It has been confirmed that Iyalode Alaba Lawson passed away this morning, October 26th, 2023 at the age of 72 years.
The release made available to press reads:
This is to announce the transition of a notable female Nigerian entrepreneur, an educationist the Iyalode of Egbaland and Iyalode of Yoruband, Iyalode Alaba Oluwaseun Lawson who passed on peacefully today Saturday the 28th of October 2023 at 72
A statement by the Media Adviser to the deceased Prince Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji on behalf of the family further stated that Lawson died at her residence located in the Quarry area of Abeokuta, in the early hours of today, while her corpse has been deposited at a private mortuary.
‘We lost our mother, benefactor to the cold hands of death this morning at her private residence in Abeokuta. It was a sad Saturday morning, but we cannot question God who knows the best. We thank God for her life. She lived a fulfilled life. Iyalode came, saw and conquered and she will forever continue to rest in perfect peace’
The statement added that the family will later announce burial arrangements, while a condolence register has been opened at the deceased home and at her private established schools located at Oke-Ilewo and Kuto area of Abeokuta respectively
Chief Alaba Lawson, born on January 18, 1951, is a Nigerian business magnate, entrepreneur, and academic. She holds the distinction of being the first female president of NACCIMA and the chairman of the board of the Governing Council, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ogun State. Additionally, Chief Lawson serves as the president pro-tempore of the Forum of Female Traditional Rulers in Nigeria.
She was born into the Jibolu-Taiwo family of Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State. Her primary and secondary school education was completed at St. James’ African Primary School, Idi-Ape, Abeokuta between 1957 and 1962 and Abeokuta Girls Grammar School, Abeokuta, where she left in 1968. Afterwards, she went to St. Nicholas Montessori Teachers’ Training College at Prince’s Gate, England in 1973, obtaining a 1st Class Diploma in Education.
Her professional career started in 1969 at Children’s House School, Ibara, and during her time in England, she taught at Queen’s Gate Montessori Nursery School and Mill Hill Nursery and Junior School. On returning to Nigeria in 1977, she established Lawson’s Childcare Nursery and Primary School, starting with just three students. Today, it has grown into Lawson Group of Schools.
She later founded a trading/distributing firm known as Capricorn Stores Ltd between 1968 and 1996, which had distribution outlets with Nigerian Breweries Ltd, Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd, Guinness Nigeria Ltd, West African Portland Cement Ltd, and others. She became President of the Abeokuta Chambers of Commerce in 1995 and later, the President of Ogun Council of Chambers of Commerce in 2000, serving until 2002. In 2009, she established a Microfinance Bank known as Abestone Microfinance Bank to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
On May 25, 2017, Alaba became the first woman to be elected President of National Association Of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines And Agriculture (NACCIMA) following the expiration of the tenure of Dr. Benny Edem.
Chief Lawson has been conferred with several chieftaincy titles, including the Otun of Oko, the Asiwaju Iyalode of Egbaland, the Otun Iyalode of the Egba Christians, the Iyalode of Egbaland, and the Iyalode of Yorubaland.
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