# Chief Temitope Ajayi

Amina Temitope Ajayi (aka Mama Diaspora) is a United States-based Nigerian business consultant who is an accountant by training, a social entrepreneur and an ardent community activist. Temitope Ajayi was the former president of All Nigerian American Congress (ANAC). Her efforts and continued advocacy on the Nigerian Diaspora issues have earned her in the media the moniker "Mama Diaspora".
Ajayi promotes women empowerment and poverty eradication in Africa through Agri-business and the Arkansas-Nigeria investment forum and other bilateral economic forums in the US. She is the Founder/CEO of the Nigerian American Agricultural Empowerment Program (NAAEP), which engages in the Agricultural empowerment of farmers, women and young Adults in Nigeria in order to increase foods sufficiency and sustainable employment for women and youths in the agricultural sector. NAAEP has been a grassroots organization that trains and empowers farmers in mechanized farming system, while facilitating business loans, accessibility to farm implements, and the harvesting and marketing of their end product both locally and internationally.
In 2010, Ajayi called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to reduce the interest rates on loans to farmers in order to boost the agricultural sector and to alleviate poverty in the country. Ajayi is an Ambassador of Goodwill for the State of Arkansas and Maryland, USA and was a distinguished delegate at the past 2014 Nigeria's National Conference where she represented the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) in Nigeria and served in the Confab's Committee on Agriculture. In her address at the Annual Meeting of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund, informed delegates that "Women are the engine of the private sector, women run the economy of any nation - because they are more into commerce than their male counterpart, the power of any currency is in their ability to meet the demand and supply".

## Early life

Amina Temitope Labinjo is the daughter of Pa Hector Labinjo and Mrs. Elizabeth Labinjo of Ita Garawu in Lagos Island of Lagos State, Nigeria.

## Career in politics

From 1991 to 1993, Ajayi was appointed as the special assistant to the deputy governor of Lagos State, Her Excellency Alhaja Sinatu Aderoju Ojukutu. Ajayi played an active role in the Better Life for Rural Women project sponsored by the then First Lady of Nigeria, Maryam Babangida and was a delegate for the International Women's Conference held in Morocco and London. After her experiences during the oppressive military regime in Nigeria, Ajayi migrated to the United States of America in 1996. After a brief self-imposed exile in the US, she returned to Nigeria.
Ajayi was the former National Coordinator of Goodluck Support Group (GSG) USA. She congratulated Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria after the 2015 presidential election, and also praised former president,Goodluck Jonathan for becoming the first incumbent head of state in Nigeria to lose an election and accepted defeat peacefully.

## Philanthropy

Ajayi championed and advocated for One Million Goodluck Housing Programme for the Diasporas in collaboration with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria under the DIASPORA HOUSING LOAN SCHEME. With the recent passing of the bill establishing the Diaspora Commission, Ajayi called on President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint credible individuals from the diaspora into the commission to ensure its success.

### Other non-profits

Ajayi is the Honorable Chair at the Global Connections for Women foundation (GC4W), an approved US non-profit organization that believes in all women and youth and their right to create new opportunities for themselves and their communities. GC4W was founded by Lilian O. Ajayi, an International Speaker and the Global Ambassador of Hope.

## Recognitions

For her service to African communities in the US, Ajayi was awarded the President's Volunteer Service Award issued by President George W. Bush, which is a national prize under the patronage of the president of the United States recognizing voluntary engagement.
In 2013, Governor Mike Beebe conferred Honorary Citizenship of Arkansas State on Ajayi alongside few other prominent Nigerians: Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group; Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State; Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi, a former lecturer of University of Lagos; Prof. Ade Adefuye, the Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States; Prof. Julius Okojie, the executive secretary of the National Universities Commission; Mr. Robert Brunner, the vice president America's Arik Air International; and Mr. Kester Ifeadi, the managing director of Contemporary Group Ltd.
She was appointed the Goodwill Ambassador for the state of Arkansas and Maryland by the Governor and Mayor respectively; and was awarded the "Key to the City" of Little Rock, Arkansas by Mayor Mark Stodola. In 2014, Ajayi was honoured alongside Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee, H.E. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Nigeria’s finance minister) and many others by the Global Connection for Women (GC4W) in its 2014 International Women’s Day Awards Gala at the Harvard Club of New York.
Ajayi was among the Nigerians selected as part of Nigeria’s Success Stories in the Private Sector in Agriculture by the Corporate Council on Africa and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In her capacity as the then President of ANAC, Ajayi mobilized a Nigerian leadership coalition to challenge the false imagery of Nigerians in America as criminals in a documentary on CNN titled How To Rob A Bank?. CNN eventually apologized. She received an award from Congresswoman Barbara Lee for her role. Ajayi also received the "key to the city" from Dyersville, Iowa's mayor, James Heavens, who also presented a proclamation affirming that every 16 July will be celebrated as "Nigerian Friendship Day".