

She had a brief stint as a trainee journalist with the Daily Sketch before joining the British Council in 1987. Whilst in the employment of the British Council, she served in various capacities: Front-of House Operations, Technical Co-operation and Training, Project and Overseas Development Support, Arts and Gender Relations and Examinations Officer/IELTS Administrator responsible for managing various examinations on behalf of several U.K institutions and boards for over 10,000 candidates yearly before resigning her appointment in 2006.

She has attended various training programmes and courses both locally and overseas on Customer Relations, IT Skills, Managing People and Effectiveness in the work place.

As the First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs Fashola is the Chairman of COWLSO, a community based organisation that was established by the wife of the first military governor of Lagos State, Mrs Obafunmilayo Johnson, and resuscitated in 2000. COWLSO is committed to complementing the efforts of the state government in improving the socio-economic conditions of the people of Lagos State.

As a dedicated humanitarian, who gives her time, expertise, and resources to make a difference in the lives of people, especially the youths, this passion gave birth to her initiative – LEARN (Lagos Empowerment and Resource Network) a non-governmental organisation established to groom youths to be self-confident and socially responsible.

In recognition of her modest contribution to humanity, she was honoured by His Holiness, Pope Benedict the XVI, with a papal medal award. She is also a recipient of several other local and international awards. Of all her achievements, the greatest according to the former First Lady is being a devoted wife and mother.