Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, expressed his deep sorrow over the passing of Chief Alaba Lawson, the Iyalode of Yorubaland, describing her death as a significant loss to the nation.
Chief Alaba Lawson, a former National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and founder of the renowned Alaba Lawson Group of Schools in Abeokuta, passed away in the early hours of Saturday.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran, Governor Abiodun revealed that he was profoundly shocked by the news of her demise but took comfort in the fact that the late business magnate and educational entrepreneur had left a lasting legacy that benefited thousands of Nigerians.
The Governor went on to describe Chief Alaba Lawson as an epitome of excellence who represented the finest qualities of Nigerian womanhood and served as a role model for generations of women.
Chief Alaba Lawson hailed from the distinguished Jibolu-Taiwo family of Abeokuta and, according to Governor Abiodun, she was born into nobility but managed to achieve self-rebirth, embodying the cherished Omoluabi values of the Yoruba culture.
She made outstanding contributions to the development of Ogun State, having received her education in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, where she established an extraordinary record by becoming the first African to obtain a First Class Diploma in Education at the St. Nicholas Montessori Teachers’ Training College in Prince’s Gate, England, in 1973.
Upon her return to Nigeria, she founded a series of schools that have significantly impacted the lives of generations of students and enhanced Ogun State’s reputation as Nigeria’s educational hub.
Governor Abiodun paid his condolences to the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, and his chiefs, the Lawson family, and the entire nation. He also offered prayers for divine strength and comfort for those mourning the loss of Chief Alaba Lawson.
The Lawson’s Group of Schools, consisting of Lawson’s International Private School, Lawson’s Continuing Education Centre, Alaba Lawson Royal College, Abeokuta, and Alaba Lawson School of Advanced Studies, will continue to stand as a testament to her outstanding legacy.