Iyalode Alaba Lawson: A Biography & Profile

Iyalode Of Yoruba Land, Alaba Lawson Is Dead + 10 Things To Know About Her

The Iyalode of Yoruba Land and former National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Chief Alaba Lawson is dead. According to reports, she died in the early hours of Saturday.

The news of her demise was contained in a statement signed by the Executive Secretary of Abeokuta Chambers of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture AbdulRahman Maku which was made available to journalists.

Mourning her, Tinubu described Lawson as an enterprising, courageous, astute, distinguished businesswoman and leader.

“Iyalode Lawson epitomised enterprise, brilliance, and ingenuity. Her death is a very painful loss. May the Almighty God grant her eternal rest,” the President said

Here are some things to know about the business magnate and entrepreneur.

1. She was born Alaba Oluwaseun Lawson on January 18, 1951.

2. She completed her primary and secondary school education at St. James’ African Primary School, Idi-Ape, Abeokuta between 1957 and 1962 and her secondary education at Abeokuta Girls Grammar School, Abeokuta in 1968.

3. She obtained a 1st Class Diploma in Education at St. Nicholas Montessori Teachers’ Training College, Prince’s Gate, England in 1973.

4. Her teaching career began in 1969 at Children House School, Ibara. She also taught briefly at Queen’s Gate Montessori Nursery School and Mill Hill Nursery and Junior School in England.

5. She established her own school, Lawson’s Childcare Nursery and Primary School now known as Lawson Group of Schools in 1977 on her return to Nigeria.

6. She owned a distributing firm called Capricorn Stores Ltd, between 1968 and 1996 where she had distributing outlets with Nigerian Breweries Ltd, Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd, Guinness Nigeria Ltd, West African Portland Cement Ltd etc.

7. Iyalode Alaba Lawson became the President of the Abeokuta Chambers of Commerce in 1995.

8. She also became the President of the Ogun Council of Chambers of Commerce in 2000 which she headed till 2002. And in 2009 she established a Microfinance Bank known as Abestone Microfinance Bank to boost SMEs.

9. Alaba became the first woman to be elected President of the National Association Of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines And Agriculture (NACCIMA on May 25, 2017.

10. Some of the other titles to her name include the Otun of Oko, The Asiwaju Iyalode of Egbaland and The Otun Iyalode of the Egba Christians.