Felicia Adebola Adeyoyin was a Nigerian educationist, university professor, and princess from the Iji ruling house of Saki, Oyo State. She is best known as the author of the Nigerian national pledge.
Early Life
Felicia Awujoola was born on 6 November 1938 in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. She attended Idi-Aba, a Christian Baptist school, from 1953 and graduated in 1957 from its teacher training programme.
In 1965, she married Solomon Adedeji Adeyoyin, who attended Baptist Boys' High School, the brother institution to Idi-Aba.
Education
- B.A. (Hons) Geography – Birkbeck, University of London (1968)
- Diploma in Education – Birkbeck, University of London (1976)
- M.A. in Social Studies – Columbia University, New York (1977)
- Ph.D. – University of Lagos (1981)
Career
- Professor of Education – University of Lagos
- Consultant – United Nations
In 1976, Adeyoyin wrote the Nigerian national pledge, which was first published on 15 July 1976 in the Daily Times under the title "Loyalty to the Nation, Pledge".
Later that year, Head of State Olusegun Obasanjo adapted and adopted it as the official national pledge and decreed that schoolchildren should recite it during assembly.
She also served as a Deaconess at Yaba Baptist Church, Lagos.
Death
Felicia Adeyoyin died on 1 May 2021 after a brief illness.
Awards and Honours
- Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) – Awarded in 2005 by the Federal Government of Nigeria