Hafsat Abiola: Difference between revisions

| image = Hafsat Abiola (2)Nigerian activist.jpg

| alma_mater = [[Harvard University]]<br/>[[Tsinghua University]]

| spouse = {{marriage|Nicholas Costello m.|2005}}

| children = Khalil<br>Anabella2

| website = {{urlURL|kind.org/whoweare/board}}

'''Hafsat Olaronke Abiola-Costello,''' (born (21 August 1974) in [[Lagos]], is a Nigerian [[human rights]], civil rights and [[democracy]] [[activist]], founder of the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), which seeks to strengthen civil society and promote democracy in [[Nigeria]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=KIND |url=https://kind.org/ |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=KIND |language=en-US}}</ref> She is President of [[Women In Africa Initiative|Women in Africa Initiative]] (WIA), international platform for the economic development and support of African women [[Entrepreneurship|entrepreneurs.]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hafsat Abiola is the President of Women In Africa – WIA Initiative |url=https://wia-initiative.com/hafsat-abiola-is-the-president-of-women-in-africa/ |access-date=2022-09-03 |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=WIA Set to Mitigate Failure of African Women Led Businesses – THISDAYLIVE |url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/10/14/wia-set-to-mitigate-failure-of-african-women-led-businesses/ |access-date=2022-10-15 |website=www.thisdaylive.com}}</ref> She is also one of the founders of [[Connected Women Leaders]] (CWL).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Speaker Details {{!}} The New York Times Climate Hub |url=https://climatehub.nytimes.com/speaker/343866/hafsat-abiola |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=climatehub.nytimes.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Abiola-Costello is the eighth child of Nigeria's [[1993 Nigerian presidential election|uninaugurated]] [[president-elect]], the late Chief [[Moshood Abiola]] and late [[Kudirat Abiola]]. Her father, Moshood Abiola, was put in prison by the dictator Gen. [[Sani Abacha]] for [[treason]] after declaring himself president. The elder Abiola later died while in detention in 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CNN -– Nigerian opposition leader Abiola dies -– July 7, 1998 |url=http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/9807/07/abiola/ |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=edition.cnn.com}}</ref> While her mother was murdered<ref>{{Cite news |last=Driscoll |first=Margarette |title=They shot my mother. She fights on through me |newspaper=[[The Times]] |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/they-shot-my-mother-she-fights-on-through-me-mm0w9tl93z0 |access-date=2022-09-04 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> during a demonstration for the release of her husband in 1996.<ref>[http://naijarchives.com/the-brutal-assassination-of-kudirat-abiola/ The Brutal Assassination of Kudirat Abiola] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006062355/http://naijarchives.com/the-brutal-assassination-of-kudirat-abiola/ |date=6 October 2017 }}, NAIJArchives, Retrieved 8 February 2016</ref><ref name="Chideya">{{Cite magazine |last=Chideya |first=Farai |date=1998-06-22 |title=Nigeria's Orphan |language=en-US |magazine=Time |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,988574,00.html |access-date=2022-10-16 |issn=0040-781X}}</ref> In June 2018, President [[Muhammadu Buhari]] bestowed the title of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) on her father, late Chief Moshood Abiola, the supposed winner of the presidential election on June 12, 1993. (GCFR).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-07 |title=Buhari declares June 12 Democracy Day, honours Abiola with GCFR |url=https://punchng.com/buhari-declares-june-12-democracy-day-honours-abiola-with-gcfr/ |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-12 |title=Buhari formally confers GCFR on Abiola |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/06/buhari-formally-confers-gcfr-abiola/ |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=Vanguard News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Abiola-Costello studied at [[Queen's College, Lagos|Queens College, Yaba, Lagos]] and then [[Phillips Academy]], [[Andover, Massachusetts|Andover]], Massachusetts <ref>{{Cite web |title=Hafsat Abiola ’92'92 |url=https://www.andover.edu/people/hafsat-abiola-92 |access-date=2022-10-15 |website=Andover {{!}} An independent and inclusive coed boarding high school |language=en-US}}</ref> where she graduated in 1992. She then studied for degree in [[Development economics|Development Economics]] receiving a degree from [[Harvard College]] in 1996, and later earned her [[Master of Science|M.Sc.]] in International Development from [[Tsinghua University]], [[Beijing]].<ref name=":0KIND">{{Cite web|title=Our Board|url=https://kind.org/whoweare/board/|access-date=2021-06-08|website=KIND|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hafsat Abiola-Costello |url=https://www.globalteacherprize.org/person/ |access-date=2022-10-15 |website=Varkey Foundation |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

=== [https://kind.org/ Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND)] ===

