The ambassadorial appointment of Nimi Akinkugbe as Nigeria’s first female ambassador to Greece is a clear case of what a man can do; a woman can do better.
Social media criticism greeted her ambassadorial nomination in 2020 due to her non-indigene status in Ondo State.
However, a case was made for the ex-banker and finance expert, and she was appointed by President Buhari in January 2021 alongside other career and non-career ambassadors.
Here are some things to know about her.
1. She was born Opunimi Ajumogobia on June 7, 1960, in Port Harcourt.
2. She hails from the Akuku-Toru area of Rivers State.
3. Her father, the late F.I. Ajumogobia, who was a former UNESCO chief of mission, died in an air crash in 1996.
4. She moved to East Africa with her family at age seven from Lagos.
5. She had her primary and secondary education at the International School of Tanganyika and Limuru Girls School, Limuru, Kenya, respectively, before returning to Nigeria, where she attended the International School of Ibadan for her O levels.
6. She has a B.Sc. from the London School of Economics (LSE) and an MBA from Lagos Business School.
7. She also obtained a piano teaching diploma from the Royal College of Music.
8. Her groundbreaking career in the banking industry commenced at Stanbic IBTC Bank, where she served as the general manager and head of private client services.
9. She also served as regional director for West Africa, heading the Wealth and Investment Management Division as well as being the chief country officer for Nigeria.
10. Akinkugbe founded a game company, Bestman Games Limited, in 2012 after a 23-year career in banking.
11. She is the author of the popular finance book called The A-Z of Personal Finance.
12. She teaches about personal finance and wealth management under the brand name ‘Money Matters with Nimi’ and is a regular contributor on online platforms like BusinessDay, Guardian Nigeria, and Punch Newspapers.
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13. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Ajumogobia Science Foundation, which seeks to support the teaching and learning of science; a member of the Executive Council of Women in Management, Business, and Public Service (WIMBIZ); and a member of the Artistes Committee of the Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON).
14. She is married to Yinka Akinkugbe, an indigene of Ondo, and they are blessed with three children. Her daughter, Kaline, is a musician.
