The Women & Girls Empowerment Foundation International has used the story of Lagos State University Vice-Chancellor, Distinguished Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, to question how society records and celebrates the achievements of women.
The foundation’s latest project, Madam Vice-Chancellor: Against the Odds, premiered in Lagos on September 15, 2026, telling the story of Olatunji-Bello’s rise to the leadership of one of Nigeria’s prominent universities.
Produced by WOGEFI, the executive producer, Professor Olawunmi Oni-Buraimoh, the biopic deliberately looks beyond the title and office to examine the experiences that shaped Olatunji-Bello’s journey.
According to Oni-Buraimoh, the idea was driven by the belief that the public often sees successful women only at the point of achievement, without knowing the setbacks, disappointments and sacrifices that preceded it.
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Olatunji-Bello had contested for the position of Vice-Chancellor twice before eventually emerging, an experience that became an important part of the film’s narrative.
Oni-Buraimoh said she was interested in what such setbacks could teach women and young people about persistence.
“She had attempted to become Vice-Chancellor twice before eventually emerging. I wanted to understand that journey. What keeps a woman going after disappointment? What lessons are there for another woman or young girl who has a dream but encounters setbacks along the way?” she said.
The production involved interviews with more than 50 people who had interacted with Olatunji-Bello at various stages of her personal and professional life.
Their accounts were used to build a narrative around leadership, ambition, relationships, resilience and the realities women may encounter while seeking positions of influence.
Oni-Buraimoh, a Professor of Pragmatics and Sexuality Studies at LASU, said documenting such experiences was important because the stories of accomplished women could provide lessons beyond the individuals involved.
She also drew attention to the tendency to view successful women through the achievements of their husbands, particularly when both partners are prominent in their respective fields.
“A woman should not disappear behind her husband’s achievements. If she has a dream and has done the work required to pursue it, she deserves to have that journey recognised on its own terms,” she said.
The project is consistent with WOGEFI’s work on women and girls’ empowerment, student development and gender-related issues.
For the foundation, the film also represents an intersection between academic work, advocacy and storytelling.
Oni-Buraimoh said documenting women’s journeys could help preserve experiences that might otherwise be lost.
“There are many African women whose journeys contain lessons that have never been properly documented. If we do not tell these stories, we risk losing not only the stories themselves but the lessons contained in them,” she said.
The film was supported by Zenith Bank as the headline sponsor, while Viva Plus served as the gold sponsor.
Lotus, Wema Bank and United Bank for Africa were also acknowledged for their support.
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