Nation In Mourning: Yeye Mofin Of Lagos, Education Pillar, Passes On

Nigeria has lost a towering figure in education with the passing of Chief Leila Euphemia Apinke Fowler, the Yeye Mofin of Lagos and founder of the renowned Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls. According to the distinguished educationist died at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy that spanned law, nursing, politics, and education.

Her death was confirmed in a statement by Bashorun J.K. Randle, who described her as a woman of resilience and quiet but profound accomplishments.

Born on March 23, 1933, in Lagos, Chief Fowler (née Moore) began her academic journey at CMS Girls’ School, Lagos, and later proceeded to Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha, where she obtained her Senior Cambridge Certificate in 1951. She initially pursued a career in teaching before relocating to London, where she trained as a nurse at the prestigious St Thomas’ Hospital. Her thirst for knowledge and ambition later drove her to study law at Middle Temple, where she was called to the English Bar in 1962, and subsequently to the Nigerian Bar in 1963 after returning home.

Fowler’s legal career flourished, first in established law chambers before she founded her own firm, specialising in insurance law and consultancy. Beyond the legal profession, she committed herself to public service, serving as a councillor in the Lagos City Council from 1978 to 1980 and actively contributing to organisations such as the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Red Cross, and the Corona Schools Trust Council.

Her greatest imprint came in 1991 when she established the Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls in memory of her late daughter. Over the years, the institution has grown into one of Nigeria’s foremost all-girls schools, widely respected for academic excellence and its role in shaping future female leaders.

In recognition of her contributions, Chief Fowler was honoured with the prestigious chieftaincy title of Yeye Mofin of Lagos by Oba Adeyinka Oyekan II. She was celebrated as a “silent achiever” whose quiet strength and determination transformed every field she touched.

Chief Leila Fowler’s life stood as a testament to resilience, ambition, and service. Her legacy will endure in the generations of women she empowered, the institutions she built, and the countless lives she influenced.