By Desmond Utomwen

At 66, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, OFR, stands tall as one of Nigeria’s most impactful leaders; an enduring voice for women, children, and communities across the nation. Her career, spanning more than three decades, has been defined not only by the offices she has held but also by the lives transformed through her interventions. From the Lagos State House of Assembly to the Deputy Governorship of Lagos, and now as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs), her journey is one of purposeful service.

Driving Nigeria’s SDGs Agenda
Since her appointment as the President’s chief adviser on the Sustainable Development Goals, Orelope-Adefulire has become the face of Nigeria’s SDGs journey. Under her watch, Nigeria realigned its National Statistical System with SDG indicators, became the first African country to embed the Integrated SDG Simulation Model into national planning, and presented three Voluntary National Reviews at the United Nations in 2017, 2020 and 2025. She has also overseen the design of an Integrated National Financing Framework and pioneered independent evaluations of SDG 3 (health) and SDG 4 (education), embedding accountability into the nation’s development process.

Transforming Health Care
One of her most remarkable contributions has been in the health sector. Determined to contribute meaningfully to the reduction of maternal and child mortality, she championed the construction and equipping of more than 40 units of 100-bed Renewed Hope Mother and Child Specialist Hospitals and 30 units of 80-bed facilities. Several of these hospitals, already commissioned in states such as Lagos, Rivers, Anambra, Osun, Oyo, Kwara, Edo, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, Yobe, Benue, Abia, Ogun, and Ondo, have begun serving communities, while many others are nearing commissioning.

Her vision extended to primary healthcare, where she delivered 34 modern 40-bed centres, 144 smaller 20-bed facilities, and 10 advanced 30-bed units. Beyond primary healthcare, she has also strengthened tertiary health services with projects like the 200-bed hospital at LASUTH, the Paediatric Centre at FMC Ebute Meta, and the Sickle Cell Care Centre at LASUTH. These investments have expanded access to quality care and brought hope to families across the country.

Building Education and Skills for the Future
In education, Orelope-Adefulire’s impact has been just as profound. She has overseen the construction of 11,843 classroom blocks nationwide, with an additional 383 rehabilitated, all fully furnished with desks and learning materials. To complement these physical structures, her office supplied over 3.4 million exercise books and nearly 6,000 computers, helping to ease resource gaps in Nigerian schools.

Her commitment to skills development is equally strong, with the establishment of 70 Skill Acquisition Centres equipping thousands of youths and women with vocational and life skills for self-reliance. She has also invested in inclusive facilities such as a School for the Blind fitted with Braille machines, the Nana Berry Orphanage Home, and a Girls’ Hostel at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi. These interventions ensure that even the most disadvantaged can find a place in the country’s development story.

Protecting Women and the Vulnerable
A lifelong advocate of gender equality, Orelope-Adefulire has placed protection and empowerment at the heart of her work. She spearheaded the construction of 257-bed capacity transit homes for women and girls in three states, creating safe spaces for survivors of violence. She also launched empowerment programmes that train and support 500 women in every state of the federation and the FCT, giving them tools and resources for economic independence. In addition, her office has continued to support orphanages and hostels, providing shelter and dignity for disadvantaged groups.

Strengthening Communities with Infrastructure
Her interventions go beyond social sectors to touch infrastructure and community resilience. Through the installation of 71,450 solar street lights across the country, she has improved safety while promoting renewable energy and climate action. She has also provided 300 housing units for internally displaced persons, 540 market shops to boost small businesses, and 30 sports and youth centres to nurture talent and provide recreational outlets. Together, these projects are reshaping communities and laying the foundation for sustainable development.

Bridging the Digital Divide
Fully aware that the future of work lies in technology, Orelope-Adefulire has also invested in ICT and innovation. Her office has constructed 13 ICT and computer centres and distributed thousands of computers and e-learning resources to schools, equipping young Nigerians with the digital skills needed to thrive in the 21st century.

A Legacy That Endures
Taken together, these interventions reflect more than just figures on paper, they represent lives uplifted, futures secured, and communities transformed. From a mother receiving care in a new specialist hospital to a child learning in a furnished classroom, to a young woman finding refuge in a safe home, the human stories behind these projects are her true legacy.

Perhaps what stands out most is not the scale of her projects but the depth of her impact. For every classroom furnished, there is a child learning in dignity. For every hospital commissioned, a mother and child are spared the tragedy of preventable death. For every skills centre opened, there is a young Nigerian who now believes in the promise of self-reliance.

As Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire turns 66, her name is rightly celebrated not only as a princess by birth but as a servant-leader by choice. Colleagues, beneficiaries, and admirers reflect on a career marked by resilience, empathy, and unwavering commitment to service. The celebrations are less about age and more about legacy—a legacy still in motion.

Her passion for people, her relentless drive for impact, and her unwavering belief in inclusive development have placed her among Nigeria’s most distinguished leaders. And though she has already accomplished so much, her legacy is still unfolding; an unfinished story of hope, equity, and transformation.

In a nation often challenged by governance gaps and development hurdles, her story stands as proof that leadership, anchored in compassion and accountability, can indeed change lives. At 66, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire is not only a princess by birth but a beacon of hope by choice.

Desmond Utomwen is the Special Assistant on Media, Publicity & Strategic Communications (OSSAP-SDGs)

By Uche Ugboajah

I woke up a few days ago to a text message that simply read: “Uche, call me as soon as you see this message.” It was from no less a personality than Professor Tunde Adeniran, former Minister of Education. In the good old days, we often saw each other to discuss Nigeria, politics, and specifically the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But the last time I saw him was two years ago in a rather sad, sober environment—at the Service of Songs at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Jabi, Abuja, organised for the late Professor Fred Onyeoziri, my boss, and a close friend of Professor Adeniran.

