Abolaji Odunuga, a respected security expert and Nigerian journalist working in the UK, has been elected president of the Rotary Club of Crawley. The position is an important turning point in her career of dedicated service, influence in advancing African culture, and contribution to the neighbourhood.
Duchess, as she is affectionately known, is the CEO of Duke and Duchess International Magazines, a lifestyle journal based in the UK which was launched in June 2015. She is also the founder of the African Community in Surrey & Sussex, an organisation with the goal of building a strong ecosystem that would serve as a home away from home for Nigerians living in Surrey and Sussex as well as creating activities that will be sustainable for everyone.
She founded Duchess International Magazine in 2014 with a fierce focus on highlighting the strength and distinctiveness of women. In 2018, she expanded the magazine’s reach to Nigeria. Since then, she has given people of African descent a platform to express their accomplishments and contributions, leaving a lasting impression on the publishing industry.
Duchess joined the Rotary Club of Isolo in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2021, and between 2022 and 2023 she served as their Public Image Chair. She transferred her membership to the Rotary Club of Crawley in recognition of her exceptional efforts, where she was also made an honorary member before assuming her current position as president.
Duchess has received various honours and recognition for her outstanding accomplishments. Among them was her recognition in 2020 as one of the top 100 powerful Nigerian women in the UK.
In their communities and around the world, Rotary’s 1.4 million problem-solvers envision a society where people work together to bring about long-lasting change. More than 110 years ago, Rotary began helping people with everything from water and health to literacy and world peace. The world is being improved by them constantly.
