Hilda Adefarasin’s life was defined by service. Trained as a nurse in England, she returned to Nigeria in 1951, determined to elevate the profession. She co-founded the Professional Association of Trained Nurses of Nigeria in 1960, ensuring that nurses had a unified voice in shaping healthcare.

Her focus soon widened beyond medicine. As treasurer of the National Council of Women's Societies (NCWS) in 1971 and later its president in 1984, she championed policies that improved women’s health and social standing. Under her leadership, the NCWS supported immunisation campaigns and opened surgical centres for girls suffering from vesicovaginal fistula, providing care where it was most needed.

In 1986, she was one of two women appointed to President Ibrahim Babangida’s Political Bureau, helping to shape discussions on Nigeria’s future.