Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu
{{Short description|Nigerian activist and fishery expert (born 1953)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = Her Excellency
| name = Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Betty Anyanuwu-Akeredolu in 2017
| office = First lady of Ondo State
| term_label = In role
| term_start = 24 February 2017
| term_end = 27 December 2023
| governor = Rotimi Akeredolu
| predecessor = Olukemi Mimiko
| successor = Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa
| party = All Progressives Congress
| birth_name = Betty Onyetugochioma Claribel Uburuamaka Anyanwu
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1953|07|20}}
| birth_place = Owerri, Southern Region, British Nigeria (now in Imo State, Nigeria)
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Nigerian
| spouse = {{marriage|Rotimi Akeredolu|April 1981|27 December 2023|end=died}}{{cite web|url=http://punchng.com/when-i-met-my-husband-it-was-love-at-first-sight-betty-akeredolu/|title=When I met my husband, it was love at first sight – Betty Akeredolu|date=5 March 2017 |publisher=}}
| children = 4
| other_names =
| profession = {{hlist|Politician|aquaculturist}}
| alma_mater = {{plainlist|
}}
| website = {{URL|http://brecan.org/}}
}}
Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu (born 20 July 1953) is a Nigerian aquaculturist who was the first lady of Ondo State in Nigeria from 2017 to 2023. She is a feminist and gender activist.{{Cite web|date=2020-07-19|title=Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu@ 67: Three Scores and Seven of Impactful Life|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/betty-anyanwu-akeredolu-67-three-scores-and-seven-of-impactful-life/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Vanguard News|language=en-US}} She was married to former governor of Ondo State Rotimi Akeredolu.{{cite web|url=http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-west/225022-%E2%80%8Eakeredolus-wife-pledges-to-help-end-female-genital-mutilation-in-ondo.html|title=Akeredolu's wife pledges to help end female genital mutilation in Ondo – Premium Times Nigeria|work=www.premiumtimesng.com|date=2 March 2017 |accessdate=6 April 2017}} She is the founder of the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria, and a survivor of breast cancer.{{cite web|url=http://brecan.org/about/|title=ABOUT|date=11 May 2012|publisher=|access-date=6 April 2017|archive-date=1 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701152344/http://brecan.org/about/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|date=2020-07-19|title=Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu@ 67: Three Scores and Seven of Impactful Life|url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/07/betty-anyanwu-akeredolu-67-three-scores-and-seven-of-impactful-life/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=Vanguard News|language=en-US}}
Birth
Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu was born on 20 July 1953, to the family of chief BUB and Nneoma Dora Anyanwu, in Emeabiam, Owerri-West, in Imo State.{{cite web|url=http://punchng.com/when-i-met-my-husband-it-was-love-at-first-sight-betty-akeredolu/|title=When I met my husband, it was love at first sight – Betty A Akeredolu|date=5 March 2017 |publisher=punchng.com}}
Education
Anyanwu-Akeredolu attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology in 1977. She holds a Master of science degree in fisheries, major in aquaculture, from the University of the Philippines Visayas in Iloilo City.{{cite web|url=http://www.nigerianmonitor.com/rotimi-akeredolus-wifebetty-anyanwu-akeredolu-profilenew-ondo-first-lady/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128165014/http://www.nigerianmonitor.com/rotimi-akeredolus-wifebetty-anyanwu-akeredolu-profilenew-ondo-first-lady/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=28 November 2016|title=Rotimi Akeredolu's Wife-Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu Profile-New Ondo First Lady|date=28 November 2016 |publisher=}}
Career
She began her career as a fish farmer while working with the Federal Department of Fisheries. She retired in 2005.{{cite web |url=https://www.pressreader.com/nigeria/thisday/20170303/281784218879458|publisher=thisdaylive.com |title= |via=PressReader |access-date=7 April 2017}}{{title missing|date=May 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ondoevents.com/2017/06/17/betty-anyanwu-akeredolu-compassionate-first-lady-of-ondo-state/|title=Betty Anyanwu – Akeredolu, Compassionate First Lady of Ondo state|last=ondoevents|date=17 June 2017|publisher=|access-date=15 August 2017|archive-date=1 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701152348/http://www.ondoevents.com/2017/06/17/betty-anyanwu-akeredolu-compassionate-first-lady-of-ondo-state/|url-status=dead}} She is a commercial fish farmer and provides consultancy services through her firm, Aquatek Farms Ventures.{{cite web|url=http://dailymedia.com.ng/meet-betty-anyanwu-akeredolu-wife-of-ondo-state-governor-mr-rotimi-akeredolu-her-4-children-see-brief-profile-biography/|title=Meet Betty Anyanwu Akeredolu Wife of Ondo State Governor Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu Her 4 Children : See Brief Profile & Biography – Daily Media Nigeria|website=dailymedia.com.ng|access-date=19 October 2017|archive-date=6 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906001721/http://dailymedia.com.ng/meet-betty-anyanwu-akeredolu-wife-of-ondo-state-governor-mr-rotimi-akeredolu-her-4-children-see-brief-profile-biography/|url-status=dead}} In addition, she has made a foray into politics since 2007 and is active in the present (2017) dispensation.{{cite web |url=http://studylib.net/doc/7071818/--recovery-international-breast-cancer-support-conference|title=- Recovery International Breast Cancer Support Conference |website=studylib.net |access-date=6 April 2017}}
Charity and philanthropy
In 1997, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent treatment and survived. She started the nonprofit organization, Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN){{cite web|url=http://dailypost.ng/2017/02/06/nigeria-can-win-fight-cancer-brecan-founder-betty-anyanwu-akeredolu/|title=How Nigeria can win the fight against cancer – BRECAN Founder, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu|date=6 February 2017|work=dailypost.ng}} to raise awareness of the disease. She has won awards in recognition of her work and commitment in the fight against breast cancer in Nigeria.
She is also a supporter of the Bring Back Our Girls movement.{{cite web|url=http://breaking.com.ng/nigeria/why-i-married-governor-akeredolu-wife/|title=Why I married Governor Akeredolu – Wife – Nigeria Newspapers|publisher=}}
She was passionate about the widow that made her launch a platform for them to gain from the dividends of democracy.
Personal life
Anyanwu-Akeredolu married Rotimi Akeredolu, former governor of Ondo State in April 1981. He died on 27 December 2023, after a prolonged health battle with leukaemia and prostate cancer at the age of 67. They had four children and four grandchildren.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20161128165014/http://www.nigerianmonitor.com/rotimi-akeredolus-wifebetty-anyanwu-akeredolu-profilenew-ondo-first-lady/ Article title]}}|publisher=www.nigerianmonitor.com{{Dead link|date=October 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Anyanwu-Akeredolu, Betty}}
Category:First ladies of Nigeria
Category:People from Ondo State
Category:University of Nigeria alumni