Meet Bolu!
The Ladies of Liberty Alliance would like to congratulate Oladejo Boluwatife on being named the November 2018 LOLA of the month! Bolu is chapter leader of LOLA Nigeria, Africa. She was chosen for this honor for her unwavering dedication to supporting LOLA’s mission to create an empowered network of libertarian women across Nigeria.
Bolu’s Journey with LOLA
Since beginning the LOLA Nigeria chapter in April 2018, LOLA has expanded to two states across Nigeria and has grown from a few passionate ladies of liberty to over 30 empowered, intelligent women dedicated to spreading libertarian philosophy throughout Nigeria. Bolu explains, “LOLA is a safe space for women to fight together for what they want and be who they want in order to make the world a better place.”
We asked Bolu about her experiences in LOLA thus far. Here’s what she had to say!
How did your involvement with LOLA begin?
I got involved with LOLA when I was a Campus Ambassador of Foundation for Economic Education. I have always been passionate about the growth of women in my country and working towards engaging more women to be a part of the liberty movement, but I just did not know how to make that happen. I informed people around me about my ideas, and my sister, Odunola, introduced me to LOLA and asked if I could use LOLA as a platform to make my ideas more practical. As a freedom lover who also believes in individual liberty, I liked the mission of LOLA, introduced it to my friends and we began the movement in Nigeria, with major support from LOLA in DC.
What is your favorite part of your role with LOLA?
What I enjoy the most about my role is my activism in engaging and introducing libertarian principles to women in Nigeria. This entails communicating what it means to be an advocate of liberty and its importance to people. This has sharpened and developed my own leadership skills.
Why is LOLA important to you and women in Nigeria?
LOLA is important to me because it provides a good platform for Nigerian women to express their feelings, share their ideas, offer solutions to issues, and feel motivated to take risks and resist different forms of oppression faced by them in Nigeria’s patriarchal society. There is low rate of human development outcomes for Nigerian women and it is time women started having a better orientation about how they can add value and promote economic growth in their society, especially through entrepreneurship. Women around the world are dynamic leaders and powerful advocates of change. This is where LOLA comes in, LOLA serves as a safe space for women to explore and advance the ideas of liberty in their own personal and professional endeavors.
What accomplishment are you the proudest of during your time at LOLA so far?
Since we started LOLA Nigeria in May 2018, we have expanded to two states in Nigeria (Oyo and Osun State), successfully organized six social and leadership training programs, and we have reached out to about 50 liberty-minded women leaders. At the moment, women who attended our programs already showed interest in starting new LOLA Chapters in their own states. LOLA team members and I look forward to growing by introducing LOLA in every state in Nigeria as we believe in the concept of economic freedom for all.
How do you balance being a LOLA chapter leader with other roles in your daily life?
I am a fourth year student studying Estate Management at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. I am also the President of ‘Girl Up’ Obafemi Awolowo University Chapter; United Nations Foundation which supports the empowerment of adolescent girls. As a LOLA Nigeria Chapter Leader, I have other team members who are also leaders of these organizations. For any event we organize, we strive to delegate responsibilities, as well as plan and budget events ahead of time,
I would like to recognize the outstanding efforts of Debra Adesina and Oladejo Odunola (wonderful co-leaders) and all LOLA Team Members both in Oyo State and Osun State. LOLA Nigeria would not be this active without your support and hard work. Thank you.
Stay up to date with LOLA Nigeria on Facebook and Instagram.