Elizabeth Abimbola Awoliyi was a pioneer in Nigerian medicine and a dedicated advocate for women’s rights. She excelled at Queen’s College before earning a first-class medical degree from Trinity College Dublin in 1938, with a distinction in Anatomy. She was the first West African woman to receive a Licentiate from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

Returning to Nigeria, she joined Massey Street Hospital as a gynaecologist, eventually becoming chief consultant and medical director. In 1962, she was appointed a senior specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics for the Federal Ministry of Health, where she played a key role in shaping maternal healthcare policies.

She was equally committed to advancing women’s rights. As the first president of the Lagos branch of the National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) and later its national president in 1964, she secured a headquarters for the organisation and helped establish family planning clinics that laid the foundation for the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria.

Recognised for her contributions, she was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) and the Nigerian honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).