In honour of her mother's death, she founded KIND in 1997, with the aim of promoting the development of women as initiators of change through leadership and awareness programs. She is currently board president.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Edozien|first=Glory|date=2013-03-08|title=Glory Edozien presents the Inspire Women Series: Hafsat Abiola Costello|url=https://www.bellanaija.com/2013/03/glory-edozien-inspire-women-series-with-hafsat-abiola-costello/|access-date=2021-06-08|website=BellaNaija|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0KIND" />

KIND is among the major organization that demanded for the reconsideration of the gender bill rejected by [[National Assembly (Nigeria)|National Assembly of Nigeria]] (NASS).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-05 |title=Women statement on the rejection of gender bills by NASS |url=https://businessday.ng/bd-weekender/article/women-statement-on-the-rejection-of-gender-bills-by-nass/ |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=Businessday NG |language=en-US}}</ref> A bill seeking the amendment of the section 26 (2a) of the Nigerian 1999 [[constitution]]; if passed, foreigners married to Nigerian women will be able to apply for Nigerian [[citizenship]]. The bill is also pushing for at least 35% of political party and appointive positions at the [[Federal government of Nigeria|federal]] and state levels be filled by women, andas well as many other womenissues related issuesto women's rights.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-08 |title=UPDATED: Gender Bills: Reps make U-turn on three bills, to conduct new voting |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/515949-updated-gender-bills-reps-make-u-turn-on-three-bills-to-conduct-new-voting.html |access-date=2022-03-25 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2006, she raised funds by organising performances of ''[[The Vagina Monologues]]'' in Nigeria.<ref>[http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/features/fashion/fas119022006.html ''Allure : Hasfat's new war'', Vanguard, Feb 19, 2006]</ref><ref>[http://www.businessdayonline.com/?c=55&a=11457 ''KIND brings back Vagina Monologues to Nigeria'', Business Day, Feb 22, 2007]</ref>

Since May 2008, she is also a Councillor at the World Future Council among 49 other well known personalities.<ref name="Councillors">{{Cite web |title=Councillors |url=https://www.worldfuturecouncil.org/councillors-2/ |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=World Future Council |language=en-US}}</ref>

Abiola-Costello is an advisory council member at the [[Fetzer Institute]], as well as the [[Nuclear Age Peace Foundation]].

In July 2011, she was appointed the [[Senior advisor|Special Adviser]] to the Governor of [[Ogun State]] with responsibility for achieving the [[Millennium Development Goals]].<ref name=":0KIND" />

In 2016, she was re-appointed Special Adviser to Governor [[Ibikunle Amosun]] in Ogun State.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-02-17 |title=Hafsat Abiola-Costello Re-appointed As Special Adviser To Ogun State Governor |url=https://woman.ng/2016/02/hafsat-abiola-costello-re-appointed-as-special-adviser-to-ogun-state-governor/ |access-date=2022-04-16 |website=Woman.NG |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2001, she married Nicholas[[British Costello,people|British]] aeconomist Britishand diplomat fromNicholas theCostello.<ref>{{Cite Unitedweb Kingdom|title=Nicholas Costello {{!}} EVPA |url=https://www.evpa.ngo/people/nicholas-costello Together,|access-date=2022-10-15 they|website=www.evpa.ngo}}</ref> They have 2 children:, Khalil and Anabella.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-10182-635723/nicholas-costello-in-biographical-summaries-of-notable-people|access-date=2021-06-08|website=www.myheritage.com|title=Nicholas Costello}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Pamela Zuber|date=2015-06-02|title=Writing clip_PZ_Abiola-Costello|url=https://www.slideshare.net/PamelaZuber/writing-clippzabiolacostello-48910661}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Driscoll |first=Margarette |title=They shot my mother. She fights on through me |newspaper=[[The Times]] |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/they-shot-my-mother-she-fights-on-through-me-mm0w9tl93z0 |access-date=2022-10-15 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref>

*''[[Foreign Policy]] Diplomat of the Year Award'', 2016<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=F. P. |title=Watch FP's Diplomat of the Year Awards |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/11/17/watch-fps-diplomat-of-the-year-awards/ |access-date=2022-10-15 |website=Foreign Policy |date=17 November 2016 |language=en-US}}</ref>

*''[[National Civil Rights Museum]]’s Freedom Award'', 2019<ref>{{Cite web |last=BlackPressUSA/NNPA |date=2019-10-06 |title=Nigerian Activist Hafsat Abiola Selected as Honoree for National Civil Rights Museum’sMuseum's Prestigious Freedom Award |url=http://afro.com/nigerian-activist-hafsat-abiola-selected-as-honoree-for-national-civil-rights-museums-prestigious-freedom-award/ |access-date=2022-10-15 |website=AFRO American Newspapers |language=en-US}}</ref>

*[https://wia-initiative.com/hafsat-abiola-is-the-president-of-women-in-africa/ WIAHafsat Abiola Initiative] on Women in Africa Initiative (WIA)