By Patience Agbaneje
Oluremi Folasade Odunsi, who is 55 years old and belongs to the Odunsi clan, is a Nigerian businesswoman and philanthropist who holds a degree from St Teresa College and Obafemi Awolowo University (1985-1991) and has taken courses in executive education like EDHEC Business School (MBA ICT, 2003-2004) and MIT Sloan Executive Education (AI Strategy, 2018). Odunsi is a fellow member of the Institute of Consulting and professionally affiliated with the ACCA.
Odunsi is known to have served in different capacities in various industries and holds different ventures in telecommunication, construction, and agriculture industries.
In particular, she uses technology and data to develop enterprises. This year Odunsi was awarded Philanthropy of the Year at the Yessiey awards. This is because Odunsi plays a pivotal role in developing sustainable pathways for enterprise development in communities through collaboration with local NGOs, banks, and other market players.
Recognition of such an award is in line with discussions regarding inclusive growth and sustainable approaches in addressing poverty challenges.
Participants in this discussion pointed out that it indicates a long-term approach towards capacity building, mentoring, and creating ecosystems that go past individual initiatives.
The recognition was awarded at a meeting where individuals from the fields of civil society, finances, and the government gathered to showcase programs that have been successful in increasing economic involvement and local entrepreneurship.
While the success of the initiative has been praised during this recognition, the focus remains on the need for evaluating impact and being accountable for results while disseminating knowledge gained through the process to create replicable models of women’s entrepreneurship.
Through her recognition, Odunsi becomes a member of a circle of leaders who specialize in sustainable development and social resilience, which is aligned with the discourse surrounding practical and locally-focused methods of economic empowerment.