Abiola Dosunmu was born in Kano on July 29, 1947, into the royal family of Omoba Adewunmi and Mrs. Adejoke Dosunmu of Lagos Island. She is a direct descendant of Oba Dosunmu of Lagos, and is therefore of both royal Yoruba and royal Bini origins. Amongst her numerous aristocratic Lagosian relatives was Chief JusticeTaslim Olawale Elias, an uncle who advised her on her choice of future profession when she later considered becoming a lawyer as a young woman.
Abiola Dosunmu was made the Erelu Kuti IV of Lagos by her relative Oba Adeyinka Oyekan of Lagos in 1980. In this capacity she serves as the ceremonial queen mother, and reigns as regent of Lagos upon the death of an incumbent monarch until a substantive successor is chosen by the college of kingmakers. She has since served as Erelu Kuti for most of her life and holds a position that only princesses from the ruling houses can attain.
A woman that bore the same name as Dosunmu also made claims to the Erelu Kuti's title. She died in 2019 and it is not clear who had the better claim. At the time of her death, she was 79.
Business career
Dosunmu is a business woman who studied business administration in London. In the petroleum industry, she subsequently achieved some significant feats to the benefit of the nation. She is also said to have "revolutionized the traditional Aso Oke business to become the multi-million dollar industry it is today". Abiola Dosunmu promoted the culture of the Yoruba people, and indeed Nigeria, through the Aso Oke. She later served as the interior decorator of the Nigerian Embassy in London.
Influence
The Erelu, a fashion trend consisting of a skirt and short agbada worn by women in the 80s and early 90s, is also credited to Abiola Dosunmu. A strong advocate for the recognition, restoration and reward of the indigenous people of Lagos, Dosunmu facilitated the upward review of the salaries of the white cap chiefs in Lagos, thus helping to raise the bar from N6,000 to N20,000.
Charitable endeavours
Dosunmu set up the Erelu Abiola Docemo Foundation. Through ERAF, the queen mother is involved in the rehabilitation of street children and school dropouts in Lagos. She also offers free skills training and vocational education projects, as well as the rehabilitation of drug addicts. Her project, The Valley of the Kings, is a monumental museum about the history of Lagos and its kings. Dosunmu proposed to the Federal Government the project ‘National Pride Cohesion Commission’, which metamorphosed into the Heart of Africa campaign under the Ministry of Information and Culture. Dosunmu belongs to several socio-economic organisations. Some of these include African BusinessRoundtable, ABR, where she serves as the Cultural Ambassador for the African Continent. A founding member of NEPAD Business Group Nigeria, NBGN, she was selected at inauguration in 2004 by President Olusegun Obasanjo. She is a coordinating chair of the Council of Traditional Rulers and Eminent Persons for Good Governance in Nigeria.
Pan African Exemplary Leadership 2016 Honour /Icon of True Silent Mega Philanthropist in Africa - In recognition and appreciation of her immense contribution to Nation building, massive job creation, consistent assistance to the less privileged, excellent mentorship towards youths, youth employment, public service delivery with integrity in her discharge of duty, Promotion and Preservation of African culture and values including her selfless service to God, Humanity, Nigeria and Africa.
Dosunmu was married to Chief Antonio Deinde Fernandez, an Amaro member of the Olumegbon chieftaincy family of Lagos. Fernandez was a businessman who traveled the globe for his work. They met in 1972 during a time when Fernandez was married to an American woman named Barbara; these two would divorce in 1987. Dosunmu and Fernandez were married in Nigeria at the Palace of the Oba of Lagos in April 1973 in a ceremony attended by famous Nigerians including Admiral Adekunle Lawal. They had one child, a daughter named Antoinette Oyinkansola Fernandez - a London-based writer and filmmaker. Nigerian musician King Sunny Adé wrote a song honouring Dosunmu titled "Biibire Kose Fowora". Fernandez and Dosunmu worked together to bring industry to Nigeria. When Fernandez was visiting in Lagos, he stayed with Dosunmu at the Tower Fernandez, which they built together. The marriage lasted fifteen years. In 2007, Dosunmu was publicly ordered by Fernandez to stop using his surname, and he cut off relations with their daughter. Before Fernandez, Dosunmu was married to Major Adekunle Elegbede, the union producing two children, Kunle Elegbede and Adewunmi Elegbede. The marriage ended when Major Elegbede died in the early 1970s. When she met Fernandez in 1972, she was a widow with two children.