Before you wonder why an intellectual fortress and powerhouse like Professor Adeniran would be texting this “poor journalist,” let me quickly state that I was his student at the University of Ibadan.

I was elated to reconnect with my old teacher, as we used to do in those good days—before President Buhari turned Nigeria upside down. Everyone who has lived in this country since before 2015 understands what that means. And even if you don’t, your pocket will remind you. On a more serious note, when I rang him as requested, his response was that unmistakably coded, humorous banter: “Uche, how are you doing; where have you left Nigeria?” Vintage Tunde Adeniran!

The major takeaway from our conversation was his disclosure that, in a matter of days, he would be marking his 80th birthday. Precisely on Monday September 29, 2025. That is no small feat, given the declining life expectancy in this part of the world, especially among men. What is remarkable is not just that Adeniran is turning 80, but that he is doing so in fine fettle—still squash-fit, with a mind as sharp as ever, like wine still at its best.

There are more than enough reasons to thank God for this great gift to Nigeria and humanity. As a loyal son of Ekiti State—a state he played a major role in its creation—the drumbeat of celebration will surely be loud, and glasses will clink in joyous tribute to this fountain of knowledge from whom many have drawn for at least six decades.

As a teacher, Professor Adeniran has been, and remains, a source of inspiration to countless students—many of whom are now professors in their own right or excelling in diverse fields of human endeavour. A living encyclopedia of International Relations and Strategic Studies, his pedagogical brilliance—especially in teaching Theories of International Relations—was legendary. I cannot recall him ever missing a class, whether at undergraduate or postgraduate level. In contrast, a few lecturers in those days would play truancy for most of the semester, only to rush students through two weeks before exams. Adeniran was cut from a different cloth—professional, disciplined, and consistent. Little wonder that before retiring from the University of Ibadan, he served as Head of the Department of Political Science, among other key positions.

As a researcher and scholar, he has remained highly fecund, productive, prolific, and innovative. Beyond mentoring and supervising scores of PhD candidates, his intellectual contributions are reflected in numerous articles in reputable journals, conference papers, position papers, monographs, and seminal books—including Introduction to International Relations (1983), International Violence (with Yonah Alexander, 1983), Politics of Wole Soyinka (1994), Fate and Faith (2015), Africa’s Security Challenges in the 21st Century (2020), Policy Making and International Security (2023), among many others. Those who have been following his trajectory would not be surprised that he has written two new books to mark his 80th Birthday Anniversary. We are also aware that a book in his honour, titled Intellection and Global Governance (a collection of essays written by various scholars in Nigeria and abroad) has been published to mark the occasion.

Yet Professor Adeniran’s luminous intellect and administrative acumen were never confined to the classroom. Before returning to Ibadan to teach, he worked at the United Nations after completing his PhD at Columbia University in the United States. He went on to contribute enormously to Nigeria’s national development. As Secretary of the Mass Mobilization for Self-Reliance, Social Justice, and Economic Recovery (MAMSER), the landmark organisation set up by General Ibrahim Babangida, Adeniran crisscrossed virtually every local government in Nigeria, mobilizing citizens for a new political culture and national rebirth. While his friend, Professor Jerry Gana, was the face of MAMSER, the administrative engine was powered by Adeniran’s brilliance.

He also served as a member of the Committee on Nigerian National Defence Policy for the year 2000; a member of the Advisory Committee on Foreign Affairs (1983–1985); and a member of the Political Bureau (1986–1987). Earlier, he had served on the Ondo State Economic Advisory Council (1980–1983).

In politics, Adeniran brought integrity and uncommon intellect. He joined partisan politics in 1998 as a foundation member of the PDP, helping to establish the party in the South-West at a time when it was almost taboo to mention PDP in that region. In 1999, he contested for governor of Ekiti State under the party but lost to Chief Niyi Adebayo of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). Nevertheless, he won enduring respect for his merit-driven, people-focused politics. His service soon took him to the federal level, where President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him Minister of Education (1999–2001). Later, from 2004 to 2007, he served with distinction as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany. A fine diplomat, Adeniran acquitted himself creditably, yet as a grassroots politician, it was clear he yearned to return to Ekiti and reconnect with his people.

Ahead of the 2015 general election, President Goodluck Jonathan once again tapped into his proven organisational skills, appointing him Deputy Director-General of the Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation. It was a turbulent assignment amid sabotage both within the PDP and the campaign structure. Yet, Adeniran proved himself reliable and trustworthy. A taciturn diplomat, he has never disclosed what he knows about that era—his only response, when pressed, being a smile and an unreadable wink.

He had earlier aspired to lead the PDP, first as National Secretary and later as National Chairman, but was schemed out by the party’s notorious culture of impunity. Many believe those decisions denied the PDP the chance to benefit from Adeniran’s intellect, integrity, and vision. In fact, some argue that the party began its decline in 2017 when he was sidelined at Eagles Square, as delegates were swayed with dollar-stuffed envelopes to elect his opponent. In anger, Adeniran, a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) resigned from the PDP, joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and eventually retired from active politics.

Today, as one of Ekiti’s favourite sons marks 80, we celebrate a man whose greatest weapons are his deep faith in God and the power of intellect. An elder of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Professor Adeniran has lived a life guided by merit and anchored on divine providence. From his brief stint at the United Nations, through his illustrious teaching career, to his forays into politics and diplomacy, he has always insisted that the best governed societies run on merit.

Happy 80th birthday, dear Prof. May your fountain of intellect never run dry.

Uche Ugboajah, a political scientist is Editor-in-Chief of Ikengaonline. He can be reached via: ucheugboajah@gmail.com