Yeye Mofin of Lagos, Chief Mrs. Leila Fowler, Passes On at 91

Chief Mrs. Leila Euphemia Apinke Fowler, the revered Yeye Mofin of Lagos and founder of the prestigious Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, has died at the age of 91.

Her passing was confirmed by Bashorun J.K. Randle, who told journalists that she died on Saturday morning.

Born on March 23, 1933, in Lagos, Chief Fowler (née Moore) lived an extraordinary life marked by resilience, service, and remarkable accomplishments in diverse fields.

She attended CMS Girls’ School, Lagos, and later Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha, where she obtained her Senior Cambridge Certificate in 1951.

Chief Fowler began her career as a teacher before studying nursing at the renowned St Thomas’ Hospital, London. Her ambition later drove her to pursue law at Middle Temple, where she was called to the Bar in 1962. Upon her return to Nigeria in 1963, she was also called to the Nigerian Bar.

As a lawyer, she worked both with established chambers and in her own practice, specialising in insurance law and consultancy. Beyond her legal career, she served as a councillor in the Lagos City Council between 1978 and 1980 and actively contributed to organisations such as the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Red Cross, and the Corona Schools Trust Council.

In 1991, she established the Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls in memory of her late daughter. The school has since become one of Nigeria’s leading all-girls institutions, renowned for academic excellence and leadership development.

Her outstanding contributions to education and society earned her the title of Yeye Mofin of Lagos, bestowed by Oba Adeyinka Oyekan II.

Chief Fowler, often described as a “silent achiever,” leaves behind an enduring legacy spanning nursing, law, politics, and education—impacting generations with her vision, values, and service.