It’s been five years since Chief Mrs Olutoyin Olusola Olakunrin, a woman of many firsts, passed on, but her memory continues to linger with the family she left behind. Her children and grandchildren, led by Derin Agbaje, wife of Segun Agbaje, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company, GTCO, about two weeks ago, took time out to honour the memory of the late matriarch of the Olakunrin family.
First, a thanksgiving service was held at her church, St. Paul’s Church, Breadfruit, Lagos Island. Thereafter, there was an intimate get-together devoid of any fanfare. The late Olakunri died on June 3, 2018 at the age of 80. The former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN) and the second female to occupy that position had slumped and died during a church service.
A philanthropist and businesswoman, she was Nigeria’s first female chartered accountant in sub saharan Africa. She was appointed in 2000 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as head of the Education Trust Fund. She was also the first female President of the Institute of Directors [IoD Nigeria], former member of the National Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Policy Commission, Vision 20:2020 Committee and Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Chief Olakunri was also a nominated member of the Constituent Assembly that generated the 1979 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Similarly, she was on the Finance Committee of the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), and for 8 years on the Board of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited.
