This seldom-seen image from 1991 gently captures the serene presence of Alhaja Simbiat Atinuke Abiola (née Shoaga), pictured alongside her daughter, Wuraola Abiola, at her husband’s birthday celebration in Lagos—just a year before her passing. A prominent member of the renowned Abiola lineage, her life was rooted in service and generosity.
Alhaja Simbiat was not only the cherished spouse of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, she was also a formidable figure in her own right. In the early 1980s, she shattered glass ceilings by launching and directing Wonder Bakery, an innovative enterprise that provided employment to over 140 Nigerians—at a time when female business leaders were a rarity in the country.
Yet, her brilliance extended well beyond commerce.
In 1992, while waging a brave battle against cancer in a hospital in the United Kingdom, Alhaja Simbiat watched the heart-wrenching news of the Cairo (Dahshur) earthquake. Touched by the plight of the children affected, she selflessly donated $100,000 to support the reconstruction of a school that had been reduced to rubble. Even as her health declined, her compassion remained boundless—reaching across nations and touching lives.
That same year, Nigeria mourned the loss of a quiet luminary. Alhaja Simbiat passed away at age 51 in a British hospital, leaving behind a legacy defined by kindness, tenacity, and quiet leadership.
She was far more than a devoted wife and loving mother—she stood as a beacon of humanity, vision, and unwavering dignity.
May her soul continue to rest in perfect peace.
Source: historylovers
Photo: theelitesng
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