Bola Kuforiji-Olubi, former minister of commerce and first female president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAN), was pronounced dead on Saturday.

Mrs Bola Kuforiji-Olubi was known for breaking through several glass ceilings and creating a name to be reckoned with, both in the public and private sector in a time were woman weren’t seen doing much in any of these sectors.

Through her career, she was one known not to be discouraged by gender discrimination.

“Of course, over the years, I have suffered some gender discrimination. I have been told to my face by some organisations that they have no room for any woman! But I never allowed myself to be discouraged,” she said in an interview.

“I have been boss to a number of men who tell me: “I have a woman like you at home!”, but I let them know that I am not the woman in their houses.”

 She began her career as a Grade two Teacher at Zawan Girls Catholic Primary School, Jos, where she rose to be headmistress at age 19.

“I was told that this came because I had done very well at my examinations; scoring the highest number of credits,” she once said.

She left her teaching job and proceeded to the University of London where she did her A Levels and also graduated with a degree in Economics in 1963. In 1964, she became a fellow of British Chartered Institutes of Company Secretaries, ACIS.

She was the first Nigerian female graduate of the Chartered Accountant of England and Wales, and the first female graduate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). She was elected the first female ICAN President in 1989, as the 25th president.

She was also the first Nigerian woman to become the managing director of an international company in Nigeria — VYB (Nigeria) Ltd — in 1977. She was the first female chairman of a public quoted company on the stock exchange (BEWAC Plc.), the holding company for VYB and its subsidiaries.

Kuforiji-Olubi is also the first female Chairman of United Bank for Africa(UBA).

Before her death, she was the Otunba Ayora of Ijebu-Ode and the Ahaneji-Agamba 1 of Isu-Nkwere (meaning the name that goes to places or opens doors).

Kuforiji Olubi is also the Asiwaju Iyalode of Ibadanland, Suada of Egba, Igbokodo-Okeona, Lika of Ikija from the quarters where her paternal grandmother came from.

She was also honoured in Efik as Adaidake-Egburutu, one of the highest chieftaincy titles that can be given to anyone in that region.