LONDON Celebrity Lady, Erelu Abike Reveals Her Success Story

She is one woman who is accomplished in very many ways. She's got a good career in the UK and she has been touching lives with her Foundation.

Erelu Abike who is also called Victoria Omolola Harley is the CEO of Abike Ade Foundation.

The big news is that she will be storming Nigeria in a few months’ time for 2 installations as Iyalode in Yewa and Ekiti  States on October 21st and 28th 2023. After this, comes her Charity AGM and Awards night on Friday 3rd November 2023.

Over the last few years, she has been honoured by various communities in Nigeria. She is the Iyalode of Alaari, Ipokia LGA,Erelu Tayese of Isheri Olofin,Lagos,Erelu Obanla of Ijesa Isu Ekiti and Yeye Oriade of Ifon Orolu, Osun State.

Let us tell you more about Abike Ade Foundation, which was founded in 2006 by Chief Mrs. Victoria Omolola Abike Harley, as a non-governmental, non-religious, non-partisan and not for profit Organisation; and became a registered charity under the Charity Commission of United Kingdom in 2009, and incorporated by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Nigeria in the year 2014.

Since then, the foundation has thrived in different aspects of humanitarian responsibilities and fulfilling its goals of touching lives and impacting people.

 

"Our goals include but are not limited to initiating and implementing strategies to deal with cultural, socio-economic, health & wellbeing issues militating against the development of children, youth and women — especially in rural and/or abandoned communities," she told CityPeople. "We support and encourage entrepreneurial and creative skills for vulnerable communities through empowerment schemes, training and strategies. Our stakeholders are diplomats, business owners and entrepreneurs from all walks of life — Nigeria, South Africa, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, United States — forming alliances and partnerships through free will donations towards the fulfillment of our common objectives."

 

As a seasoned broadcaster, the vision of the founder and CEO of Abike Ade Foundation (AAF) includes community and national advocacy and enlightenment on contemporary Social, Health and Economic issues.

 

"Everything we do is geared towards providing support to less privileged, alleviating poverty in communities, restoring social stability where necessary, helping children in the rural areas/communities who are deprived of education through scholarship programs, food drives and provision of basic social needs to help them achieve their ambition in life."

 

In addition, AAF reaches out to people enduring physical disability, orphaned children, widows and needy elderlies. Our utmost is to seek to bring smiles to deprived families in Britain, Nigeria, and West Africa or beyond by responding to their overwhelming needs without prejudice to tribe, race, religion or gender."

What led to the creation and passion of AAF was the personal experience of the founder, Chief Omolola Harley when she moved to the United Kingdom in the year 1988 in pursuit of further education. She bagged her first degree at the South Bank Polytechnic, London, United Kingdom after which she lost her darling husband, Late Mr. Adeyemi Asha-Layon, and was asked to leave the United Kingdom because she has completed her course of studies compounded with the fact that she lacked the permit to remain in the country.

 

The situation led to a high level of distress, poor economic situation and stress while grappling with her darling children, who suffered along with her; running helter-skelter to hide from the UK government to shape a better life and future for her 2 young children. It was in this situation that Omolola Harley prayed to God, by whose power and to whose glory she believed she was granted leave to remain in the country. And that was her index finger and motivation to give back to the community through supporting the poor, helping widows, less privileged children, and people enduring physical disabilities—to mention but few. Hence, the foundation of this organization.

 

Let's tell you more about Erelu Omolola Harley.

Chief Victoria Omolola Abike Harley is the Erelu of Isheri Olofin Lagos, the Yeye Ori-Ade of Ifon Orolu, Yeye Oge of Moroland, and the Iyalode of two prominent kingdoms—Alaari Yewa and of Ijesa Isu, Ekiti State, the latter, which is her native homeland.

 

Iyalode was born to the family of a great teacher & contractor, the Late Mr. & Mrs. Olagoke-Agidigbi of blessed memory. She had her secondary education at Ekiti Parapo College, Ido Faboro Ekiti; obtained her first degree at the South Bank Polytechnic; and proceeded to Greenwich University where she bagged another degree in Psychiatric Nursing.

An erstwhile hostess of the defunct Nigeria Airways, she currently works as a nursing manager with NHS Trust of England. However, as a seasoned broadcaster, public speaker and sociable individual, she continues to enjoy her side practice as a compère i.e., a professional master of ceremony & host or anchor of traditional weddings and engagements both in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. 

She is blessed with 2 wonderful children, a lawyer & physiotherapist through whom she has also been blessed with wonderful and amazing grandchildren.

 

Let's also give you a peep into AAF Annual Event.

Among numerous events of Abike Ade Foundation stands out brightly her Annual General Meeting (AGM) & Awards Night which started in the United Kingdom in the year 2009 — and has continued ever since as a yearly gathering of a company's shareholders, friends and donors from all walks of life. At Abike Ade Foundation’s annual general meeting (AGM), steered by her Chairman, Dr. Simon Olawale Olatunji (US based), our directors of the company present the company's reports and performance as well as celebrate shareholders’ achievements of the fiscal year. The first of this kind was held in Nigeria in 2016 and graced with immense success. And this year’s Annual General Meeting, earmarked to hold on Friday, the 3rd of November, 2023 will be our 14th AGM and the 2nd in Lagos, Nigeria, to the glory of God.

 

"It is our foundation’s honor and joy to express our unreserved appreciation to all our donors, and to dedicate this special featured piece to them," she told CityPeople recently.

 

"For further information, contact and partnership, please call +44 790 172 239 (WhatsApp and regular calls) or reach out through our Instagram handle @abike.ade_foundation.

 

Soli Deo Gloriam (To God alone be the glory).