Have you noticed how corporate women now dazzle at Lagos parties? The fact that they are corporate women hasn’t stopped them from grooving at parties. Although they don’t attend every party or go to parties every weekend but when you meet them at a function be very sure that it is a talk of the town party. They hardly go to parties but when they do, they make heads turn 360 degrees.
Should we talk about the uniqueness style of dressing. They rock beautiful and luxury fabrics and they compliment it with unique 18 carat gold and diamonds. They can also be described as trend-setters because they don’t rock the regular fabrics you see everywhere.
This week, City People Society Reporter, TOYIN OGUNDIYA brings you list of 20 corporate women who dazzled at Lagos parties.
GBEMI SHASORE
You can’t help but admire Gbemi Shore at any event she attends, she is one of the pretty corporate women that always steal the show at any event they get invited to. Gbemi is a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
She also attended the New York Institute of Technology, where she studied Communication Arts and Public Relations. Gbemi uses her writings about women leaders to stimulate development among the female gende and she is no doubt an authority in her field.
She is very passionate about charity, a trait she inherited from her late mother, Dr. Simi Johnson, the first female orthodonist in Nigeria. She is involved in various charitable initiatives including Zonta International Club of Lagos and the International Women’s Society, she is the former President of International Women’s Society, she is also the Chairperson of the Widows Trust Fund. She works tirelessly to mobilise and empower more women in this category through skills acquisition and mentoring.
This beautiful woman is married to a former Attorney General and Commisioner for Justice in Lagos State and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Supo Shasore. It is also important to note that she is an author of several books, she is quite fond of the former First Lady of Lagos State, Abimbola Fashola. She wrote a book in the latter’s honour, as a parting gift upon the expiration of her husband’s tenure in office in 2015 and she titled it “In Her Own Right”. Another beautiful thing about her is the way she dazzles at parties.
MOSUNMOLA ‘MO’ ABUDU
Mosunmola Abudu who is popularly known as Mo Abudu is one of the corporate women that turn heads at every function they attends. She is a Nigerian Media Mogul, Media Personality, Philanthropist, and former Human Resources Management Consultant. As described by forbes, she can also be called Africa’s Most Successful Woman. She is undeniably wealthy and she is regarded by many as the “Oprah Winfrey of Africa” due to her Moment With Mo Talk Show.
Mo Abudu hails from Ondo town in Ondo State of Nigeria, she was born in Hammersmith Hospital in London, in September 1964 by Mr and Mrs. Lawrence Akintunde. The TV goddess started her professional career as a Recruitment Consultant in 1987 with the Alas Recruitment Consultancy Firm in the UK. Mo Abudu is arguably the first woman on the African continent to own a pan-African TV Channel called Ebonylife TV.
In 2013, she got an award from Forbes as the first African Woman to Launch a Pan-African TV Channel. The honour came to her due to her consideration as an Industrious and Ilustrious personality. She was also called the “Queen of Talk”, an enviable position that firmly affirms and establishes her as someone who has indeed treaded grounds that many may have considered an uphill task even for some of the promiment women in Africa.
She is known to look stunning and gorgeous on the red carpet of any function she attends.
DOROTHY ATAKE
It is an incontestable truth that Dorothy Atake is a style pundit and she knows her onions when it comes to looking good. She never fails to impress. Whenever she steps out for an event, she steps out in grand style. We should also add the fact that she is blessed with a flawless skin which makes her stand out at every function.
She makes great entries and a very good first impression whenever she storms an event. She has distinguished herself as a career woman who has been able to balance both home and work. Did we also add that she is an advocate of healthy living who believes very strongly that you are what you eat? And she has her good skin to show for it. She is married to a top Legal Practitioner, Eyimofe Atake (SAN).
Dorothy Atake is one of the amazons in the Oil & Gas industry in Nigeria. She was the General Manager, Human Resources and Administrative Services in Addax Petroleum but presently the General Manager, External and Government Affairs with over 30 years experience in the Oil & Gas industry in Nigeria working in cross functional capacities within various departments and adding value and sound professional contributions to the progress and success of the organisation.
BOLA ADESOLA
The list won’t be complete without Bola Adesola, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Limited, Nigeria. She has over 26 years banking experience and also provides leadership for the bank’s business in West Africa to drive the continued strengthening of Standard Chartered Bank’s Franchise in the region.
Prior to joining the bank in March 2011, she was an Executive Director at First Bank of Nigeria Plc. She also worked in Citibank for 9 years in Senior Leadership roles in Nigeria and Tanzania.
