The third of seven children, Ibukun Awosika was born in Ibadan, Oyo State on December 24, 1962. She attended St. Paul’s African Church Primary School and Methodist Girls’ High School, both in Lagos. Thereafter, she proceeded to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), where she graduated with a B.Sc in Chemistry.
She also obtained a post graduate degree and MBA from the Lagos Business School and IESE Business School – University of Navarra.
Her love for architecture & interior design began when she worked as an audit trainee at Akintola Williams & Co. during her one-year National Youth Service Corps service. Furthermore, she worked as a showroom manager at Alibert Nigeria Ltd.
In 1989, she started her furniture manufacturing company called Quebees Limited. This company evolved into The Chair Centre Limited. After a merger in 2004, it became SOKOA Chair Centre Limited.
Ibukun Awosika’s achievements
She is a member of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and a board member of the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund. Awosika is a member of IESE’s International Advisory Board (IAB) and also sits on the boards of Digital Jewel Limited and Cadbury (Nig) Plc.
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In 2011, she co-founded the Afterschool Graduate Development Centre, a career centre established to address the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria. On September 7, 2015, she became the first woman to be appointed Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria following the resignation of Prince Ajibola Afonja.
Furthermore, she has some television appearances to her credit. In 2008, she was among five Nigerian entrepreneurs who appeared in the first African version of the Dragon’s Den. She is the host of a TV programme called Business His Way. Likewise, she featured in the 2020 film Citation, produced by Kunle Afolayan. She is the author of The “Girl” Entrepreneurs.
Awards and recognition
In 2007, she won the Golden Heart Award by the International Women Society Award. She also won the International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge Award in 2008. In 2015, she was nominated as YNaija Person of The Year. Last year, she won the 2020 Forbes Woman Africa Chairperson Award.
The business mogul is married to Abiodun Awosika and they have three children. She is the definition of excellence and a role model to many who have a passion for business. Her leadership qualities have given her the push to achieve great heights. Consequently, she inspires a lot of people to achieve their goals in life. A business woman par excellence, truly.
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