YODAAI President Speaks at Auburn University

Soooo you think it's been quiet on this front for a couple of weeks?  Not so. Don't think our great association is not always at work, using every opportunity to promote our culture and our country, presenting us in a different and more positive light than we might otherwise have been seen by others.

To that end, at the invitation of Auburn University’s President, YODAAI President, Dr. Oluyinka Adediji was a guest speaker at Auburn University on Monday, the 19th of March, 2012.

Dr Adediji, Yodaai President at Auburn University

Auburn’s President, Dr. Jay Gogue teaches a class of honors students. The class is based on the book, “The Next One Hundred Years”, by George Friedman.  The author is a futurist and tries to describe what the world will look like at the beginning of the next century.  As part of the class, the University President likes to bring in international visitors to describe their countries and relationship with other countries of the world.  

Dr. Bob McGinnis, Senior Counsel to Auburn University President  & Dr Adediji

 Dr. Adediji shared with this class of honors students, several topics on Nigeria and Africa, including education, health, politics and the economy. 

Dr Benson Akingbemi, Dr Oluyinka Adediji and Dr Henry Fadamiro

He was hosted by Dr. Bob McGinnis (Senior Counsel to Auburn University President) as the University President is currently away in Chile. Some YODAAI faculty members at Auburn University were also in attendance hosting him - see pic. above.

 Dr. Adediji’s presentation was well received by the students.

At the lecture...

Please join us in thanking and congratulating Dr. Adediji on another job welldone.

Funke Abolade, M.D. 

Social/publicity Secretary

March is National Women's History month and International Women's day

You may know this by now - March is women's history month and the month is celebrated the world over.

Mrs Funmilayo Ransome Kuti

 In Italy, the men give the women flowers. In the U.S this week, the international conference on women is being held. Women leaders are being lauded in the corridors of power and ten women received the International Women of Courage awards from Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama this week on Thursday. Two of these went to African women, Hana Elhebshi, architect and political activist (Libya) and Hawa Abdallah Mohammed Salih, human rights activist (Sudan).

You will hear a lot this month about how far women have come in this part of the world and how far women still have to go in other parts of the world like in Africa and Asia. That is a discussion for another place and time.

Madam Tinubu

 For here and now, may I congratulate all the international ladies of our great association for representing us so elegantly here outside of our motherland. You are behind every successful husband and father in the greatest supporting role of all times. You are there supporting our children through the most formative years of their lives. You put your best (well heeled) feet forward at all times.

 What a story we all could tell about how and why we crossed the international date line to get where we are today. Whatever your story or mine is, well done, to even get here and to have achieved as much as you have. And e Kaabo, e ku irin ajo naa.

We have a lot of Yoruba women's history to be proud of,  tales of pioneer trail blazing Yoruba women that set the stage before us - Lady Oyinkan Abayomi, founder of the Nigerian Women's Party and founder of the girl's guide organization in Nigeria, Mrs Funmilayo Ransom Kuti - the first woman to organize for women's civil rights in the Abeokuta area and to ride a bike and drive a car in Nigeria, Madam Efunroye Tinubu, a wealthy and influential business woman of the mid 19th century who eventually fought the British Colonial governments slavery policy, Lady Kofo Ademola, the first Nigerian woman to receive a university degree (Oxford), and Prof. Bolanle Awe to name just a few.

We are in good company.

Prof Bolanle Awe

So, even though none of us great Yodaai women are up there receiving International awards this month, as the yoruba would say, "b'eni kan o ki mi, n o ki ara mi." A ku ise, asi ku iroju.

Now about those flowers...


Funke Abolade, M.D


Social /Publicity Secretary.

And the winner...

Of the Proverb of the month of March is: Prof. Lekan Ayanwale #21

Congratulations! Your proverb, "Ile n 'su, ile n 'mo, olojo k'ajo" has been chosen by the random number generator for March - see it published on top of the flag on the left hand side of the blog? There! Your prize will be given at the April meeting along with the April winner at the meeting in Hoover, Alabama.

What a busy month it was, February, from Valentine's day to the meeting in Hoover to 4 Yoruba History quizes in celebration of Black History Month...phew!  It was fun while it lasted.

In answer to the last quiz submitted by Dr Adediji, the lady in question was Efunsetan Aniwura, Iyalode Ibadan and the king that defeated her was Are latoosa. Thanks to Dr Adediji for that quiz.

There were no fully correct answers hence no winner.

And a happy birthday to all our "anonymous" March babies and adults alike, you know who you are...


Funke Abolade, M.D

Social/Publicity