Lekan Yusuf, Ibadan
Months of historical research by a daughter seeking to discover the mother she lost 50 years ago has culminated in the establishment of a national support network for motherless children across Nigeria.
Dr. Funmi Akinyele, a development professional who was 20 months old when her mother, Olufunke Olayinka Akinyele, died in June 1976, is officially unveiling the “Diamonds in the Rough” (DIR) initiative today.
The launch coincides with her mother’s 50th memorial service at the Dilay Event Centre, Old Bodija, Ibadan.
The initiative aims to address the social gaps confronting motherless youth aged 0 to 19 through targeted mentorship and institutional guidance.
“DIR is the beginning of an answer,” Dr. Akinyele stated, noting that the project is built entirely on a deep conviction to heal families facing similar grief.
Simultaneously, Dr. Akinyele will launch _Funke at 50_, a commemorative magazine featuring 27 interviews and testimonies from people who knew her mother.
Her research revealed a woman celebrated by her peers as “an exceptionally intelligent, graceful and admired woman… A Queen all the way.”
Historical details show that Olufunke Akinyele (née Ogunsola) was the daughter of the late Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Chief James Ladejo Ogunsola, MBE.
She was educated at Queens School, Ede, and the University of Ibadan before moving to the United States with her husband, Professor Isaac Olaolu Akinyele, in 1971.
Following her death at age 28, Professor Akinyele, who would later become a leading Professor of Human Nutrition, returned to Ibadan to raise their children, Wale and Funmi. He subsequently founded Food Basket Foundation International (FBFI).
Today’s hybrid international event will also spotlight the Ogunsola Award, a tuition support scheme founded in 2025 by Olufunke’s surviving sisters for students of Queens School, Ibadan.
