My mother motivated me when I wanted to quit -Aisha Akinola, first African Sabbatical Officer at Edinburgh University

Sokoto-born Aisha Akinola, has broken records as the first African to become a Sabbatical Officer at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

A sabbatical officer is a students representative.

Akinola currently serves as the Vice President, Welfare in the Scottish University’s Student Association.

While chatting with our correspondent, Akinola said her mother motivated her to run for the role at a point when she felt discouraged.

“After giving my manifesto, I felt so down and depressed because I was the only person of colour. I called my Mum and she encouraged me to continue,” she said.

“During my campaign, I gave it my all and I was determined that even if I fail, I would fail gloriously but lo and behold, I won,” she said.


Akinola emerged the first African sabbatical officer and the first African to hold the role of the Vice President Welfare in her University’s 438 years history.

Akinola revealed that she became aware of the sabbatical officer role while she was getting her visa to travel to Edinburgh.

When I was preparing my visa at the airport, they asked me if I wanted to go on sabbatical. So, I was intrigued and checked out the meaning of the word. From that moment, I started looking forward to it,” she said.

As a sabbatical officer in her University’s Student Association, Akinola hopes to carry out campaigns on her campus to solve issues relating to racial segregation and students support.

She is also passionate about embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion into the experience of students at the University of Edinburgh.

According to her, she hopes that the University embraces diversity and inclusion under her tenure, as these factors are personal to her.

She revealed that during her meetings with other officials, people always get to notice her as she is the only person of colour and that her religion makes her stand out too.

Being a person of colour and a Muslim, Akinola sees herself as a person of complexities.

Asides being a sabbatical officer at the University of Edinburgh, Akinola is also a model, hair stylist, and henna artist.

For her, modelling is a passion while hair styling and henna artistry are side hustles.

She said, “As a child, I was making toffee and ‘chin chin’ to sell at school. I have always had that entrepreneurial spirit and that’s how I’ve been able to manage my passion, role and side hustles.”

https://punchng.com/nigerian-emerges-first-african-student-rep-in-scottish-varsitys-438-year-history/

Women are always the best congratulations!!!!

Bola146:
Women are always the best congratulations!!!!

Yes nah! We can see it. Women are always the best. They are responsible for most good things in this world. They have the best achievements in every field.

More than 85% of all innovations the world has seen was by women. In fact, most of the greatest empires and nations the world ever witnessed were forged by women.

You are right nah. Oshey genius!

Omo oduduwa, omoluabi making us proud, unlike our brothers that's giving us bad names. God bless you

DDDEnterprises:


Yes nah! We can see it. Women are always the best. They are responsible for most good things in this world. They have the best achievements in every field.

More than 85% of all innovations the world has seen was by women. In fact, most of the greatest empires and nations the world ever witnessed were forged by women.

You are right nah. Oshey genius!

you just say what again?

No noise nor chest beating Unlike our noisy neighbors from hell fire.

Yoruba Muslim Amaka.

Igbo Jew ajoka.

Akinola and sokoto born , never knew fulanis have this much in common with Yorubas , they are truly related like tinubu said

Her name is AKINOLA

Omo oduduwa keeps repping us, if it is from potopoto republic, country of pigs, dey for don start shouting agbari ojukwu amaka, ipigidiots amaka and so on
No chestbeating, we just they do our things jejely
God bless my yoruba people