Hafsat Abiola
Hafsat Olaronke Abiola-Costello | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 21, 1974 Lagos, Nigeria |
| Occupation(s) | Human rights advocate, civil liberties activist, social entrepreneur |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Known for | Founder of Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), President of Women in Africa Initiative (WIA), co-founder of Connected Women Leaders (CWL) |
Hafsat Olaronke Abiola-Costello (born 21 August 1974 in Lagos) is a prominent Nigerian advocate for human rights, civil liberties, and democratic governance. She established the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), an organization dedicated to advancing civil society and democratic principles within Nigeria. Additionally, she holds the position of President at the Women in Africa Initiative (WIA), a global platform empowering African women entrepreneurs, and is a co-founder of Connected Women Leaders (CWL).
Early life and education
Abiola-Costello is the eighth offspring of Chief Moshood Abiola, who was Nigeria's president-elect in 1993 before his death while detained by the military regime under General Sani Abacha. Her mother, Kudirat Abiola, was assassinated during a protest demanding her husband's release in 1996. In recognition of her father’s legacy, President Muhammadu Buhari awarded him the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) posthumously in June 2018.
Her educational journey began at Queens College in Lagos, followed by Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, where she graduated in 1992. She then obtained a degree in Development Economics from Harvard College in 1996 and later pursued a Master of Science in International Development at Tsinghua University, Beijing.
Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND)
Following her mother’s assassination, she founded KIND in 1997 with the mission to promote women's empowerment and leadership as catalysts for societal transformation. She remains actively involved as the organization's board president.
KIND has played a significant role advocating for the reconsideration of a gender equality bill previously dismissed by Nigeria’s National Assembly. This legislation aims to amend section 26 (2a) of the 1999 constitution to permit foreign spouses of Nigerian women to apply for citizenship. The initiative also campaigns for a minimum of 35% female representation within political parties and appointed government positions at both federal and state levels, alongside broader efforts supporting women's rights.
Subsequent initiatives
In 2009, Abiola-Costello launched China-Africa Bridge and China Africa Forum to enhance intercultural cooperation between China and Africa, with particular attention to women's economic participation.
She was instrumental in fundraising activities through Nigerian performances of The Vagina Monologues in 2006.
Since May 2008, she has served as a Councillor on the World Future Council alongside other distinguished individuals. Furthermore, she contributes her expertise to the advisory boards of both the Fetzer Institute and the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.
In July 2011, she was appointed Special Adviser on Millennium Development Goals to the Governor of Ogun State and was reappointed to this role in 2016 during Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration.
In 2022, Abiola-Costello endorsed Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello’s presidential bid and took charge of his campaign operations, citing his capabilities as essential for Nigeria’s progress.
Personal life
She married Nicholas Costello, a British economist and diplomat, in 2001. The couple has two children named Khalil and Anabella.
Awards and recognition
Abiola-Costello received the Global Leader of Tomorrow accolade at the World Economic Forum held in Davos in 2000. In 2003, she was named an Ashoka Fellow for her impactful work as an international social entrepreneur. By 2006, she was selected as a founding councillor for the World Future Council.
Her life story and her parents’ sacrifices for Nigeria’s democracy are portrayed in the 2014 documentary The Supreme Price, directed by Harvard lecturer Joanna Lipper. The film includes interviews with former U.S. ambassador Walter Carrington and Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka.
In 2015, she participated among twenty-one women leaders at a Harvard Kennedy School conference supported by Hunt Alternatives, joining distinguished figures such as Judy Thongori from Kenya and Nigerian leaders Olufunke Baruwa, Esther Ibanga, and Ayisha Osori. Some notable honors she has received include:
- Youth Peace and Justice Award from Cambridge Peace Commission (1997)
- State of the World Forum Changemaker Award (1998)
- Woman to Watch Award (1999)
- Global Leader of Tomorrow Award at World Economic Forum (2000)
- Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Global Award (2001)
- Seeking Common Ground Award (2007)
- Andover Alumni Award of Distinction (2013)
- Goi Peace Award (2016)
- Diplomat of the Year Award by Foreign Policy (2016)
- Freedom Award from National Civil Rights Museum (2019)
See also
- Oral history and transcript of Hafsat Abiola, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security
- Interview with Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: Empowering entrepreneurs for resilience and growth in post-pandemic Africa
- Essay by Hafsat Abiola: Africa, China, and Women
- Profile titled Nigeria's Orphan, Time magazine (1998)
- The opportunity gap for African women is #Solvable, presented by the Rockefeller Foundation
Notes
External links
- Biography and personal statement of Hafsat Abiola at Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND)
- Hafsat Abiola profile on Women in Africa Initiative (WIA)
- Biography of Hafsat Abiola on Connected Women Leaders (CWL)
- Ashoka Fellow designation (2003)