She is an Alumnus of Harvard Business School and Lagos Business School, she also holds a law degree from the University of Buckingham, UK. She is passionate about the Development and Economic Empowerment of Women and in 2001 she founded women in Management, Business and Public Sector (WIMBIZ). Nigeria’s foremost women oriented network. She also mentors and coaches young people. She is a fashion guru and she always looks her best at every function she attends.
EKUA ABUDU
The beautiful chocolate goddess, Ekua Abudu is unarguably a fashionista that many young ladies look up to. Ekua has undoubtedly distinguished herself as a force to reckon with in the world of business and industry.
She is a Lawyer and Charactered Administrator. She is the Proprietress of Greenwood House School, one of the upscale private Nursery and Primary Schools in Lagos. She is one of Nigeria’s prominent women of substance, and the former President of International Women’s Society (IWS) and current Chairperson, Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN). She is friends with many successful women in Nigeria, the likes of Toyin Saraki, Gbemi Sasore, Mo Abudu, Bola Awolowo, Kemi Ashiru, Onikepo Braithwaite, Subu Giwa-Amu, Sade Ladenegan, Sola Coker and Lape Adebayo to mention but few are her friends.
SALAMATU GBAJABIAMILA
The pretty wife of newly elected speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Salamatu Gbajabiamila is another fashion icon that should be mentioned. You would be forced to look at her twice when you meet her at any function.
FUNKE OSIBODU
Funke Osibodu is a Nigerian Banker who led Ecobank Nigeria and the Union Bank of Nigeria. She attended the University of Ife and the Harvard Business School and She is married to a top Nigerian Entrepreneur, Victor Gbolade Osibodu. Funke Osibodu is not only concerned about corporate wears. Despite being a banker, she rocks different beautiful native attires to owambe parties, complimenting them with a matching jelwery.
IBUKUN AWOSIKA
Ibukun Awosika is the Chairman, Board of Directors, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and most valuable banking brand. She is also the founder and CEO of the Chair Centre Group. Ibukun is a graduate of Chemistry from University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University).
She is an alumna of the Chief Executive Programme of Lagos Business School, the Global Executive MBA of IESE Business School, Barcelona-Spain; and Global CEO Programme of Wharton, IESE and China European International Business School (CEIBS). With high interest in social issues including women, Ibukun is a co-founder and past Chairperson of Women in Business, Management and Public Service (WIMBIZ). She is an ordained Pastor and founder of the Christian Missionary Fund. She is happily married to Abiodun Awosika and they are blessed with three wonderful sons. Her love for fashion is second to none.
YEWANDE ZACCHEAUS
Yewande graduated in Law from University of Lagos 1982 and thereafter obtained an LL.M from Cambridge University, England in 1984. She began her career as a Legal Officer in the Nigerian-American Merchant Bank and after a brief stint in private practice, she joined Ecobank Nigeria Plc in 1989 as the Pioneer Company Secretary and Legal Adviser.
She resigned in 2002 at Deputy General Manager level, to establish her own business, Eventful Limited, an Event Management Company. Yewande is a mother of two lovely children and she is married to Teni Zaccheaus.
BOLANLE AUSTEN-PETERS
She is the CEO, BAP Productions and Terrakulture. She attended the Command Secondary School, Ibadan, the International School, Ibadan and the University of Lagos for her first degree and earned a Masters degree in International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She worked in her father, Chief Afe Babalola’s Law Firm before working with the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights in Switzerland.
She founded the Nigerian Arts, Education and Cultural Organisation, “Terra Culture” in 2003. She also worked as a Consultant to the Ford foundation in Lagos. She is married to Gboyega Austen Peters with children.
OSAYI ALILE
Osayi is a 2007 “Young Global Leader” (YGL) by the World Economic Forum. A fellow of the African Leadership Network and an alumna of the Harvard Business School, IMD and Yale Executive Education Programs. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from the University of Lagos and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University, New Jersy, USA Pi Alpha Alpha.
She is the CEO Act Foundation and Consultant for Access Bank Plc on it CSR Projects, Osayi Alile was the Executive Director of Fate Foundation, a leading private sector and a non-profitable organisation in Nigeria and she led the organisation for 8 years. She is a facilitator/management trainer, and also a Consultant on non-profit Management and Strategy. Osayi is a sustainability expert and speaker.
She is the founding curator, Global Shapers Forum Nigeria. Owing to her experiences, Osayi sits on the board of several organisations that includes. immediate past Chairperson Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), House of Tara, Chairperson Zapphire Events, Culinary Academy and Global Dignity, an affiliation of the world Economic Forum in Norway. She is also the CEO, Act Foundation.
