By Ayomide Otitoju
Chief Mrs. Leila Euphemia Apinke Fowler, the Yeye Mofin of Lagos and founder of the Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, has passed away at the age of 91.
Her death was confirmed on Saturday by Bashorun J.K. Randle, who disclosed that she died in the early hours of the morning.
Born on March 23, 1933, in Lagos, Chief Fowler (née Moore) distinguished herself across diverse fields, from nursing and law to politics and education.
She began her education at CMS Girls’ School, Lagos, before completing her Senior Cambridge Certificate at Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha, in 1951. Fowler first trained as a teacher before pursuing nursing at St Thomas’ Hospital, London. She later switched to law, was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1962, and returned to Nigeria where she was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1963.
Her legal career included stints in established chambers and running her own firm, specialising in insurance law and consultancy. Beyond the courtroom, Fowler served as a councillor in the Lagos City Council from 1978 to 1980 and was actively involved with the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Red Cross, and the Corona Schools Trust Council.
In 1991, she established the Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls in memory of her late daughter. The school has since become one of Nigeria’s leading all-girls institutions, widely recognised for its academic excellence and commitment to nurturing future leaders.
Her contributions were acknowledged with the conferment of the chieftaincy title of Yeye Mofin of Lagos by Oba Adeyinka Oyekan II.
Remembered as a “silent achiever,” Chief Fowler’s legacy spans law, nursing, politics, and education. She is celebrated for her resilience, service, and pioneering efforts that inspired generations of Nigerians.
