Adebola Atoyebi, the seasoned educationist turns 50

When I got the invitation to attend the three day celebration of her 50th birthday, I knew it was going to be an epic one and it sure was. First it was the thanksgiving service, second was an evening of total worship to God with various ministers like Nathaniel Bassey, Big Bolaji, Blessing Ali and others and the final day was the dinner.

She has never ceased to be a blessing to everyone and women in particular. Ever supportive, vibrant and real to the chore. She wouldn’t fail to tell you the truth just the way it is and she never pretends.

Adebola Atoyebi is an educationist by profession and holds a Masters Degree in Educational Administration with a diploma in Montessori Education for 0-6 years and Special Education Needs for 0-8 years. She is the CEO of Heritage House Montessori School and Centre, the premier and independent Montessori teacher training Centre in Nigeria internationally accredited by MACTE (Montessori Accreditation Commission for Teacher Education). An Oxford Business Alumnus of the Women Leadership Programme and a multi-talented and resourceful minister of the gospel, Debola Atoyebi exhibits excellence in life and ministry and propagates the same in her ministry to women, encouraging them to fulfil their God-ordained purpose and occupying their position as nurturers for the King and in His domain. She is the President of Chosen Vessels Empowerment Foundation (CVEF) an non – governmental organisation that mentors and ministers to young women. As a mother of three young adults, she is also passionate about ministry to youths and believes in mentoring and preparing the next generation for leadership in the kingdom. She is a prolific writer, author and international conference speaker. She is married to Femi Atoyebi (SAN).                        

I got a hold of a narrative that shows her journey from a baby till 50 which she attained recently and thought to share the insightful piece.

Zero-year 10

Thursday 24th February 1966 heralded the birth of the fifth child of ABIODUN OLUKANMI and AYOKA OLUBANWO SONUBI. A child of destiny, whom master himself handpicked for service in his vineyard before the foundations of the world, to be holy before him. ‘Esther Adebola’-the hidden crown that meets with wealth. An unusual combination of names at the time in her family, considering the fact that no other child had been given an English or biblical name before her and after! A sure sign of her assignment and the purpose of her existence. The first ten years of Adebola’s life were happy, fun and loving, typical of every growing child. Adebola had the love of her immediate and extended family, brothers, and sisters. There was laughter, joy, comfort, warmth, security, discipline, and a solid spiritual upbringing.

Year 10-year 20

The early part of these years heralded pain. Adebola lost her beloved mother at the tender age of 12. A time when every young girl looks forward to that talk with mum about womanhood and boys. The loss was devastating. The pain was beyond what any young child could bear…but God was there to hold her hands and He did and one could imagine that every day He whispered to her… “it is well my child, I’ll never leave your side.

Year 20-year 30

This was a defining decade for Adebola. Great things began for her in this decade. God gave her a new life. She met Pastor Femi her sweetheart in her late teens and got married to him in this decade. She had two beautiful children, Inioluwa and  Afopeoluwa, a new family of her own. New pages began to open in the story of this beautiful life. She started her Montessori training and shortly after her nursery and primary school. New vision! Aspirations! Joy and laughter and hope restored. God showed up! God of beautiful beginnings!

Year 30-year 40

This decade was greeted with the pain of the loss of her beloved father a painful experience but God turned her pain into joy with the arrival of her beautiful daughter Tirenioluwa. This decade was overflowing with God’s blessings. Her school blossomed. Her ministry blossomed. Grace blossomed. New assignment brought forth new dreams and new anointing led to greater heights. What was profound about this decade was that she took an additional responsibility of the children who had moved to England by this time, in addition to her duty as a wife, her home, her ministry and her business. Through and all of these, Hadassah Women Conference was birthed.

Year 40-year 50

This decade carried the grace of God to a new dimension. Her school took a turn for the better. The centre was appointed as a trainer for the largest Montessori accrediting body in USA, MACTE and then went on to get full accreditation of the same accrediting body. In every area of her life she enjoyed immeasurable grace. Ini and Afope her first 2 children graduated from the university and are both completing their masters while her last, Tireni, got admission into the university. In this decade, her darling husband Peter Femi Atoyebi (SAN) turned 50 years and her ministry grew even to a greater height. She birthed her NGO, Chosen Vessels Empowerment Foundation which in a short period of time has touched hundreds of lives of girls and women in ministry. Adebola was promoted on all sides. Home, church, family, business, and ministry.

Kemi Ajumobi