Olajumoke Adenowo has established herself as one of the world’s best architects, as well as one of the top 10 in Africa. She was born on October 16, 1968, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, and entered at the University of Ife at the age of 14 where she earned her first and second degrees in Architecture.
Her parents were university professors, so she grew up in the university community, attending the University of Ibadan Staff Primary School and the Federal Government Girls College in Oyo State for elementary and secondary school.
Adenowo was inspired to pursue architecture after visiting Paris as a child. She was astounded by some of the structures she saw and wished she could be in the shoes of the architects who designed them. According to CNN, the Nigerian architect was involved in the design and construction of over 70 buildings by 2015, including institutional facilities, epic 2,500-seat auditoriums, residences, estates, and cutting-edge corporate offices.
Her projects include the Abuja Film City, the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the Heritage Bank Headquarters, and the Ekiti State Liaison Office in Lagos, according to Nairametrics. She has also managed large projects for the Nigerian government, Coca-Cola, L’Oreal, the Nigerian Stock Exchange, and banks. Adenowo also owns an oil and gas company, Advantage Energy, as well as a property management company, Advantage Property, according to Nairametrics.
Adenowo began her architecture career at the Femi Majekodunmi Associates business. The firm’s founder was the President of the International Union of Architects at the time. Her work ethic, passion, and enthusiasm impressed her boss, who soon requested that she establish the Federal Ministry of Lands in Abuja.
“I was always ready. I would be at the office at 11 pm on Sunday when other girls are dancing or something. I think my boss saw my passion and he gave me a chance,” she told CNN. “If we had more mentors like that in Africa, I believe the younger generation would blossom faster.”
Despite her lack of financial resources, at the age of 25, she chose to go it alone and launch her own architectural practice, AD Consulting, in 1994. Her workplace was just big enough for three chairs.
“It was myself and a young boy who sat in the corridor but I started anyway because I believe that you do what you can with what you have, where you are,” she said.
Despite her hectic schedule as an entrepreneur, mother, and wife, she began hosting a radio show where she mentors young women. Her radio show is supplemented by the Awesome Treasures Foundation, which helps mentor women and young girls.
“We believe the greatest need of Africa is leadership, vision. Strong people who are ready to give their all to say, ‘this is the way’, and Awesome Treasures is here to address that need, to raise transformational leaders.”
The Nigerian architect has won several awards for her work, including the International Alliance for Women World of Difference 100 Award, the Rare Gems Award (awarded by the Women’s Optimum Development Foundation and the United Nations Information Centre), the New African Business Woman of the Year Award, the International Property Awards (Best Public Service Architecture, 2012), and the African Property Awards (Best Mixed-Use Architecture).
She was named one of the most inspirational women in architecture by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 2018.