*Photo: Amb. (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu*
The Chairman of African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Publishers of the Nigerian Tribune Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu has accepted the role of mother of the day at the 8th anniversary lecture of Penpushing Media scheduled to hold July 23, 2026 at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential library, Abeokuta.
Chairperson of the anniversary lecture, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi made this known while speaking with journalists, adding that Awolowo-Dosunmu has equally confirmed to be physically present at the event.
She added that the lecture themed ‘Restoring Electoral Integrity: The Path to Good Governance and Public Accountability’ will be handled by a legal luminary Femi Falana, adding that in same vein four intellects will be joining him as panelists at the event.
The mother of the day commended the editorial board and planning committee of Penpushing Media, owner of online newspaper and television for the foresight and relevance in the media industry
Awolowo-Dosunmu was a nominated member of the Constituent Assembly (1988-89), where she served as Vice-Chairman of the Assembly’s Committee 4, preparing the philosophical foundations of the new constitution, namely, the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy.
In late 1991, she played various roles in the emerging politics of the Third Republic, and in April 1992, she co-founded the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, a non-profit, non-partisan research organization set up in memory of her father, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and dedicated to generating ideas for national development.
The Executive Director and co-founder of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, was the 1st Vice Chairman of the Yoruba Unity Forum, an Honorary International Women’s Society and was appointed member of the International Committee of the Council on Foundations, an umbrella body of Foundations based in Washington, DC, in 1995.
She was appointed Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Netherlands and served from January 2000 to July 2003, while during this time, she was concurrently accredited as Nigeria’s Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
The Occupational Health Physician was, at various times and in succession, appointed Vice-Chairman of the Conference of States Parties, Member of the Executive Council, Vice-Chairman of the Executive Council (Administrative & Financial issues), Vice-Chairman of the First Review Conference, and Chairman of the African Group of States Parties.
Awolowo-Dosunmu was also concurrently accredited to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) and Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), and subsequently chose to return to her profession as an Occupational Health Physician and has continued her work as Executive Director at the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation.
The mother of the day was appointed Chair of the Board of Management of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, in which capacity she served from April 2013 to June 2015, and was one of the fifteen delegates representing the South West zone at the 2014 National Constitutional Conference.
At the conference, she served on the Political Restructuring and Forms of Government committee, consequent to the transition of the matriarch of the Awolowo family, Yeye Oodua H. I. D. Awolowo, on September 19, 2015, she assumed the role of Co-Chairman of ANN Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles.
The mother of the day non-medical appointments, past and present, include Member, Governing Council, Lagos State College of Science and Technology; Member, Board of Directors, African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC and Chairman of the Board since January 1, 2018; Vice-Chairman, Board of Directors, Dideolu Specialist Hospital, Ikẹnnẹ.
She is a member, UNIFEM National Advisory Board (Nigeria) and Chairman, Fund-raising Committee; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Women’s Health and Action Research Centre (WHARC), Benin City, Nigeria and 1st Vice-President, CIVITAS Nigeria.
Awolowo=Dosunmu is Iya Ewe of Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Ikẹnnẹ, and Asiwaju Obinrin Onigbagbọ of Ogun State, as well as recipient of several awards, including Outstanding Contribution to Human Development (NAWOJ Oyo State), Outstanding Role Model (Youth Focus Initiative), the Kwame Nkrumah Award for Service to Pan Africanism (Babcock University/University of Texas, Austin, USA/TOFAC Board), the Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna Platinum Distinguished Leadership Award by the National Association of Northern Nigerian Students.
She also received an award for her contributions to the growth of the Anglican Church as part of the celebration of the 106th Anniversary of Archbishop Vining Theological College and an award for contribution to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University