By Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu
As I turn 72 on Sunday, July 20, 2025, I am deeply reflective and immensely grateful. It has been almost two years since I became a widow, a life chapter that, for many, spells solitude and silence. But for me, it has become a season of renewed purpose and personal growth.
Having lived an intensely public life as the First Lady of Ondo State from 2017 to 2023, many have wondered how I would cope with the quiet that often comes with widowhood. The answer? I found refuge and release in Substack- a global writing community where my voice now soars freely. I write about the things that matter to me, and through my words, I continue to fight the good fights.
From advocating for STEM+E (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics + Entrepreneurship) through the BEMORE Summer Bootcamp, to pushing boundaries in public health by improving healthcare access in rural Nigeria. From championing menstrual hygiene and WASH in schools, to amplifying cancer advocacy – especially against the Big 3 Cs: Breast, Cervical, and Prostate cancers. From pressing for increased women’s representation in politics, to calling for community policing and justice for widows, I remain as engaged and purposeful as ever.
I also use my work under the Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu Foundation (BAAF), in partnership with UNHCR, to promote birth registration in Benue and Cross River States – a critical yet often overlooked step in securing every child’s identity and future. Birth registration is key to accessing education, healthcare, protection, and legal recognition, and its importance must be elevated in national discourse.
As a strong advocate of sustainable development, I also promote solar energy applications in agriculture, particularly in low-cost fish farming systems. Harnessing clean energy to power food production is not just a smart adaptation to climate realities, it is a practical, scalable solution for boosting food security and empowering rural livelihoods.
This passion found new expression in my recent membership of the Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), FUTA Chapter, a meaningful step in my late but purposeful journey into research. In July 2025, I actively participated in the 7th Biennial International Conference of OWSD held in Akure, where I presented two scientific papers on solar-powered, low-cost recirculating aquaculture systems, innovations I have pioneered to advance sustainable aquaculture in Nigeria. That experience reignited my academic spirit and affirmed that purposeful contribution has no age limit. I stood, not just as a widow or elder stateswoman, but as a researcher and advocate, sharing insights on the nexus of technology, sustainability, and empowerment.
Yet, this year was not without storm. One of the most painful experiences I endured was the senseless demolition of a monument in Owo, erected in honour of the victims of the 2022 St. Francis Catholic Church massacre. The monument was not just concrete and marble; it was a symbol of grief, memory, and a testament to my late husband, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s commitment to justice.
That it was destroyed by the very government he once led, under Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s watch, was a deep betrayal. My public condemnation of this cruelty was met with vitriol and vicious attacks from government officials and loyalists defending the indefensible. And as if that were not enough, I was subjected to a public display of barbarity, cursed in a ritual orchestrated by Owo traditionalists, enabled by their Oba. A widow. A mother of their own. It was a moment of shame, not just for Owo, but for the state.
If Ondo people chose to stay silent, history did not. The world watched. And the story was written for all the wrong reasons.
But through it all, I rise. Having survived breast cancer for 28 years and counting, walking through grief and public scorn with head held high, I am still standing. Strong. Healthy. Whole.
Today, I celebrate not just another year, but the power of resilience. Without sounding immodest, I am a symbol of strength and vitality. I am an enigma to many. And at 72, I am not just living, I am thriving.
