By Ayodele Bamijoko
With unwavering dedication and a passion for positive change, Arabinrin Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello, an award-winning investigative journalist and 2016 Finalist, CNN African Journalist Award, currently serves as Technical Media Assistant at the Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS.
Before this appointment, she has become a symbol of empowerment and inspiration for every girl child seeking to carve their path in this vast universe.
In a world where dreams know no bounds, one shining star emerges to carry the aspirations of countless young girls. Arabinrin Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello, a name that resonates with promise and determination, is a beacon of hope for the Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS.
Her level of brilliance is exceptional and intimidating. She’s vocal, experienced and naturally endowed as a woman of caliber who has the capacity to drive FIRS media technicality.
Arabinrin Aderonke exhibited an insatiable thirst for knowledge and a profound desire to make a difference at every given opportunity.
Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello, social worker, administrator, gender, and a graduate of peace studies and conflict resolution, with career spanning over 16 years.
She worked with Nigeria Football League as marketing officer, later promoted to deputy protocol officer, at some point, Country Manager for Kingston university, London; Sports editor and eventually elevated to the role of managing editor at NAIJ.com (now known as Legit.ng). She continued her media journey as Senior Reporter at Premium Times; Reporter, Nigerian Pilot; Northern Bureau Chief, MTN Football; Editor, Online, The Sun Newspaper.
She had a brief stint with the Nigerian Pilot Newspaper, TV Continental, and Africanfootball.com. Her opinion piece has been published by top Nigerian media outlets like Vanguard, Peoples Gazette, Sahara Reporters, Leadership Newspaper, Blueprint Newspaper, Tribune Newspaper, Daily Trust Newspaper, and others. She was a Media and Communications Officer for the Corporate Accountability for Public Participation Africa, where she ran a consistent media campaign on Trans-Fat Free Nigeria.
Outside Nigeria, her level of diligence gave such a milestone to continued her media career internationally, she worked for TRT World, Turkey; Sports Integrity, Ireland; Play the Game, Denmark, and has been featured on BBC have you say, Wits University Newspaper, South Africa, and Malawi Broadcasting Corporation.
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Her journey for girls and child’s advocacy didn’t stop there.
In 2018, based on her advocacy and passion for women and girls, she was specially invited by FIFA to participate in the Women Football Convention in France. She is an Alumna of the ‘Global Sports Mentoring Program’ an exchange program by the US Department of State.
She fully participated in the program at the United States of America in 2019. She is a fellow of the Global Investigative Journalism Network, New York, where she was selected and sponsored to attend the GIJC conference in Lillehammer, Norway. She was appointed to serve as representative and member of the Federal Government Team on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Line Up Live Up Program (LULU). A project that strengthens the youth resilience to crime, violence, and drug use by enhancing their personal and social skills and increasing their knowledge of the risk associated with these phenomena. She served as a local organizing member at the National Sports Festival.
Rewarding her unprecedented career, she won the ‘Sports Category’ at Wole Soyinka Investigate Award in 2013; Leadership awards from Rotary and Lions club 2015 and 2016 respectively; humanitarian award from Goodwill ambassador awards 2016. A former President of Malawi, HE Joyce Banda in an award, awarded her the Girl-Child education champion in Africa, 2017; African Union/ CEPASD Africa awarded her for the works on women and girls’ empowerment, 2018. She was a finalist in the 2016 CNN African Journalist Award for her report on sexual abuse of female athletes by male coaches.
As a charismatic goal-getter with an indomitable spirit, ventured into the field of activism, she singlehandedly led the 2016 African Champions Super Falcons #PayFalcons (a hashtag that trended on Twitter for 2 straight days) protest to the Presidential Villa when allowances were not paid after winning the African Women Championship, they were paid under 48hours. She has organized, volunteered in, and led several campaigns to advocate for peace and gender rights. She has volunteered at UNAIDS, UNICEF, UN Women, UNDP, and other agencies, events, grassroots, and community outreaches.
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In 2017, she founded FAME Foundation www.famefoundationwg.org, an award-winning not-for-profit organization set up to formulate sustainable programs for women and girls in Nigeria. Since its founding, the organization has directly impacted over 10, 000 women and girls and indirectly impacted over 22, 000 Nigerians.
The organization has worked with top local and international NGOs and won grants to carry out projects, UNWomen, MacArthur Foundation, UNDP, US Embassy, Australian High Commission, UN, AFD, USAID, UNAIDS, European Union, Netherlands Embassy, Finland Embassy, Slovakian Embassy, Laureus Sports for Good, US Department of State, French Embassy, and many others. The NGO currently have 9 administrative staff and over 40 volunteers spread across Nigeria.
Wife of the Former Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo attended and launched HerSTEM Initiative for girls with disabilities in 2021, an initiative of FAME Foundation. Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, kicked off her NGO’s Women’s Day Football Tournament in the year 2020 and 2022 respectively.
Honorable Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung refereed and Chief Sunday Dare kicked off Women’s Day Football Tournament in 2019 and 2022 respectively, among other high profile attendance at FAME Foundation’s past events.
During her charitable engagements, she has worked with notable Nigerians like Tonto Dikeh, Empress Njamah, Victor Moses, Mikel Obi, Odion Jude Ighalo, John Utaka, Godfrey Oboabona and several others. She is a respected and relevant stakeholder in the sports ecosystem with influence around the world.
With a strong network, and great working relationship in the Diplomatic Community in Nigeria, Aderonke Bello has worked with embassies, envoys and High Commissions, in carrying out sustainable Community based projects in key areas of the Federation since 2015.
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She stands for everything that has to do with peace, women, and girls’ rights. She has undergone several trainings on first aid, child protection, fact-checking, digital reporting, public speaking, women empowerment, climate change, advocacy, etc.
Aderonke is a change agent, mentor and life coach who believes in Gender Equality and Equity, an international speaker who has spoken at different events in Denmark 2015, Netherlands 2018, South Africa 2013, Malawi 2019, Tanzania 2019, Mozambique 2019, TEDx Jabi 2015 and other local events. Recognized by UN Women and UNAIDS in Nigeria.
With over 8 authors from around the world including Asia, America, Europe, United Kingdom, Australia, Africa, etc., she co-authored a book titled, Restoring Trust in Sport: Corruption Cases and Solutions. It examines the loss of trust at both national and international levels. Drawing on cutting-edge research, the book includes both on-field and off-field. It’s a solutions-focused collection of sport corruption case studies, leading researchers consider how to re-establish trust both within sports organisations and in the wider sporting public.
She recently served as a Representative of the President-Elect, in the Media and Publicity Sub-Commitee of the Presidential Transition Council that ushered in the current President of Nigeria.
She is a focused and committed individual with sound self-esteem and a sense of identity, a team player with a positive attitude and outlook to life.
There are not enough words to fully describe this ebullient woman of substance who has consistently demonstrated her efficiency and diligence right from her eventful years as journalist, but in Arabinrin, FIRS will sees not just a remarkable, experienced and charismatic woman, but a guiding star illuminating the path for countless women to follow.
Ayodele Bamijoko, is a journalist and Senior Reporter at The PAPERS
