The Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief Mrs. Alaba Oluwaseun Lawson, has passed away.
Reports indicate that Chief Mrs. Lawson passed away early today at the age of 72.
Lawson, who also held the position of Iyalode of Egbaland, had previously served as the president of the Abeokuta Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ABEOCCIMA) and NACCIMA.
The Executive Secretary of ABEOCCIMA, AbdulRahman Maku, confirmed her demise in a statement he provided to the press in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.
The statement read, “We regret to announce the demise of NACCIMA past President and ABEOCCIMA Matron/ Board of Trustees, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, Iyalode of Yorubaland, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, 28th October 2023.”
”Burial arrangement to be announced later by the family”
“May God Almighty grant repose of the soul of Iyalode, the statement concluded.
Born on January 18, 1951, Lawson was a prominent figure in the business world, an accomplished entrepreneur, and a respected academician. She held the position of Chairman of the Governing Council at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in Ogun State.
Furthermore, Chief Lawson served as the president pro-tempore for the Forum of Female Traditional Rulers in Nigeria.
In 1995, she assumed the role of President at the Abeokuta Chambers of Commerce, and in the year 2000, she ascended to the position of President of the Ogun Council of Chambers of Commerce, a role she held until 2002. Notably, in 2009, she took the initiative to establish Abestone Microfinance Bank to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
A historic moment came on May 25, 2017, when Alaba Lawson achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first woman to be elected as President of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), succeeding Dr. Benny Edem after the expiration of his tenure.