Abiola Adewole
Abiola
was born May
25, 1945 in Winder, Georgia. Moving to Indianapolis,
Indiana,
where she grew up, she attended John
Hope Elementary
School #26 and graduated from Arsenal
Technical
High School
in 1963. Later, that same year, she
moved to Connecticut.
Commuting to New
York City frequently, she was
introduced to the Civil Rights Movement and African culture. She gradually moved towards African
culture. It is there that she met her
husband of 37 years who was a dance instructor and entrepreneur, Ojomo Ogunleye, a businessman
selling African merchandise. After
visiting for a while, Abiola became a part of his
polygamous household.
In 1975, Abiola
and her family moved to Oyotunji
African
Village
in Sheldon , South
Carolina. In the village, Abiola
was initiated into the priesthood of Obatala. Also serving as the Iyalode
of the village, she represented the women in the Ogboni
Society (the village parliament).
Abiola
is an artist - sewing and quilting, creating jewelry and hand molding
pottery. She has participated in
numerous projects teaching her crafts to children and adults in her community,
including the school system and the Arts in Medicine Program at Shands
Hospital. Participating with her family’s performing
group, The African Family, Inc., putting
on African cultural performances, she
has performed all over the United States as a percussionist, dancer, clothing
designer and model. Also, among her
many interests are growing and studying plants and herbs. A mother and
grandmother, she now resides in Gainesville,
Florida
with her family.