Abiola Dosunmu Explained

Abiola Dosunmu
Erelu Kuti of Lagos
Birth Name:Abiola Dosunmu
Birth Place:Kano, Nigeria
Spouse:Major Adekunle Elegbede (widowed)
Chief Antonio Deinde Fernandez (divorced)
Issue:
  • Kunle Elegbede
  • Adewunmi Elegbede
  • Antoinette Oyinkansola Fernandez
House:
  • Dosunmu (by birth)
  • Olumegbon (by marriage)
Father:Omoba Adewunmi Dosunmu
Mother:Olori Adejoke Dosunmu

Chief Abiola Dosunmu (formerly Dosunmu-Elegbede-Fernandez, born 29 July 1947), is a Nigerian businesswoman, socialite and traditional aristocrat. In addition to a variety of other chieftaincy titles, she currently holds that of the Erelu Kuti IV of Lagos.

Early life

Abiola Dosunmu was born in Kano on 29 July 1947, into the royal family of Omoba Adewunmi and Olori 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.[1] [2] Her maternal grandmother was an Iyalode of the Owu Egba.[3]

The Erelu Kuti IV of Lagos

Abiola Dosunmu was made the Erelu Kuti IV of Lagos by her relative (Oba Adeyinka Oyekan of Lagos) in 1980.[4] 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.[5]

Chiefly roles and responsibilities

In Lagos

The Erelu Kuti of Lagos' official duties include:

Elsewhere

Competing claim to title

A woman with the same name as Dosunmu made claims to the Erelu Kuti's title, but she died in 2019.[6]

Business career

Dosunmu studied business administration in London. She is also said to have "revolutionized the traditional Aso Oke business to become the multi-million dollar industry it is today",[2] and she promoted the culture of the Yoruba people in Nigeria through the Aso Oke. She later served as the interior decorator of the Nigerian High Commission in London.[2] She also opened a shop on Bond Street 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.[7] Nigerian musician King Sunny Adé wrote a song honouring Dosunmu titled "Biibire Kose Fowora".[8]

Honours and recognition

Personal life

Dosunmu married Major Adekunle Elegbede and had two children, Kunle Elegbede and Adewunmi Elegbede. The marriage ended when Major Elegbede died in the early 1970s.[10] Dosunmu met Chief Antonio Deinde Fernandez, an Amaro member of the Olumegbon chieftaincy family of Lagos, in 1972. At the time, Fernandez was married to an American woman.[11] 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.[12] They had one child, a daughter named Antoinette Fernandez, who is a London-based writer, filmmaker and Green Party (UK) activist.[13] [14] In 2007, Dosunmu was publicly ordered by Fernandez to stop using his surname.[15]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Published . Lagos is an extension of Benin – Erelu Dosunmu – Punch Newspapers . Punchng.com . 2017-12-10 . 2020-04-04.
  2. Web site: Erelu Dosunmu : A voice for the recognition of indigenous Lagosians. 2019-01-18. Vanguard News. en-US. 2020-02-01.
  3. Web site: At over 70, I'm as young, enterprising as I used to be - Erelu Dosunmu. Punchng.com. 13 September 2020. November 1, 2020.
  4. News: Dosunmu 70th Birthday Lecture Holds Friday. July 25, 2017. April 28, 2020.
  5. Web site: Erelu Abiola Dosunmu: The Woman King. mediaroomhub.com. December 16, 2023.
  6. Web site: Erelu Abiola Dosunmu To Be Buried In Lagos On Valentine's Day. urbanlifeng.com. en-GB. 2020-02-01.
  7. Web site: ERELU DOSUNMU: A voice for the recognition of indigenous Lagosians – Livelyinfo . 2020-04-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190202043944/http://livelyinfo.com.ng/news/erelu-dosunmu-a-voice-for-the-recognition-of-indigenous-lagosians/ . 2019-02-02 . dead .
  8. Web site: [THROWBACK]

    King Sunny Ade- 'Bibiire Kose Fowora']

    . 2018-02-27. oshakmusicblog.com. en-US. 2018-12-13.
  9. Web site: Contact Support . Thenigerianexpression.com . 2020-04-04.
  10. Web site: Elites . The . EXCLUSIVE: How Erelu Abiola Dosunmu Lost The Three Men She Cherished Most Within Six Months - The Elites Nigeria . Theelitesng.com . 2015-09-23 . 2020-04-04.
  11. Web site: Barbara Fernandez V. Antonio Deinde Fernandez . FERNANDEZ v. FERNANDEZ | 208 Conn. 329 (1988) | conn3291514 . Leagle.com . 2022-08-12.
  12. Web site: Fernandez: At last 'the veil is lifted' - Vanguard News . Vanguardngr.com . 2015-09-16 . 2020-04-04.
  13. Web site: Tackling the Green Party's diversity issues starts with electing a Black female representative. Bright Green. en-UK. 2023-01-27.
  14. Web site: Antoinette Fernandez. IMDb. 2018-12-13.
  15. Web site: Erelu Dosumu refuses to talk about late husband, Fernandez | Encomium Magazine . Encomium.ng . 2020-04-04.

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