MUNIRAT SHONIBARE
Munirat is the CEO, 10 Furniture Limited, a leading Furniture Manufacturing and Interior Design Consultancy Company in Nigeria. She is the founding President of the Internationally Affiliated Interior Designers Association of Nigeria.
She was born in 1959, in Okene, Kogi State. She started her Kindergaten School in Accra, Ghana, had part of her Primary School in Cairo, Egypt and the second half of her primary schooling was done in Corona Schools in Lagos. She graduated from Ahmadu Bellow University, Zaria where she studied Industrial Design and majored in Textile Design.
She worked as a Textile Designer at the United Nigerian Textiles Limited in Kaduna and later got a scholarship to study Interior Design in Florence, Italy. She is married and her marriage is blessed with 3 lovely children.
HELEN PREST-AJAYI
Stylish Lawyer and ageless former, Nigerian Beauty Queen, Helen Prest-Ajayi is one of the corporate women that make heads turn whenever they step out for a party. Helen Prest-Ajayi, formerly Prest-Davies born 17 September, 1960 is a Nigeria Lawyer, writer and former Beauty Queen as mentioned earlier.
Helen was raised in England, she attended the International School, Ibadan for her advanced levels and Obafemi Awolowo University for her undergraduate studies in Law prior to her pageantry.
After she was crowned as Miss Nigeria at the “age 19” in 1979, she represented Nigeria at the Miss World Pageant and furthered her education at King’s College London, earning an LLM. She was also active as a columnist in the 1990s. She is currently the CEO of Media Business Company. She is the grand daughter of Nigerian politician “Arthur Prest”. She married Tosin Ajayi and they are blessed with 3 children.
HELEN ONASANYA
Helen Onasanya is the beautiful wife of ex-First Bank MD, Bisi Onasanya. Born in 1962, a native of Osun State, she runs a cosmetics company called Steve & Helen which is the combination of their names. Stocks and import high quality cosmetics and other valuables.
She became an entrepreneur immediately she graduated from Lagos State Polytechnic, where she studied Insurance.
ADENIKE OGUNLESI
Adenike is a Nigerian Fashion Entrepreneur, a leading designer, manufacturer and retailer of designer children’s clothing. She is a force to reckon with in children’s fashion industry in West Africa. Adenike Ogunlesi is the proud founder and creative director of Ruff ‘n’Tumble, one of the best manufacturers of children’s clothing in Nigeria. Nike is one of those entrepreneurs whose success story brings hope and encouragement to young Nigerians and Africans as a whole.
MODUPE OGUNLESI
Modupe is the amiable woman behind Adam & Eve, an upscale luxury home life store. She is the pretty wife of Sofisticat boss, Lanre Ogunlesi.
ROSEMARY FOWLER
Rosemary is the stunning wife of FIRS boss, Babatunde. She is so beautiful that you can hardly guess her age when you meet her. Hardly will you see this ageless queen on Lagos social scene but whenever she steps outs, she attracts people’s attention because of the uniqueness in her dressing.
PATRICIA AND FELICIA OBOZUWA
Felicia Obozuwa is the Divisional Head, Corporate Services Division. Before her appointment as the Divisional Head of Human Resources and Change Management (HRCM), she was Vice President and Group Head of Premium Banking.
Felicia graduated in 1995 with an honours degree in Law from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. She joined FCMB as a Management Trainee in 1998. After 6 years of successful service in corporate banking, she transitioned into commercial banking as Manager of Ikeja branch.
Following her MBA at the University of Exeter (U.K.) in 2006, she was appointed Head of Product Development for Consumer Banking and subsequently launched the Wealth Management Business, which evolved into the premium banking segment of Retail Banking. While Patricia is an Accounting graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). Despite studying Accounting, she made a switch to Arts and subsequently communications.
She also flourished General Electric, a leading Multinational Conglomerate with operations in appliances, power and water, Oil&Gas, Energy Management, Aviation, Healthcare, Transportation and Capital. She is also the Director of Communication and Public Affairs, for sub-Saharan Africa.
Let us also add that these sisters are stunningly beautiful and their professional accomplishments portray them as women who are in-charge of their lives and on top of their games.
CATHERINE UJU-IFEJIKA
Catherine is the first and so far the only woman to become chair and CEO of an Upstream E&P Company in Nigeria. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, her career in the Petroleum Industry started when she joined Texaco Legal Department as Junior Counsel in 1987.
Catherine Ifejika has been recognised for her various achievements in the energy sector in different organisations.
– Toyin Ogundiya
