Inducted 2007
Dr. Bola Kuforiji Otunba
- Name
- Dr. Bola Kuforiji Otunba
- State of Origin
- Ogun
- Zone
- South West
- Sector of Achievement
- Banking & Finance
- Profession
- Accountant
- Year of Induction
- 2007
- Posthumous
- No
Landmark Achievement
First Female President of ICAN and first female Chairman of UBA.
Reasons for Induction
National and International Impact – Banking, Finance, Accounting, Corporate Leadership, and Public Service.
Biography
Bola Kuforiji-Olubi was born on 28 September 1936 in Ogun State, Nigeria. She obtained a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Economics from the University of London in 1963 and went on to become one of Nigeria's most accomplished accountants, bankers, entrepreneurs, and public servants. She began her career as a teacher and became a headmistress at the age of 19 before moving into business and finance. Throughout her career, she broke numerous barriers for women, becoming the first female President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in 1989, the first female Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) in 1984, and the first Nigerian woman to head a multinational company. In 1993, she served as Nigeria's Minister of Commerce and Industry in the Interim National Government. She was widely respected for her contributions to banking, accounting, entrepreneurship, and public administration, earning several national and international honours. She passed away on 3 December 2016 at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering leader and role model for Nigerian women.